According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, substance abuse is often accompanied by mental illness. One of the most common mental illnesses is depression. Depression effects millions of people every year and the depression makes them particularly susceptible to substance abuse. Most people who suffer from depression eventually develop a substance abuse problem.
What is Depression?
Feelings of sadness and hopelessness are common for people with depression.
Depression is a complex illness that causes millions of people distress every year. The symptoms of depression are:
feelings of sadness,
despondency,
feelings of loss,
low self-esteem,
low self-worth,
hopelessness,
worthlessness, and
eventual suicidal thoughts and feelings.
Depression is described by those who have it as a black pit that they are in and cannot get out of. Some even go so far as to describe it as feeling like dying constantly with no way out. Since there usually is not an end in sight many people become so hopeless that they kill themselves because of it.
What is Self Medication?
Self medication is the practice of using illegal prescription or other drugs in order to self treat a disorder. People with mental illnesses are particularly susceptible to self medicating. They take the things that make them feel better and often this is illegal drugs or alcohol.
Why do People with Depression Self Medicate?
People with depression self medicate to find relief from the symptoms of depression. The depression is so painful that they cannot bear it without having some form of relief. This relief is usually temporary when someone uses drugs to achieve it. They feel a brief lifting of the depression and suicidal thoughts. In order to keep from self destructing, they use drugs to either forget or to get away from this feeling.
Special Populations and Substance Abuse
What Substances do People use to Self Medicate?
People uses a variety of substances to self medicate. These substances are usually things that cause euphoria, increased energy, forgetfulness, or feelings of worth. A few of these drugs are:
opiates,
cocaine,
crack,
MDMA,
Psychedelics,
Amphetamines,
Methamphetamine,
Methadone,
Marijuana, and
Alcohol.
There are many more drugs that people use to self medicate. Just about any drug may be used. It depends on the person and the type of depression that they have, what they use to alleviate the depression.
This self medication usually causes addition to the substance they use. Then they are dealing with both the initial depression and addiction rather than just the mental illness. Most people who use illegal drugs have some form of mental disorder, depression just happens to be the most common of these disorders.
How to Find Help for Substance Abuse caused by Depression
There are many sources for treatment of substance abuse caused by depression. One of the types of treatment is a rehab or treatment center. In a treatment center or rehab, they can treat both the depression and the substance abuse. For more information on finding treatment for these conditions and others call use at 1-800-895-1695.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, many people who suffer from a mental illness such as anxiety also suffer from substance abuse issues. Anxiety sometimes causes substance abuse and the abuse of most drugs causes anxiety. This provides the link between substance abuse and anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
People with anxiety often experience depression and panic attacks.
Anxiety is a lasting fear that does not have a reason and does not go away. Most people who suffer from anxiety describe it as:
Unexplained nervousness,
Depression,
Constant worry,
Panic also associated with panic attacks,
The inability to act due to fear,
Paralyzing fear in different situations, and
Constant adrenaline.
People suffer from anxiety generally suffer from one of three anxiety disorders. These disorders are:
Generalized anxiety disorder – a general feeling of unease all the time, constant worry.
Panic Disorder – people with panic disorder suffer from debilitating panic attacks that sometimes resemble and can cause a heart attack.
Social Anxiety Disorder – social anxiety disorder is anxiety and panic attacks in social situations.
These disorders are very common in teens and young adults. Very often, they require treatment in an inpatient or outpatient treatment facility. Treatment for anxiety disorder is a combination of medications and therapy depending on the type of anxiety disorder.
Unfortunately, the only medications available for anxiety disorders are benzodiazepines. These drugs are highly addictive and cause substance abuse themselves.
Anxiety causing Drug Abuse
In order to alleviate anxiety addictive drugs are usually used. The benzodiazepines that treat anxiety are very addictive and difficult to get off once you are on them. They also cause serious problems during withdrawal. Most people who wind up addicted to benzodiazepines do so because they started them for anxiety treatment.
Another way anxiety causes substance abuse is through self medication. Many people suffering from anxiety describe being willing to do anything to stop feeling of anxiety so they take prescription and illegal drugs to stop it.
Why do People Start Abusing Substances?
Drug Abuse Causing Anxiety
Most drugs of abuse cause some form of anxiety particularly during withdrawal from the drugs. Doctors recognize this and often treat the anxiety while treating the substance abuse problem. Unfortunately, the only drugs that have been proven to be useful in treating this anxiety are addictive themselves. This just creates a cycle of medicating for anxiety and then having to treat the substance abuse problem that this medication creates.
It is only through treatment and counseling that this cycle can be broken. Most people trapped in the cycle remain on anti-anxiety drugs for a long time after the initial addiction is gone. They do this because they cannot just stop taking anti-anxiety drugs without suffering from withdrawal and other serious side effects.
For more information on anxiety and its link to substance abuse, call use at 1-800-895-1695. We can help you find a treatment center for both the anxiety and the substance abuse problems. Regardless of which causes the other, both can be treated by using a rehab facility and other resources available.
Everyone knows that drug addiction is a complicated disease that affects millions of Americans. However, what is less known is just how far reaching the effects can be on not only the addicted individual, but everyone around them, and their community. Treatment centers are the primary means of helping individuals battle their substance abuse and recover from it. But, just as addiction affects communities, treatment centers also help communities. To understand how, it is important to understand the far reaching effects of substance abuse and how treatment centers are related.
Drugs Breed Crime
Treatment centers provide drug education and counseling.
One of the effects of substance abuse on communities is crime. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 25 percent of all federal inmates are serving time for drug related offenses. Similar percentages of prisoners are serving time for drug offenses in local jails and state prisons. There are a number of ways that treatment centers help reduce crime in communities, including:
getting people off of drugs,
providing education and counseling to stop the spread of addiction,
providing long-term counseling to keep addicted individuals from relapsing, and
helping addicted individuals build life skills so that they can function away from the drug scene.
By doing these things, treatment centers help to reduce drug related crimes in the communities in which they operate. This, in turn, helps communities become safer and more family friendly.
Financial Benefits
The National Institute on Drug Abuse states, substance abuse costs this country more than 480 billion dollars every year. This staggering number makes it obvious that substance abuse drastically affects the financial health of communities. However, treatment centers can help the financial damages of substance abuse just like they help the crime rates. Some of the financial benefits to communities of treatment centers are:
lower healthcare costs related to substance abuse,
lower costs to courts for prosecuting drug offenders,
lower incarceration costs related to drugs,
fewer missed workdays, and
higher productivity in the workplace.
All of these benefits combine to reduce the financial impact of substance abuse on communities, and improve their financial health.
Choosing Substance Abuse Treatment
Healthy Communities
Everyone knows that substance abuse has drastic effects on mental and physical health. Treatment centers help this by stopping substance abuse, and helping people recover from its ravages. This creates healthier and happier communities. If you or someone you know is suffering from the disease of substance abuse or addiction, you should look into getting help from a treatment center as soon as possible. The sooner you begin your recovery, the sooner you can get back to the life that you deserve, and the community that is counting on you to do your part to make it a better place to live.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease. This means that there is no real “cure”. Anyone that has sought drug addiction treatment will tell you that the recovery process lasts for the rest of your life. The urge to use again will always be there, and you can only do everything in your power to make the necessary changes in your life to mitigate the urges and opportunities to abuse drugs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, around half of all people in drug treatment will relapse. This is equivalent to other chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma. In short, relapse is not a failure.
Why People Relapse
According to the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington, relapse occurs when behaviors and attitudes of people in recovery begin to revert to their pre-recovery state. In other words, something happens that leads them into the thoughts of self-loathing and self-destruction that caused them to start using drugs in the first place. Some of the things that could happen to cause a relapse are:
being around people that are using drugs,
seeing paraphernalia for your drug of choice,
being around “friends” or others that don’t support your recovery,
depression,
anxiety,
a poor performance review at work, and
family problems.
There are as many reasons for relapse as there are people that relapse. No two people are the same, and everybody’s triggers are different.
Myths About Relapse
Mental health problems can cause relapse.
These are some of the myths about relapsing and the reality of them:
You should have known you were going to relapse. – It is often difficult for those in bad situations to know how bad it is until it is too late. Addiction recovery and relapse are no different.
You only relapse if you’re not strong enough to recover. – Strength of mind or body play very little roll in relapse. More often it is being in a bad situation, or not getting the right kind of help that brings about relapse.
People that relapse don’t want to recover. – Desire to change does not automatically get rid of a disease. Addiction is a disease that cannot be stopped by wishful thinking.
Thinking about relapse will cause it to happen. – Actually, being aware of the possibility of relapse, and planning ways to prevent it, greatly decreases the chances of relapsing.
All of these myths do nothing but feed into the defeatist attitude. They are myths, and as such have no basis in fact. The fact is that no one can predict when relapse may occur, and it happens in a large portion of those recovering from addiction. But, that is no reason to give up.
What to Do if You Relapse
The most important thing to do if you relapse is to get help. There is no shame in relapsing, and certainly does not mean an end to your recovery. Only by persevering, and keeping the goal of recovery in mind can you beat your addiction. There are a number of treatment options and rehab centers available to help you achieve your goals. Don’t lose hope. Recovery is still within reach. If you relapse and want help finding an addiction treatment solution that is right for you call us at 1-800-895-1695.
Substance abuse and addiction is a dangerous and complicated disease that affects millions of Americans, that affects everyone around the person using drugs, as well. Many people do not recognize when their drug use has gotten out of control, and this may prompt the people in their lives to talk to them about their drug use. However, there is a certain amount of caution and planning that should go into having this conversation.
First Things First
The first thing to do when planning to talk to someone about their substance abuse, is to know whether or not they actually have a substance abuse problem. There are a number of signs and symptoms that indicate a substance abuse problem. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, some of these are:
if the person has withdrawal symptoms when not on the drug,
if the person is continuously taking more of the drug,
if the person is always talking about taking, or getting more of the drug,
if they continue to use drugs, even when it is putting their health and welfare at jeopardy,
if they give up normal activities and long relationships for the drug, and
if they are unable to meet their responsibilities at work or home because of the drug.
If someone is exhibiting these signs and symptoms, there is a good chance that they have a substance abuse problem or addiction. It is at this point that it would be wise for you to step in and say something.
The Conversation
Try not to lecture the person about their substance abuse.
If you have decided that you need to talk to someone about their substance use, you should know, according to the Partnership for Drug Free Kids, that there are things that you should, and should not, do. Some of the things that you should not do are:
do not be confrontational, as confrontation helps no one,
do not speculate on their reasons for using, since this comes off as arrogance,
do not have too high expectations, because recovery takes time,
do not be under the influence, or talk to them when they are under the influence, and
do not lecture them, as this keeps them from really hearing you.
Just as there are things you should not do, there are things you should do. These include:
having an open mind and listening, as this makes communication easier,
expressing your concern, and listing specific instances where their drug use hurt them or you,
planning to talk when you can be relatively sure of some time alone together,
trying to make them as comfortable as possible, and
having treatment options available to suggest, should they ask for them.
By following these guidelines, it is far more likely that your conversation will have a positive outcome.
Getting Help
No one really wants to have a potentially harmful discussion for no reason. The primary purpose of any conversation that you have with someone about their drug use should be getting them the help they need. As such, it is wise to have an understanding of the treatment options available, and to be in a position to help the substance abuser find the treatment option that is right for them. Whether this is a detox program, rehab, or counseling, the first step is talking to a doctor that can determine what course of action is needed. Remember, also, to point out that there is hope. Just as anyone can fall into the dangers of the disease of addiction, anyone can recover. If you need help starting this conversation give us a call at 1-800-895-1695.
Everyone has heard about the epidemic of drug abuse and addiction going on in this country right now. Everyday people die from overdoses or violence related to the drug trade. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the illicit drug trade costs the United States 193 billion dollars every year. 11 Billion dollars of that is for health care alone. The illicit drug trade has a negative impact on all aspects of society. In fact, the only people that seem to benefit in any way from illicit drugs are the drug dealers. This means that to reduce the drug trade, people need to know how to spot a drug dealer.
Suspicious Behavior
Drug dealers operate outside of the law, and therefore are likely to engage in suspicious and secretive behaviors. These are the things that you need to be on the lookout for, if you are going to spot a drug dealer. Some of these include:
hanging around outside schools and clubs,
coming and going at strange hours, and only while it’s dark,
having a lot of people visiting their home at all hours,
displaying unexplainable wealth,
avoiding police and other authority figures,
approaching people randomly on street corners, at bus stops, or outside of alleys, and
offering drugs for purchase or trade.
All of these things indicate secretive or drug dealing behaviors, and should be taken seriously.
Race, Age, and Gender
Drug dealers take part in suspicious behavior.
There are a lot of things that people consider to be indicators of criminal activity, but really are not. Race, age, and gender being foremost among them. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately the same percentage of each major demographic participates in drug crime. This means that you cannot reliably base suspicion of drug dealing on:
how old someone is,
whether they are male, female, or transgendered,
whether they are black, white, Hispanic, Asian, or other races,
what religion they practice, if any, and
where they come from.
Basing a suspicion on any of these characteristics is not only unreliable, but also discriminatory. There is a reason that police officers may not use these characteristics for the purpose of profiling a criminal type.
What Can You Do About It?
Obviously, if you believe someone is dealing drugs you should contact a law enforcement agency and report your suspicions. If you know a dealer because you are using drugs, the best thing you can do is get help. There are a number of treatment and rehabilitation options available to you. And, not only will you be getting your life back on track, you will be helping to clean up your area. Drug dealers only want to make money. Stop giving it to them, and they will go away.
If you cannot seem to find a way to get away from your drug dealer perhaps it is time to seek help. For more information on getting away from drugs call us at 1-800-895-1695.
The rates of marijuana treatment success are not as impressive as those associated with other substances of abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “On average, adults seeking treatment for marijuana use disorders… have attempted to quit more than six times.” While this information is not considerably favorable to the current state of marijuana addiction treatment, it is important to consider whether or not legalization may reduce or increase the efficacy of the treatment itself.
Legalization and Treatment Research
Marijuana legalization could lead to more addiction treatment options.
The fact that marijuana is an illegal substance does make treatment research, as well as the options for addiction treatment, somewhat limited. As stated by the journal of Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, “Marijuana’s illegality complicates any consideration of treatment goals other than abstinence.” Because most of the individuals who are likely to become addicted to the drug are those who either abuse marijuana every day or started to abuse the drug heavily as teenagers, according to the National Library of Medicine, it may be helpful to have an option that considers minimal use of the drug. Its illegal status, however, negates this possibility entirely, making it difficult for many individuals who feel they cannot fully stop using the drug.
In addition, the fight against marijuana abuse takes up much of the government’s money and energy when it comes to this particular drug. This is partially because it is so popular among users. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, “Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. In 2011 alone, more than 18 million Americans age 12 and older reported using the drug within the past month,” and 4.2 million met the diagnostic criteria for abuse of or dependence on it.
Because so much money becomes allotted to trying to reduce these numbers with legal actions, the fight against illegal marijuana use, distribution and other issues associated with the drug takes away the chance for it to be more thoroughly studied and its addiction syndrome treatment to be more clearly outlined. If the drug were to become legalized, some of the effort put forth in this particular direction could subside, leading to more time and money being allotted to the treatment of marijuana addiction.
Can Marijuana Legalization Really Make Treatment More Efficient?
There is a possibility that the legalization of marijuana might make the treatment of the drug’s addiction and dependency syndromes more effective. Both alcohol and nicotine are legal substances that can become addictive when abused, and both have treatment plans that are considerably more effective than that associated with marijuana.
However, the treatment of opioid abuse, specifically heroin use, is also more efficient than that of marijuana, and heroin is also a Schedule I substance that is illegal to use in any sense. In addition, it might also make it more difficult for patients as well to avoid relapse after marijuana treatment if the drug is legal and, therefore, more available.
It is difficult to know for certain, but because there are legal yet addictive substances that have effective treatment plans, there is a considerable likelihood that doing so would have a more positive than negative effect. However, as other factors remain, the question is still very open-ended.
For over 30 years, there has been a push to end the epidemic of substance abuse, and addiction Prevention methods and education initiatives have displayed, often graphically, the ravages that the abuse of these substances have on everyone involved. With all of this information readily available, an obvious question looms. Why do people start abusing substances?
Reasons Teens Start Using Drugs or Alcohol
Teenagers are the most likely group to begin abusing substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. Despite the fact that the majority of prevention methods and education are aimed at teens, they continue to start down the path of substance abuse. According to the Partnership for Drug Free Kids, there are eight primary reasons that teens begin abusing substances.
Peer Pressure
No group of people is more susceptible to peer pressure and social acceptance than teens. There are a number of things this involves, including:
Some teens feel pressured into taking drugs.
- their parents’ substance abuse habits
- their friends’ substance abuse habits
- a desire to fit in
- the belief that substance abuse is a normal part of being a teen.
Comfort
Teenagers have to deal with more rampant emotion and hormonal upheaval than another group of people. Because of this, they often turn to alcohol or drugs for the momentary escape that they can provide.
Rebelliousness
Teenagers struggle to develop their own identity, and thus feel oppressed by various authorities. This sometimes causes them to rebel by abusing substances. Some of the authorities they rebel against are:
- parents
- teachers
- law enforcement
- anyone else that represents a controlling influence.
Lack of Excitement
Youth have notoriously short attention spans, and often seek out risky behaviors to stave off boredom. This opens a pathway to substance abuse.
Poor Self-Esteem
The formative years of adolescence often include a lack of belief in oneself. Teens dealing with this begin abusing substances because:
Popular Media
Substance abuse in the media, and by celebrities that teens look up to, creates a misconception that substance abuse is “cool”, or “no big deal”. Some media sources for this idea are:
- television shows
- movies
- song lyrics
- social media.
Instant Gratification
Teens sometimes turn to substance abuse to achieve instant happiness, without thinking of the consequences
Bad Advice
Almost every teen knows someone that considers themselves an expert on any given substance of abuse, and because teens are so susceptible to the influences of their peers, they sometimes take what they know to be bad advice.
If asked, most teens will give a reason for their substance abuse that falls into one of these categories.
Reasons adults start
According to the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, everyone that abuses substances does so because they want to change something about their lives. While adults do not suffer from the same peer and societal pressures as teens, their reasons for beginning to abuse substances are similar. Some of these include:
- escape,
- artificial confidence,
- an increase in performance or productivity,
- experimentation, and
- self-medication.
Regardless of the reason for beginning substance abuse, the fact remains that substance abuse is a serious problem for society. In order to turn the tide in this epidemic, it is necessary to understand why people start abusing substances, and do everything possible to alleviate the circumstances that lead people down this path. For more information about why people use drugs give us a call at 1-800-895-1695.
In the internet age, it is not surprising that some substance abusers are turning to the World Wide Web for treatment advice. There are even some of the more well-known agencies such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous that off online community support and counseling. As technology advances, more and more rehab facilities are making use of online forums for both help and therapy. There are many types of online support for substance abuse treatment.
Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous
Since the beginning of the online revolution, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous utilized this medium as a form of therapy. Each of these groups take advantage of the ease of access and the ability to communicate with large amounts of people anywhere in the world. If you cannot find a meeting when you need one, the online website Alcoholics Anonymous offers a full range of meetings and meeting times. You can find online meetings, chat by email, meeting directories, and information about Online Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and Narc-Anon.
Online therapy
Receive confidential online counseling today!
A relatively new development in the field of drug and alcohol counseling is the advent of online counseling. Many physical rehab centers offer online counseling and behavioral therapy for those who cannot attend regular counseling meetings. These sessions are confidential and strictly outpatient. The counselors hold the same certifications as those that are in brick and mortar locations.
These counselors close the gap between those that cannot come to them and those that need absolute privacy. The online counseling sessions offer complete privacy and allow the client to express themselves over a variety of different mediums.
Chat and Support
There are thousands of online forums in hundreds of languages that center around drug addiction, abuse, and recovery. Many physical rehabs are now offering online continuing and after care. No matter what the addiction or issue with recovery there is almost always someone to speak with online.
A few of these online forums are:
- through facebook,
- on MIRC,
- in JAVA webpage rehab sponsored chat channels,
- online forums,
- second life
- underverse,
- newsgroups,
- blogs, and
- just about every other medium possible.
With all of the online options available, the excuse of not being able to find support has become invalid. As the years go on, online doctor’s visits, individual counseling, group counseling, and support groups will become increasingly available to those who need it.
Many of the larger brick and mortar rehab centers are now turning to online communities to help support their clients during difficult times. With an online presence a rehab facility can also help those in crisis and those who are having issues after hours almost immediately.
For more information on the online options for substance abuse treatment or to discuss brick and mortar rehabs call us at 1-800-895-1695. We can help you find a high quality rehab center that offers both online and brick and mortar counseling services.
Today, substance abuse counseling is more important than ever. There are more people using and being exposed to drugs and more drugs being created each and every day. The destructive potential in an individual’s life are limitless. The SAMHSA’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports an estimated 24.6 million individuals aged 12 or older were current illicit drug users in 2013″ and “60.1 million individuals aged 12 or older were past month binge drinkers.”
Although many people view substance abuse as a moral choice that can be stopped with the right amount of willpower, there are other factors at play that most people never understand. Contributing fallouts are neurochemical changes in the brain, spiritual emptiness or meaninglessness, and/or the distress of physical or mental health disorders that plague substance abusers in their every day routines. With many different perspectives on causes, influences, behaviors, and treatments of substance abuse, the one thing that remains constant is that substance abuse counseling is really necessary if the individual expects to achieve long-term recovery.
Importance of Substance Abuse Counseling
Counseling is a great resource for those suffering from substance abuse.
Every individual is different with different experiences, goals, and consequential impacts from their substance abuse. Influential factors can increase or decrease a person’s willingness to enter treatment and continue to affect their recovery motivations long after treatment is over. Most substance abusers will go on to using secondary substances after becoming dependent on a primary substance that impairs their physical, psychological, or emotional health and their ability to function with normalcy in society.
Substance abuse counseling is one of the most beneficial resources an individual can receive to identify problematic areas in their life and enhance their motivations to change. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “When delivered effectively, behavioral treatments, such as individual counseling, group or family counseling, contingency management, and cognitive behavioral therapies, also can help patients improve their personal relationships and their ability to function at work and in the community.”
Types of Substance Abuse Counseling
Substance abuse counseling is a form of talk therapy where, according to the NIDA, “patients address issues of motivation, build skills to resist drug use, replace drug-using activities with constructive and rewarding nondrug-using activities, and improve problem-solving abilities. There are several types of substance abuse counseling with the most common including individual, group, and family counseling.
Individual counseling focuses on the unique needs of the individual and may include:
- Providing support and guidance to eliminate substance abuse
- Identifying and removing barriers to treatment participation and retention
- Providing motivational enhancement for positive changes in lifestyle
- Monitoring other problematic behaviors, reviewing treatment plans, and ensuring compliance
- Identifying acute needs such as the existence of a crisis or how to address critical issues including homelessness, legal, employment, family, medical, and social services
- Identifying goals and reasonable timeframes with progress reviews, modifications, and support as needed
- Reviewing how the patient feels, copes with cravings, and linking them to the appropriate resources and psychosocial services that can help to improve treatment outcomes.
Group counseling, according to the SAMHSA, has some advantages over individual counseling and therapy.” It offers the chance to solve problems commonly experienced by substance abusers with greater insight and reduced senses of isolation “by providing feedback from peers, social skill training and practice, structure, discipline, and encouragement.”
Family counseling is quickly becoming recognized as an essential part of the treatment plan to encourage restoration of relationships and the rebuilding of support that substance abusers need, yet, often lose, because of neglect and/or abuse. According to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, “The effects of substance abuse frequently extend beyond the nuclear family. Extended family members may experience feelings of abandonment, anxiety, fear, anger, concern, embarrassment, or guilt; they may wish to ignore or cut ties with the person abusing substances.”
Benefits of Substance Abuse Counseling
According to The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment, “Counseling/therapy helps the patient rebuild relationships, repair finances, get a job, assume family responsibilities, decrease stress, anxiety and depression, and helps the patient make other meaningful changes in their lives that will allow them to achieve and maintain addiction remission.”
The benefits of substance abuse counseling are far reaching with some key components that may include:
- Education about the effects of substance abuse and the dangerous risks involved
- Introduction and assistance in participating in a mutual-help group such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
- Education about relapse triggers and prevention strategies
- Assistance in complying with program regulations and rules
- Providing incentives for abstinence
- Improving problem solving skills
- Assistance in developing healthy and productive changes such as replacing drug abuse activities with those that reward confidence, integrity, and values
- Case management – facilitating comprehensive care between counselors, medical, psychiatric, and psychosocial services to gain the most recovery advantages
- Facilitating better interpersonal relationships
