Recovered addicts working in the addiction field: Pitfalls to substance abuse relapse

Abstract

In the 1940s, due to a shortage of professional counselors, combined with the hope of rehabilitation for the addict, there grew a belief that the recovered alcoholic could be trained to enter the field of addiction treatment as a paraprofessional. These early stages of addiction treatment and the emergence of the recovered substance abuser as a counselor fostered a discussion in the role played by the paraprofessional. This discussion subsequently encouraged an accumulation of literature during the early stages of substance abuse treatment in North America, which later began to diminish as the field moved forward towards the twenty-first century. This paper reviews the literature to examine the perceived potential risks for relapse associated with recovered addicts working in the addictions field. Potential risks for relapse discussed are the ex-addict's motivation for entering the addiction field, personal help from self-help groups may be lost once in the field, over involvement with clients, over involvement with work, over identification with clients and the repercussions of relapse. The paper also addresses the limitations of the studies conducted to date, provides recommendations for further research and proposes that this topic be explored using a qualitative approach, so that recovered counselors can construct their own narratives.

Addiction Counselors in Recovery: Perceived Barriers in the Workplace

“…This might be the type of setting where academic competitiveness plays a smaller role while recovery status is more appreciated. The addiction field could lose significant human resources if ex-addicts seeking employment were discouraged from working in a non-12 -step setting among non-recovering counsellors because their recovery status was not appreciated, or to avoid stigma, or academic competitiveness [38].…”

“…This possible high rate of burnout or possible relapse is compounded if the individual is employed by a community outreach program, which meets clients in their own environment and is bombarded by multiple drug related stimuli [38].…”

“…As addiction counselors, they are constantly exposed to possible triggers from clients who exhibit substance using behaviour and who may often glorify their substance use while sharing their stories. In addition, recovering counsellors may come in contact with former using acquaintances or partners who are now clients of the agency they work for, which triggers a memory recall of former substance using days [38].…”

“…The individual who approaches a co-worker or supervisor to discuss concerns about feeling triggered should be commended for their bravery in facing possible stigma, and having the foresight in preventing a possible relapse [38].…”

“…Disciplines as well will subjugate the "nonconformist" to constructed ways of behaving and talking; otherwise, there are things in place as a backlash that removes agency from the ex-addict [38]. Even the substance abuse treatment sector has historically wielded power over the recovering addict working in the addiction field when compared to the non-recovering counsellor.…”