South Jersey, especially the South Jersey shore, is a popular vacation destination that offers great food and drinks, a vibrant nightlife, casinos, entertainment for the entire family, and beautiful beaches.
These year round attractions wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of the men and women in the tourism, restaurant and hospitality industries. The long and irregular work hours, stressful work demands, customer service challenges, and heavy workloads can take a toll on workers.
Because of the unique challenges seasonal workers often face some may turn to alcohol or other substances to try to cope with this physical and psychological strain. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that people working in the hospitality and restaurant industries face a higher risk for illicit drug use and substance use disorder than workers in other industries.
Nearly 17% of these individuals suffer from a substance use disorder. These workers cite the grueling schedules, unstable income, ready availability of alcohol and other drugs and pressure from coworkers as reasons for turning to substance as their tool for handling their stress.
Despite the immense challenges seasonal workers face you don’t have to give up your career to regain your sobriety. Addiction treatment centers like Boca Recovery Center - New Jersey offer tailored programs to address clients’ individual needs, including the specific workplace stressors that can lead to or worsen an addiction.
Boca Recovery Center offers inpatient alcohol and substance use disorder detox and treatment in their 22 bed luxury treatment facility. Once an individual decides that living under the strain of a stressful work life and facing the challenges of alcohol or drug addiction are not a sustainable way to live, they are there to provide comprehensive addiction treatment services.
They offer luxury accommodations with around the clock medical support at their beautiful and modern facility in Galloway, New Jersey.
Their whole person approach to treatment recognizes that feeling comfortable and safe is an important component of a successful treatment program. They offer private rooms where individuals can rest and relax after a day of programming.
Their modern and inviting rooms provide a place where clients can find healthy sleep, something seasonal workers have likely lacked. Sleep helps to support both physical and emotional healing by helping to regulate mood, reduce anxiety and prepare the brain to make the changes needed for recovery.
The private chefs at Boca Recovery prepare gourmet meals daily and can meet any dietary need or restriction. Many people who are living with addiction suffer from nutritional deficits that when corrected help the body to heal, improve immune function and balance brain chemistry. Not only are the meals nutritious but they are also delicious and comforting.
Treatment is not all about education and counseling; individuals have downtime during their stay. During these times, they can use the modern media room that has theater style seating to enjoy a movie or watch television with their peers.
There are spaces where they can go to read, spend time journaling or build support through engagement with their peers. Developing peer to peer relationships while in treatment is another important element in the recovery process.
These peer relationships provide support, encouragement and accountability that people with addiction need. These relationships become a place where trust is built, communication skills are improved and may be the first relationship where someone understands how it feels to struggle with addiction.
Another activity that can be highly beneficial during treatment is exercise. They offer a clean and inviting area where individuals can work on improving their physical fitness by using their have top of the line exercise equipment. Exercise helps the body to repair itself from the damage caused by addiction. It supports both the mind and the body by strengthening the immune system function, reducing anxiety and stress and helping to improve sleep cycles, attributes that are critical for seasonal workers.
Boca Recovery is situated in a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. These beautiful green spaces provide a place where you can find serenity in nature. Whether it is in taking a walk, practicing mindfulness or just sitting among the trees, it gives an individual time to reflect on what they are learning and consider how the coping skills and inner reflection they are developing will bring on a much brighter future where addiction is no longer in charge.
People who work in the restaurant, hospitality and tourism sectors face unique stressors that people in other industries do not face and most likely do not understand. The medical and addiction specialists at facilities like Boca Recovery understand these challenges and are there to help.
Asking for help may be one of the hardest steps on the recovery journey but it is certainly one that has the potential to make great change.
