Nurse burnout is real. In a study reported by the National Library of Medicine, 65.6% of nurses reported high levels of job stress due to factors such as poor leadership, minimal support, and staffing limitations. High stress levels, long hours, and the often-traumatic experiences of their patients can create a very difficult, emotionally draining situation.
To cope, some nurses find themselves turning to drugs or alcohol to relax, stop the invasive thoughts, and ease the pressure. Studies have shown that about 8% of nurses struggle with substance use disorder. After the pandemic, that figure is likely higher.
As a nurse, you know the consequences of substance use disorder and its impact on your family, your career, and most importantly, your health. Where can you turn for help? How can you take care of yourself without compromising your career?
A Professional-Focused Addiction Treatment Center Can Help
At our drug and alcohol addiction center in Lubbock, Texas, we offer a professional treatment program, one that is designed to support the unique challenges and needs of professionals, including nurses and doctors.
A lot of things can cause addiction. A nurse, especially one working in traumatic situations, like the emergency room, a trauma center, or hospice, is likely to face a wide range of mental health challenges. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common. Anxiety disorders and depression can develop. These struggles can directly contribute to substance use, and vice versa. If you feel yourself struggling to stay afloat, it may be time to step away for a few weeks to take care of yourself.
A professional program can help you to do that.
Our programs are always individualized to meet your specific challenges and struggles. We offer detox and residential care to our patients as a first step.
During detox, you have a safe place with ample support where you can allow your brain and body to get back to functioning as they should. You get help for withdrawal symptoms, and you start to feel like yourself again.
After detox, the real work of recovery begins. You will learn the key strategies and tools available to help you manage stress in your career and at home. Working with a psychiatrist, you’ll discover whether your mental health issues can be diagnosed as stress-induced depression, anxiety, PTSD, or another disorder. Medication may help to relieve these issues, and therapy will help you gain confidence in yourself and your ability to manage stress.
You’ll learn things like:
- How to recognize high-stress environments early on to prevent negative actions and outcomes
- Hands-on, in-the-moment solutions to use when you’re feeling anxiety
- How to become aware of negative thinking patterns and change them
- How to connect with a professional recovery community for ongoing support
Learning coping strategies, including ways to adjust your thinking processes, can help you to build confidence moving forward. It can also help you to stay sober long-term. It’s not simple – even if you “know” what you should do as a professional, you still need encouragement and support to stay healthy.
Guidance and Support
At the core of what you do in treatment is rebuilding your sense of self. Often, professionals need to be able to step back and realize that they don’t have to do it all, that they are more than their career, and that it’s important to nurture all aspects of themselves.
That’s easy to say but not to do. In treatment, you’ll learn how to make self-care a big part of your recovery. You’ll learn what you need to thrive again and build a healthy future that you love living. Even if you have been fired from a job, have concerns about your future career and license, or are ready for a complete change, we can help you.
The work you do is commendable. It’s important to the community. But you are important, too. Take the time now to seek out treatment at The Ranch at Dove Tree to learn how we can help you structure a future that improves your health, emotional well-being, and quality of life.
