When you or a loved one are battling an addiction, the type of treatment plan you choose is often more important than actually breaking the habit. Unfortunately, there are many ways that drug use can turn into an addiction. Some ways are peer pressure, trying a drug out of curiosity, developing a dependency on a prescription, and mental illness.
No matter what choices and paths led to addiction, the path to recovery is quite a bit more complicated to get out of than it was to get in.
Drug dependency goes beyond physical addiction; psychological dependence is often what truly has a grasp on the addict. Because of the havoc that addiction reeks on a person's mental state, counseling is essential to becoming sober and staying healthy. Here you can find some information on how addiction affects mental health.
Read on for some insight on the counseling process and the options available.
The Counseling Process
Counseling is the most helpful step to recovery because whether or not the addiction is caused by mental illness, addiction can develop into a mental illness that needs treatment.
Because no two people are the same, successful recovery is not attained through a one-size-fits-all treatment plan. Instead, an individual who receives counseling will have a personalized plan to fit their specific needs.
The majority of counseling programs have similar steps to help an addict recover and create long-term sobriety. For example, these steps may look like this:
1. A therapist will have a session that allows them to get to know the patient as a person, learn their history and their journey through addiction so far.
2. The therapist will determine a plan of action that may or may not change over time. This plan will consider any physical or mental health concerns, what to focus on during future sessions, and how often sessions should occur.
3. A personalized team of doctors, psychologists, and therapists is assigned to the patient depending on their personality, health concerns, and emotional needs.
4. The team of professionals will do everything in their power to make the individual feel comfortable, safe, and most importantly, cared about.
5. Therapists will work hard to get to the root of the addiction and understand what may hold the person back from recovery.
6. The patient’s team will continuously help to heal any emotional wounds, deal with triggers, and help the patient understand their addiction.
7. Once the patient is sober and in good mental and physical health, the frequency of visits will decline, and a personal plan is created to help keep the patient sober.
8. Visits will continue in order to provide support and ensure the individual avoids relapse.
The exact process for each person will vary depending on their situation. However, it is important to remember that counseling provides a guilt-free environment that focuses on healing core issues safely and positively.
Types of counseling
There are a few types of counseling available to those in need. The most common types of counseling are; online through video calls and email, hospitalization, outpatient facilities, and inpatient facilities. Inpatient counseling is most effective for long-term recovery because these facilities offer many amenities, a safe home, onsite doctors, and are free from outside distractions.
In addition, most sober living environments accept insurance and take patients from around their country. If you would like to learn more, here’s more in-depth information on what to expect from a quality inpatient treatment center.
Moving forward
Counseling can help overcome the addiction because it focuses on long-term healing instead of just breaking a habit. In addition, staying sober becomes more manageable with the coping tools learned throughout a patient's sessions and treatment.
When recovering from addiction, avoiding relapse can be more complicated than the journey taken to become sober. The world will not hide substances from an addict; they will always be accessible. Motivation and willpower are essential to staying sober, and counseling provides the healing, understanding, and knowledge needed to have the willpower and motivation to keep moving forward.
Often, the guilt and shame that an addict feels stalls their recovery. One should never forget that becoming addicted was not the goal; achieving some form of happiness was.
Whether you are looking for counseling for yourself or a loved one, start this journey free of guilt, shame, and judgment. Love, help from others, and trust are what are going to get you through these challenging times.
