Putting a Career on Hold to Receive Eating Disorder Treatment

It is far easier to take a leave of absence from work for standard health crisis issues – such as a heart condition, cancer, or surgery. However, when considering putting a career on hold for a behavioral health treatment program, such as an eating disorder, making the decision becomes a lot more complicated.

Some of the top concerns reported by professionals considering seeking residential treatment for anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder include:

• What do I tell my colleagues and/or clients?
• How will this hurt my career?
• Will my boss, colleagues and clients think I am weak and unstable?

So, to address these concerns from the top:

What Do I Tell My Colleagues When Putting a Career on Hold?

This process begins with how much you really want to reveal. Remember that your privacy and recovery deserve respect and that the option of disclosing on a “Need to know” basis can be wise.

This is particularly the case if you feel too exposed or vulnerable with colleagues knowing of your personal struggles. Ultimately, it is important to follow your gut feeling and choose what you feel may be best for your recovery.

It may be helpful to share your treatment plans with your boss and then request that they not disclose this to anyone, unless necessary and okayed by you, to obtain the leave of absence, benefits, pay for time away, etc.

However, if you are feeling proud of your courageous decision to seek treatment for your eating disorder, then it may be helpful to you to share your plans with trusted colleagues and/or clients, recognizing that many of these individuals will be supportive and encouraging to you on your journey.

Further, you may feel a sense of altruism by sharing your treatment plans, knowing that many others have similar private struggles, and they may be inspired to seek their own recovery by your brave example.

How Will This Hurt My Career?

Putting a career on hold to seek treatment is a pivotal moment in your life, and there will be consequences, both positive and negative. On the upside, you are conscientiously choosing your health and wellbeing over your career path.

This is how it should be, and in fact, part of the underlying issues behind the eating disorder may be a result of the stress and unmanageable amount of work that you may have taken upon yourself, in order to meet career aspirations or expectations.

You may have been prioritizing your career and professional life over your own wellbeing, and this may be the time to realize that your physical and mental health is above all else.

On the downside, by putting a career on hold, you may miss out on key training, promotions or even a raise due to the choice to take a leave of absence from work and seek anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder treatment. These are real negative consequences that are possible.

You are wise to come to terms with these possibilities.

However, you may become discouraged in the short term upon your return to work if any of these opportunities were missed while or because you were away from treatment.

Attaining the opportunity to prioritize your mental, physical, and spiritual health over work is a tremendously positive step forward in and of itself! You deserve congratulations for taking the road less traveled, and even though the journey comes with its hardships, you are essentially true to yourself.

Will My Colleagues & Clients Think I Am Weak or Unstable?

The truth is that we have no control over what others think of us. Still, it is painful to anticipate or experience others thinking of or speaking of us in less flattering terms than we would prefer.

However, “prefer” is the important factor to consider here. In hindsight, to be thought of by others in less than glowing terms is not of any real consequence to us. At the very least, it will only affect us as much as we will let it. We may “prefer” that our peers like and respect us, but we do not need this to be okay.

We are okay simply because we are all unique human beings that are fallible. All of us are, but we are still highly deserving of our self-esteem and affirmation.

However, far more likely, our colleagues will respect our choice of putting a career on hold in order to take care of ourselves and recognize the collective wisdom that taking one step backward (to seek healing and recovery) will probably result in two or many more significant steps forward (personally, professionally and in all areas of life).

Unfortunately, it is often considered more socially acceptable to take time off of work for mainstream health concerns.

Yet, it is just as important to respect yourself and others when the brave choice to address and seek healing from behaviorally health issues, such as an eating disorder, are made.

In the end, it is your life, your dreams, and your relationships with loved ones that will benefit and flourish from your recovery. Even after you’ve recovered and gone back to work, it is important to manage job stress by tracking stressors, building healthy responses, taking time to rejuvenate, and continuing your aftercare program.

You can get back to your work and setting career goals with renewed zeal and work toward achieving your goals all the while maintaining your physical, emotional, and mental health.

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References:

Home. Retrieved from https://www.mirror-mirror.org/eating-disorders-statistics.htm

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About the author:

Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC founded Eating Disorder Hope in 2005, driven by a profound desire to help those struggling with anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder. This passion resulted from her battle with, and recovery from, an eating disorder. As president, Jacquelyn manages Ekern Enterprises, Inc. and the Eating Disorder Hope website. In addition, she is a fully licensed therapist with a closed private counseling practice specializing in the treatment of eating disorders.

Jacquelyn has a Bachelor of Science in Human Services degree from The University of Phoenix and a Masters degree in Counseling/Psychology, from Capella University. She has extensive experience in the eating disorder field including advanced education in psychology, participation, and contributions to additional eating disorder groups, symposiums, and professional associations. She is a member of the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), Academy of Eating Disorders (AED), the Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC) and the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp).

Jacquelyn enjoys art, working out, walking her dogs, reading, painting and time with family. Although Eating Disorder Hope was founded by Jacquelyn Ekern, this organization would not be possible without support from our generous sponsors.

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The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer a discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Reviewed & Updated on September 4, 2019, by Jacquelyn Ekern MS, LPC
Originally Published October 13, 2015, on EatingDisorderHope.com
Current version updated with statistics, recent research & video.