Substance Abuse Counseling: Definitions, Requirements and Finding a Counselor

With the right treatment plan, substance abuse counseling can be a vital part of your recovery. If your job provides health insurance, it must also provide mental health and substance abuse services that are equivalent to the amounts offered for physical health problems. This implies that if you have health insurance at work, you must be able to receive substance abuse counseling and treatment as well. Many individuals believe that they have only one option if they do not wish to pay for therapy out of pocket. Another benefit of outpatient counseling is that you can continue to work or go to school while you are getting treatment. You will also have more freedom and flexibility when choosing outpatient mental health counseling.

What is substance abuse DSM 5?

According to DSM-5, a substance use disorder (SUD) involves patterns of symptoms caused by using a substance that an individual continues taking despite its negative effects.

The goal is to help patients maintain sobriety so they can develop skills for long-term recovery. Dialectical behavior therapy is effective for patients who struggle to regulate emotions and have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. The therapy emphasizes an acceptance of uncomfortable thoughts, feelings or behaviors to allow patients to overcome them. Different approaches are more appropriate and effective for different people, depending on their age, type of addiction and the factors that contributed to their addiction.

Skills and Competencies

Other times, though, they may be forced to see counselors, either by loved ones or the law. A substance abuse counselor may be asked to help a family with an intervention, for instance, where a person’s loved ones confront him about the negative effects of his substance abuse. This type of counseling might also be a stipulation of a person’s prison stay, probation, or parole. Findings from this study indicate that supervisors were less likely to find EBPs to be a method of promoting “cookbook” or overly simplified care. Thus it may be that training and education needs to demonstrate the core components of the EBP within the manual and the opportunities for some adaptations.

what is substance abuse counseling

Studies indicate EMDR can relieve symptoms of PTSD after three 90-minute sessions. Patients with severe PTSD symptoms, such as combat veterans, usually require more sessions than individuals with less severe symptoms. Physical side effects include cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and mental side effects include increased stress and feelings of depression, anxiety or loneliness.

What’s Next to Pursue this Career?

The job outlook for substance abuse counselors is expected to grow 23% from 2020 to 2030, which is faster than the average for other occupations. All of these qualities play a role in developing what is known as the therapeutic relationship or the working alliance between a mental health https://ecosoberhouse.com/ professional and a client. This relationship, which involves a bond of respect, trust, and mutual collaboration, can play an important part in successful substance use disorder treatment. The family of a substance abuser is often fraught with difficulty, heartbreak and emotional trauma.

what is substance abuse counseling

Multidimensional family therapy is an outpatient treatment for teens who abuse drugs. It focuses on individual, family, peer and community networks to reduce problematic behavior and encourage healthy behavior. In some ways, it’s similar to therapy, but in some ways it’s radically different. Those differences can confuse therapists who don’t have substance abuse counseling training or experience in substance abuse counseling. In many states, if you want to get individual sessions to address a substance use disorder, you have the option to see a licensed substance abuse counselor instead of a therapist. But there are evidence-based therapies that can help people manage the disease and live a happier, healthier life.

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