Substance Abuse Counseling

Substance abuse affects millions of individuals and families throughout the world, destroying the lives of everyone involved. Still, people with substance abuse can choose to change their behavior. Substance abuse counseling can be a safe setting to break the habit and begin recovery.

Substance Abuse vs. Substance Use Disorder: What’s the Difference?

Substance use disorder (SUD), or addiction, is a diagnosable medical condition. Substance abuse, on the other hand, involves the improper or unsafe use of drugs but is not diagnosable. Yet, whether alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications, if substance abuse is not recognized and treated early, it can progress to substance use disorder (SUD) or addiction.

SUD is a complex mental health condition that involves substance abuse for its pleasant results, motivating you to seek it again and making it hard to stop using drugs despite their damaging effects.

Why Is Quitting So Difficult?

Substances powerfully stimulate the limbic system’s reward regions for mood, attention, and emotional reactions. When you use drugs, your reward system produces dopamine. This brain chemical activates sensations of pleasure and makes you feel “high.”

It can be challenging to stop using substances and overcome addiction because of the pleasure they provide. Using alcohol and drugs can change how your brain works, disrupting communication pathways. Over time, you might need more drugs to experience the same effects, which can lead to dependence and addiction.

The Benefits of Substance Abuse Counseling

Substance abuse therapy often includes mental health counseling, medication, and support groups. However, counseling is an essential component of treatment and recovery. 

Substance abuse counseling is a specialized form of counseling that offers individualized treatment tailored to your needs and circumstances. Counseling aims to help you address the psychological, emotional, and environmental factors that caused your addiction, develop strategies to maintain sobriety, and achieve lasting recovery.

Substance abuse counseling can help you:

• Identify and change negative thinking patterns 
• Modify behavior
• Regain interest in things you once enjoyed
• Reconnect with family and friends 
• Improve your relationships
• Reduce your mood swings and normalize your mood 
• Be able to experience joy and happiness without using substances
• Improve your self-care
• Increase your productivity 
• Manage anxiety and depression
• Resolve past trauma
• Develop healthier coping strategies and avoid relapse

Substance Abuse Counseling Types

Substance abuse counseling can involve various methods, such as:

Group therapy: Group therapy provides a supportive environment where you may share your experiences, worries, and needs with other group members without feeling isolated or judged.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT aims to identify and challenge negative thinking patterns and behaviors that lead to addiction. This approach can help you replace unhealthy habits with healthier coping methods.

Family therapy: Substance abuse affects not only you but also your loved ones. Family counseling provides a confidential space for family members to understand the triggers for substance abuse, learn healthy communication skills, and support the affected family member. 

Holistic practices: Many treatments for substance abuse use holistic methods like yoga or mindfulness meditation to help with the mental health aspects of recovery.