Am I Allowed to Leave My House To Go To Addiction Rehab For Treatment?

Yes. Accessing healthcare is an “essential” activity, which means you’re allowed to come access treatment when you need it, even if you’re practicing social distancing or obeying shelter-in-place orders. Many facilities remain open and committed to serving the millions of individuals struggling with addiction, while enforcing safety and prevention as a top priority in regard to COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus).

Should I Wait Until the Pandemic Ends to Go into Rehab?

No. At home, you are still exposed to COVID-19 when you do things like pick up your mail, go to the grocery store, or refill a prescription at the pharmacy. All the while, your addiction could be getting worse. The stress and isolation of living in quarantine may only worsen your substance use and any mental health symptoms from which you’re suffering. Many facilities are taking rigorous measures to limit any exposure to the virus while providing the lifesaving treatment you need.

Now is a good time to go to treatment because a lot of the world is at a standstill. Take this time to get the help you need to recover from your addiction. When things resume as normal, you’ll be in a much better place—clean and sober.

Will Going to Addiction Treatment Cause Me to Lose My Job?

There are legal protections for you to access the behavioral healthcare you need. If you wait to get help, you might lose your job due to the ramifications of your drug or alcohol use. If you get help now, you can come back to work healthier and perform better.

If you’re currently unemployed or furloughed, this the perfect time to get treatment. Once the pandemic ends, a lot of people will in competition for jobs, and you’ll need to be at your best to land a position or return to and keep the job from which you’ve been furloughed. You can only do so in the right frame of mind (and with the ability to pass a drug test, should you be required to do so).

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