Drug Counseling Program: How Behavioral Therapies Can Help Recovering Addicts
People start using drugs and alcohol for various reasons. For some, it is peer pressure or curiosity. For others, it is a way of coping with difficult emotions. In some cases, the drug is a prescription medication given by a doctor that a person begins to misuse. Whatever the reason for using drugs and alcohol, abuse can spiral into addiction. When this happens, a drug counseling program can play a key role in recovery.
If you or a loved one is battling addiction, help is available at Discover Recovery, a leading Washington drug rehab. In this article, we talk about the importance of a drug counseling program and the different types of therapies that can help.
Why Recovering Addicts Need Counseling
Medical detox is only the first step in drug addiction treatment. It helps the body rid itself of harmful substances like alcohol, street drugs, or prescription medications. However, the road to recovery is long and there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. A drug counseling program is the mainstay of addiction treatment. It helps recovering addicts learn to manage triggers and cravings and stay clean.
After completing medical detox, when a person returns to their home, family, work, and community, they are exposed to various social and psychological triggers, such as life stressors and environmental cues (for example, visiting their dealer’s neighborhood or hanging out with friends who are still using). Without a drug counseling program, these triggers can easily lead to relapse.
A drug counseling program is, therefore, critical for staying clean and avoiding relapse. Various types of therapies are used to help recovering addicts. During this phase of addiction treatment, they learn skills and strategies to deal with stress, triggers, and cravings without turning to alcohol or drugs.
Outpatient Counseling vs Residential Treatment
The key advantage of an outpatient drug counseling program is that it allows you to continue living at home, caring for your family, and holding down a job while in recovery. However, a residential drug counseling program removes you from the places and things associated with drug use. You stay at a residential rehab facility Washington for a few weeks and focus on recovery. You learn new skills and habits that aid you in your quest for sober living. Also, there’s a chance to interact with others who are facing similar challenges and to learn from their experiences. Nonetheless, if inpatient rehab is not doable, an outpatient drug counseling program, where you attend therapy sessions for several hours each week, is a good option.
Individual Therapy vs Group Therapy
The individual therapeutic process involves one-on-one sessions between a client and therapist. This type of drug counseling program has obvious advantages, such as maintaining confidentiality, focused attention on the client’s problems, and performing more intense analysis. Also, the pace of an individual drug counseling program can be tailored to the client’s needs and the time of the therapy sessions can be adjusted to the client’s schedule. Last but not least, individual therapy allows a strong therapeutic alliance or rapport to form between the client and the therapist.
With that said, group therapy has several benefits that cannot be overlooked. This type of drug counseling program allows members to draw emotional support from one another and identify with others in similar situations. Receiving and giving support are both important in drug addiction recovery. As part of a group drug counseling program, recovering addicts have a chance to develop greater self-awareness and improved communication and socialization skills. Members of the group can learn from the experiences of others or model their behavior on those who have successfully recovered from drug abuse. Last but not least, group therapy is less expensive than an individual drug counseling program.
Couples and Family Therapy Programs
Alcohol and drug addiction do not affect only the life of the individual who is drinking alcohol or using drugs, they affect the whole family. For recovery to be successful, a drug counseling program has to address the effect of a person’s addiction on their relationships with family and friends.
Family or couples therapy can be a powerful tool for many recovering addicts. People who enroll in a drug counseling program that includes family members are more likely to stay in treatment. Also, therapy sessions can help to heal the damage caused by addiction and start the process of rebuilding relationships.
Types of Drug Counseling Programs
Various therapeutic modalities are used during alcohol and drug addiction treatment. One of the most common is cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT, which teaches recovering addicts to manage their emotions and behaviors. These skills are essential to avoid triggers that led to substance abuse in the first place. The therapist helps a person replace negative thoughts and feelings with healthy, positive ones that help maintain sobriety. What’s more, the skills learned during a CBT drug counseling program are lifelong and one can rely on them to deal with all kinds of life stressors.
Another common type of therapy used during a drug counseling program is contingency management. This involves giving a person some incentive to stay sober, for example, vouchers or privileges in a rigid rehab environment.
Motivational interviewing is used for those individuals who need the motivation to quit drugs or alcohol. This type of drug counseling program helps a person focus on the issues that can help maintain abstinence, for example, the love of their family or the desire to go back to work.
Choosing the Best Drug Counseling Program in Washington
With so many options, it can be difficult to choose the best drug counseling program Washington offers. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a Washington addiction treatment center:
- No single drug counseling program is appropriate for everyone. The Washington drug rehab you choose should offer individualized treatment programs to address your particular problems and needs.
- An effective drug counseling program attends to multiple needs, in addition to your drug abuse, for example, your medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal needs.
- Recovery is a lifelong process. Many people relapse after completing a drug counseling program. The best drug rehabs in Washington offer an aftercare program for ongoing support.
Discover Recovery is a leading Washington rehab center staffed by a highly experienced team of counselors, board-certified physicians, and registered nurses. We offer customized addiction treatment programs in Washington and take a holistic and comprehensive approach to drug rehab. Our aftercare program is designed to give you the support you need once you graduate from our residential addiction treatment programs. If you or someone you love could benefit from a drug counseling program at Discover Recovery, get in touch today and take the first step towards a better life.
