When someone is addicted to alcohol or drugs, they are unable to control their use of these substances. This can have a negative impact on their work, home life and social activities. professional addiction help is available to individuals who want to get clean and sober. This can be done in a facility that provides medically assisted detox and rehabilitation. It can also be done in a community setting that provides support and encouragement to the person struggling with their addiction.
A person with an addiction to a substance such as drugs or alcohol can experience feelings of isolation because they have lost the trust of those closest to them. Friends and family often don’t understand what they are going through, and can say or do things that trigger the addiction. A professional intervention specialist can help them find constructive ways to communicate and encourage the addict to seek treatment.
Addiction professionals have many resources to draw on when guiding their patients through recovery. They may also refer them to outside services that can provide additional help. These can include programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, which are a source of social support, where people share their struggles with other addicts in a judgment-free environment. Counselors can also connect their patients to other community-based programs and services that can be of benefit, such as education or vocational assistance, legal or financial help and even housing.
An addiction counselor can also provide individual or group therapy sessions for their patients. Generally, these will involve cognitive behavioral therapy, which involves altering the thinking patterns that lead to maladaptive behavior and addressing behaviors that contribute to drug or alcohol abuse. This can be augmented with skills training, and a focus on improving self-control. This can be supplemented with stress management techniques, such as biofeedback or meditation, to increase a patient’s ability to handle life’s stresses without turning to drugs or alcohol.
For the addict, a successful recovery requires commitment and perseverance, as well as a supportive network. Some addicts will require a combination of drug treatment and behavioral therapy, with long-term monitoring and regular checkups. This can be a lengthy process, and some patients will need to return for relapse treatment.
An addiction professional can help their patients develop relapse prevention plans, and offer ongoing support after they have successfully completed drug or alcohol rehab. This may involve avoiding the haunts where they scored drugs or alcohol in the past, spending more time with non-addicted friends and relatives, and finding other ways to relax or have fun. This can be a difficult task, as the addict may feel rebellious or have emotional outbursts because they are trying to change their old habits. Part of the counselor’s role is to help them re-establish trust and build positive relationships in their lives. This can be done through a variety of techniques, including encouraging them to attend meetings of their local support groups.