Substance abuse counseling is an important part of any rehab program. To fully understand this therapy, however, you need to understand what substance abuse is. In fact, education is an important step in overcoming any disorder. The more that people learn about their own problems, the easier that it is to create a treatment plan.
What Is Substance Abuse?
To understand substance abuse counseling, it’s first important to grasp what substance abuse really means. Substance abuse occurs when people use a substance in excessive amounts or in ways that physicians don’t intend. Drug abuse is a big problem in the United States. Every year, more and more people fall victim to it.
Abusing substances often leads to violence, accidents and lost productivity at school or work. It can destroy relationships between friends, family members, and partners. Some examples of drugs and substances that people often abuse include:
- Alcohol
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Depressants
- Hallucinogens
- Prescription medication
How Does Drug Abuse Differ From Addiction and Dependency?
At first glance, it may not seem like there’s a big difference between dependency, addiction, and substance abuse. However, people can abuse drugs without becoming mentally, physically or emotionally dependent on them. With that said, it’s common for people who abuse drugs to develop an addiction or dependency.
Additionally, people who abuse drugs often develop a tolerance for those substances. When that happens, they have to take more of the drug to get the same effects. Taking too much of a drug can lead to an overdose and even death.
Substance Abuse Counseling
Where does substance abuse counseling (SAC) fit into a rehab treatment plan? It’s very similar to coaching. During counseling, people receive training, encouragement and the support that they need to achieve their goals. In terms of SAC, the overall goal is to stop abusing substances.
There are many ways that counselors may go about SAC. Some of them offer individual counseling, while others may use group sessions. Typically, however, the best counseling programs offer a mix of both. In many cases, counselors encourage family involvement as well.
In the end, it’s up to the counselor to determine which treatment options work best for a specific client. Other times, the treatments that work best depend on the type of programs that people join. For example, the counseling that clients receive may differ slightly between intensive outpatient and residential treatment.
During SAC, counselors have a few goals and milestones to help their clients reach. For example, they aim to get their clients to change their thought patterns and behaviors. First, they have to determine what the problem is and then provide motivation. They also help clients create recovery lifestyle plans for after rehab.
Let Memphis Recovery Help You With Your Substance Abuse Problem
Do you suffer from substance abuse, addiction or dependency? If so, Memphis Recovery can help you get your life back on track. We create custom treatment plans for all of our clients. Some programs that we offer include:
- Residential treatment
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Aftercare
- Dual diagnosis treatment for trauma
- Family therapy
We strongly believe in the benefits of holistic treatment. Beyond traditional treatment options, we offer programs such as art and music therapy. These programs can help you relax and stay calm during this stressful time in your life.
We also know that all of our clients are different and don’t recover at the same speed. That’s why we offer an aftercare program that lasts up to six months. This program gives people extra time to overcome their drug problems and adjust to normal home life.
Find out what it takes to overcome your substance abuse problem at Memphis Recovery. Don’t settle for anything but the best when it comes to treating your addiction. Reach out to our friendly staff members at 901-272-7751 for more information.
