Treatment Discussion

2

Aug 23

Addiction Counseling for Substance Abuse and Dependence

Tags: Substance Abuse Treatment,Therapy,Counseling,Recovery,Addiction Treatment,Drug Abuse Treatment,Alcohol Abuse Treatment

Addiction counseling is very beneficial for an individual recovering from the use of drugs or alcohol or any other addiction. Qualified professional addiction counselors work with their clients addressing all areas associated with their use of drugs or alcohol including their negative thinking patterns and behaviors.

Not everyone that uses drugs or alcohol does so for the same reasons. Some people started out just experimenting and become hooked but that's not true for everyone. Sometimes there are underlying problems that can lead to substance use and through counseling the therapist and client are able to identify and work through issues that fuel destructive behaviors.

Addiction Counselors work with their clients helping them to achieve abstinence and sobriety and support them while working toward recovery. Counselors are trained in the area of substance abuse and addiction and they understand the importance of changing negative thinking and behaviors. They work close with their clients developing positive thinking and behavior skills that benefit them in their recovery from substance abuse and addiction.

An addiction counselor also recognizes the benefits of 12 step and self-help programs and helps their clients utilize other methods of recovery help that's available to strengthen their recovery from drugs or alcohol. Individual and group counseling are both very beneficial in treatment program settings as well. Most treatment facilities both inpatient and outpatient include individual and/or group counseling as part of their treatment services for their clients.

2 Comments

1. 
   Ronnie B. 2 years ago

   It's easy to quit using drugs. It's really easy. Just break your cell phone, destroy your laptop and lock yourself in a room for a while. I know how easy it is to do because I've done it multiple times before. The real trick to recovery is staying clean. That isn't so easy.
   
   After kicking my habit more times than I could count, only to look up my dealer's number again and hang out again with the people in my life who influenced me to do drugs, I was convinced that I was sentenced to be an addict forever. To me, that was even worse than a death sentence. Instead of escaping my pain forever, I had to wake up every day sober enough to realize that I was a disappointment to my mother and a failure at life.
   
   Out of sheer desperation I looked up the phone numbers of some addiction counselors in the phone book. The first call I made was picked up by a kind, gentle sounding woman. I set an appointment to see her that afternoon. She was the most welcoming and non-judgmental person I had ever met. She became my counselor and I saw her at least once a week for over a year. With her help I learned that the reason I had been failing at recovering from my addiction was because I never addressed the root causes of my addiction. She helped me to do just that, and now I've been clean and sober for nearly two years!
   

2. 
   Samuel B. 2 years ago

   I started seeing an addiction counselor at the request of my girlfriend almost a year ago. At first each session seemed like the biggest possible waste of time. I didn't want to go. I only went because my girlfriend said that if I didn't go she'd leave me. I'd literally go into his office, sit on a comfortable plush couch and say nothing. Instead of speaking, I'd nod, shake my head, or grunt.
   
   After about a month I started seeing my counselor I started to actually talk to him. I was so happy that he didn't give up on me. He became the one person that I could talk about absolutely everything with openly and candidly. He also helped me realize that I started using drugs to numb the pain of losing my best friend in a car accident when I was in high school. I was never able to grieve the loss of my friend, who was as close to a brother as I'd ever had. My counselor helped me to overcome my depression and beat my addiction.
   
   I decided to tell my girlfriend how grateful I was that she convinced me to see my counselor when I proposed to her. I knew that she would be my best friend and ally for life and I would be lucky to have her as my wife. Lucky for me, she accepted my proposal and is now officially my fiance! We're planning our wedding for next month. I can't wait to start my life with her as her sober husband.