What Should You Expect From Your Substance Abuse Counselor?

Addiction is a disease of the brain. It impacts every aspect of the addict’s life. Families helplessly watch as their loved one delves deeper into their addiction. Their loved one has become withdrawn, combative, and obsessed with using. Many attempts to help their loved one have failed. Families of the addict are at a loss as to how to help their loved one overcome their addiction. Unfortunately, the only way the addict can get help is for them to acknowledge that they have a problem. Only then can the journey to substance abuse treatment recovery truly begin.

The main aspect of treatment is therapy. Individuals in treatment will have regular meetings with a substance abuse therapist. These substance abuse therapists will help addicts get to the root cause of their addiction, and provide coping techniques to help them once they are out in the world.

Many drugs, such as opioids, cause more than just a physical dependence. It also causes a psychological dependence. Individuals may turn to these substances in order to alleviate stress, whether it be psychological stress or social stress.

When it comes to therapies offered at treatment centers, it is important to know the differences between the group therapy sessions and the individual therapy sessions.

A substance abuse therapist is at the helm of both group and individual sessions. During group therapy sessions, individuals are encouraged by the substance abuse therapist to learn from their peers, all whom are going through similar experiences. During individual counseling, addicts can dive deeper into the cause of their addiction.

A substance abuse therapist offers several options for treatment, and some of these options include the following:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

This aspect of therapy helps individuals identify what moods, situations, and thoughts trigger a craving for their choice substance. The therapist’s role is to help addicts overcome these triggers, and negative thoughts, by replacing them with thoughts and cravings that are much healthier.

Contingency Management Therapy

This aspect of therapy offers positive incentives for those that maintain sobriety. Individuals may receive vouchers for goods, or special privileges.

Family Therapy

Not only does an individual’s substance abuse impact the addict, it also impacts the addict’s family. Many treatment centers employ substance abuse therapists to provide family therapy treatment. It is essential for strong relationships to be forged between both the addict and the addict’s family. The addict relies on a strong support system during their sobriety.

Many of the potential benefits of including family in an addict’s recovery include: healing damage done to the family members’ own lives, and increase the likelihood that the addict will continue with their therapy sessions.

Substance abuse therapists act like a mediator during these family sessions. Therapists can help give advice on how to handle stressful situations, and how to be there for the addict when these stressful situations arise.

For more information on how a substance abuse therapist can play a key role in your loved one’s recovery, you are supposed to contact a drug addiction rehab center without a delay.