36
In many normal countries you can absolutely call in sick when you're vomiting out your guts
I can call in sick but I don't get paid... The bills are still there though.
In most civilized countries, if your doctor signs on it, you get paid sick leave, and the majority will sign, as they will see the withdrawal as a debilitating disease.
If most addicts were going to doctors to get off, I think there would be a higher success rate. I imagine many, if not most, don't even have a doctor to see
I haven't had a primary health physician since I was 15. I'm 30.
In the UK? What the fuck. That's wild to me.
Statutory sick pack is an absolute joke (about £120 per week). Most places do offer company sick pay on top though (x amount of days fully paid etc)
Here in the good ol US of A drug addiction is seen as a moral and personal failing thus you have to personally suffer immensely and loose your job, also depending on the area you can get arrested and sentenced to prison for drug possession the second you try to get help
Sounds rough man. I got no personal experience with addiction - so feel free to tell me to get outta town. Could an organised support group could be helpful? I imagine it'd be a scary thing to commit to, but sharing the load with people who are going thru the shit as well - I imagine you'd at least be heard there and people would care/understand withdrawals etc. Sounds like you feel a lot pressure too (totally fair btw), so an organised support group could feel like another burden, but there's a darn good chance it'll make every other aspect of life easier.
Hopefully someone who knows more can chime in.
Edit: re-reading. I realise it's physically tough as well as mentally. So yeah, fark.
Not OP, but organizing support groups, or joining one already around does help some. It does not help everyone.
I've been to a couple AA meetings and wow. After the meetings is the time I felt like I needed a drink the most. They still make the addiction everything in their life, but it's the inverse. They eat sweets (because they aren't consuming sugars for alcohol, so the body craves it) and talk about alcohol all day. Hearing these stories drives me toward the problem.
I would rather focus my time and attention on something else. Start any random hobby or pick a topic and learn about it. Idk. You're trying to kill time so you don't make bad choices so fill your time with good choices. Like crochet and then mail me a blanket. It gets cold sometimes.
this post was submitted on 11 Apr 2026
36 points (100.0% liked)
Off My Chest
1909 readers
5 users here now
RULES:
I am looking for mods!
1. The "good" part of our community means we are pro-empathy and anti-harassment. However, we don't intend to make this a "safe space" where everyone has to be a saint. Sh*t happens, and life is messy. That's why we get things off our chests.
2. Bigotry is not allowed. That includes racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and religiophobia. (If you want to vent about religion, that's fine; but religion is not inherently evil.)
3. Frustrated, venting, or angry posts are still welcome.
4. Posts and comments that bait, threaten, or incite harassment are not allowed.
5. If anyone offers mental, medical, or professional advice here, please remember to take it with a grain of salt. Seek out real professionals if needed.
6. Please put NSFW behind NSFW tags.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS