Why Behavioral Counseling is Important in Rehab
Behavioral counseling has long been shown help many addicts become sober individuals by helping them to understand and cope with their stressful situations without the use of drugs. Though most often the withdrawal process is the first and one of the most vital steps in the recovery program, it will not be effective without behavioral counseling. There are a number of benefits that an addict can reap when they go through behavioral counseling in rehab.
Relapse Prevention Treatment
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, over the past three decades since relapse prevention was introduced, it had become a mainstay of the addictions theory and a permanent addition to the treatment due to its effectiveness.
With relapse prevention treatment, patients will learn how to deal with the triggers or events and emotions associated with the addiction and handle the cause of the addiction as well as the reasons for continued use such as chronic stress or pain. When the individual learns new ways to cope with their stress, it will dramatically reduce the chances of a relapse after treatment.
A New Motivation
Behavioral counseling promotes positive change.
Once a pattern of drug use is established, it is very difficult to change and the motivation to stop can be impeded by the fear of withdrawal symptoms or denial about having a problem. It may be difficult for the addict to remember what their patterns were before the addiction or may be resistant to change.
Behavior counselors will become the motivator that will push the addict to create a positive change by addressing motivational barriers.
Relationship Building & Fixing
Addiction can be the top reason why most addicts lose the relationships with their loved ones because of things like lying or theft and trust becomes a thing of the past. Likewise, many loved ones do not understand the way addiction works and when the addict does not simply quit for them, it can lead to hard feelings.
Family behavioral therapy will help to mend the broken relationships and teach the addict to interact with people without the use of drugs while gaining the support of their family.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration , the recovery process needs to be supported by relationships and family members can become the very thing the addict leans on to handle the ups and downs that can accompany treatment.
For more information on how to support a loved one, please call 800-487-1890 (Who Answers?) .
Self-Esteem Boost
Poor self-esteem is another factor that can be the foundation of drug use and if it is not there originally, it becomes an issue with the use of substances. Counseling will help to build self-esteem and thus self-worth, which will lead the patient to believing that they deserve something better than what they have. With the hope and desire to improve their lives, the former addict will have the motivation they need to become sober.
Negative to Positive
Negative patterns of thought lead to negative actions and if someone is experiencing desolate, bleak, or hopeless emotions, they are very likely to turn to substance abuse to escape them. With behavioral therapy counselors, the addict will learn new ways of thinking that are positive and helps to stop self-destructive behaviors.
Counselors work to eliminate the reasons to use. Dealing with these reasons to continue their addiction, people are much more likely to maintain their recovery.
Behavioral therapy is one of the best ways to remain sober and life a full, healthy life free of the addiction. This type of therapy will provide:
- relapse prevention treatment
- motivation
- the rebuilding of relationships
- boost self-esteem
- change negative patterns of thinking into positive, constructive ones
When an addiction begins, it is very important to seek out treatment as soon as possible and with help for withdrawal and behavioral therapy, inpatient drug rehab may be the best option an addict has to recover.
For more information on behavioral therapy, please call 800-487-1890 (Who Answers?) .
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