Over 60 million people have tried illicit drugs such as marijuana or cocaine just in the last year. While many take part and move on, some fall victim to addiction. And as any who were at one point addicted know, it is a long, hard road to addiction recovery.
Those who struggle with drugs and alcohol are often reluctant to head to a drug rehabilitation center. People view this as rock-bottom, and admitting their substance abuse to a substance abuse counselor is tantamount to admitting failure. But this is a defeatist mindset and prevents you from living life the way you are meant to.
If you struggle with drug or alcohol abuse, then that substance abuse counselor will be a lifesaver. Here are just a few of the benefits of having one by your side.
A Substance Abuse Counselor Provides Emotional Support Where Nobody Else Does
It’s an all too common story that someone who arrives at an addiction treatment center has lost most of their friends. Addiction has a powerful effect on the brain, driving people to do things they would never normally do–particularly doing unforgivable things to their loved ones. As a result, an addict is usually lacking in the friend department.
No man is an island, and humans cannot survive in normal situations without family and friends. So imagine how much more difficult it can be to fight addiction when you don’t have that same support network. Addiction treatment centers (find more here) have a team of counselors at your disposal.
A substance abuse counselor can provide temporary emotional support as one tries to overcome drug and alcohol abuse. They can be the person who is there to talk you out of any thoughts of giving up.
It’s not all negative. They can be there for your successes, helping you celebrate your hard work. As you add up the days of sobriety, you can celebrate important milestones such as your first six months or year.
They Can Stop You From Relapse
Relapse is the big no-no when it comes to addiction recovery. Addiction treatment centers try to give you new habits and hobbies to keep your mind off of substance abuse. But even with a full docket of activities to keep you busy, that addiction at the back of your mind begs to be fulfilled.
The reason addiction is so pernicious in everyday life is that very little can stop you from relapsing. It’s very common for addicts to relapse on the job, or in other situations where common sense and responsibility ought to have stopped them.
Once you have made the decision, it’s often very hard to step back from the cliff. And as we’ve said, you likely do not have a social support network to talk you down from the ledge. This is another important role that a counselor fulfills.
In a drug rehabilitation center, there aren’t many places for you to hide. And if you feel that you are going to relapse, you can tell a counselor. Then they can be by your side to help you from giving in.
They Can Keep You on a Schedule
Schedule and routine can often prove to be the death of addiction. As long as you have something to keep you busy, it becomes very hard to give in to your urges.
If you are struggling with addiction, you likely have a schedule that is completely out of whack. You move to the push and pull of your addiction, basing your entire life around it. This makes it very difficult to do normal things like hold a job or keep up with your hobbies.
Your addiction recovery counselor keeps you on track. They not only make sure you were following your schedule, but they can make it for you. Even if you are too emotionally unavailable to make decisions related to your recovery, a counselor can handle that for you.
They Are a Resource for Your Education
Understanding the physiology and dynamics of addiction is an important part of overcoming it. If you do not realize why you continue to fall victim to those urges, you will never be able to overcome them. This is where a counselor can be especially helpful.
Counselors have studied not only how to treat addiction, but how it works. Therefore, they can be a source of information for you whenever you have questions or doubts.
Addiction is a complex topic, one that even the experts are still struggling to understand. It is not simply a mental or physical problem, but rather a combination of those things.
New literature and research on addiction are coming out every year. This helps addiction treatment centers to be more effective. There is a good chance that new information from the studies may provide insight into how you can personally overcome addiction.
Sometimes, all it takes is one simple factoid or discovery to understand how to master yourself.
Find an Addiction Treatment Center Today
If you decide that you are going to head to drug rehabilitation, then one of your most important resources will be your substance abuse counselor. Your counselor is your friend and emotional support, but they also keep you honest. They make sure that you stay on a schedule, and they can be there to talk you down off a cliff as needed.
Check out other articles on our blog and stay up-to-date with the latest health information.
Be First to Comment