Substance Abuse Counseling
Becoming a drug addict or alcoholic is never planned. The question of how this could have happened to you or your loved one is common, and to that there is no single answer. Our Counseling center in Littleton Colorado can help!
Drugs and alcohol kill the pain of ordinary life, they destroy the physical and emotional pain by changing an addicts perception on life. Drugs and alcohol make the drug addict or alcoholic become numb to the pain, unhappiness, or hopelessness that is a part of their lives.
Definition of Addiction
One common definition of Addiction is: "the loss of control and compulsive use of mind-altering chemical(s) coupled with the inability to stop the use in spite of the fact that such use is causing problems with one's life. Addiction can be a physical and/or psychological dependence of a chemical substance."
How Does Alcoholism or Drug Addiction Affect the Mind?
A person's mind is their most important asset. With mind power alone we can solve any problem that life presents. Drugs impair the addicts ability to reason and to make decisions that are based on their surroundings and situations. Even after the effects of the drugs have worn off and the addict has become sober, the negative effects on the ability to reason remain.
By stimulating the internal reward system in the addicts brain, drugs and alcohol make the addict crave the drug to again stimulate this reward center. These cravings lead the addict to stop focusing on those things that used to be important, and begin focusing on another dose of their drug or alcohol.
With long periods of drug use and alcoholism, the drug addict or alcoholic no longer receives the same effects that they once did from using. A good example is how after extended use, painkillers no longer manage the pain the way they once did, and the patient is forced to switch to a new drug or increase their dose. The same is true of illicit drug use and abuse. The human body will develop a tolerance for almost every drug. Keep in mind that while tolerance is not addiction, they often go hand-in-hand.
Addiction Signs
Answering the following four questions can help you find out if you or a loved one has a drinking and/or drugging problem:
- Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking and/or drugging?
- Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking and/or drugging?
- Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking and/or drugging?
- Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
One "yes" answer suggests a possible alcohol and/or drug problem. More than one "yes" answer means it is highly likely that a problem exists.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Methods
Alcoholism and drug addiction are treatable disorders. Through treatment that is tailored to individual needs, patients can learn to control their condition and live normal, productive lives. Like people with diabetes or heart disease, people in treatment for drug addiction learn behavioral changes and often take medications as part of their treatment regimen.
How Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Work
For most alcoholics and drug dependent individuals, residential alcohol and drug abuse treatment is recommended as the right, first step. Residential alcohol and drug abuse treatment (aka inpatient) is where the individual resides full time in a facility. Alcohol and drug abuse treatment (rehab), is a combination of education and behavioral therapy. A person needs to learn the facts about alcohol and drug abuse dependency and how to work a program of recovery. Therapy generally consists of both group and one on one counseling sessions. These sessions emphasize personal interaction, addressing a variety of personal and developmental issues. The length of stay in residential alcohol and drug abuse treatment will depend on a variety of factors.
Therapy as a part of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Process
Behavioral therapies can include counseling, psychotherapy, support groups, or family therapy. Treatment medications offer help in suppressing the withdrawal syndrome and drug or alcohol craving and in blocking the drug’s effects. In general, the more treatment a person receives, the better the results. Patients who stay in treatment longer than 1 month have better outcomes than those who stay less time. Patients, who go through medically assisted withdrawal (detox) to minimize discomfort but do not receive any further treatment, perform about the same in terms of their drug use as those who were never treated. Over the last 25 years, studies have shown that treatment works to reduce drug intake and crimes committed by drug-dependent people. Researchers also have found that drug abusers who have been through treatment are more likely to have jobs.
Individual & Group Counseling for Drug Addiction & Alcohol Abuse
Both individual and group counseling sessions are crucial to the recovery process. At Front Range Counseling Center, we focus on these two types of counseling so that we can uncover deeper issues and help establish a strong basis in recovery. Our services are comprehensive and work to treat all types of addiction and alcoholism. Please do not hesitate to get the help you deserve.
The topic of counseling sessions may vary from day to day and week to week. Some sessions may discuss issues such as relapse prevention, transition skills and 12-step meetings, while others may deal with family issues and personal relationships. Still other groups may focus on the issues of particular individuals or issues that the group may be struggling with as a whole. Whatever the case these sessions are beneficial to all who are involved.
Both individual and group counseling sessions are crucial to the outpatient process. At Front Range Counseling Center, we focus on these two types of counseling so that we can uncover deeper issues and help establish a strong basis in recovery. Our services are comprehensive and work to treat all types of addiction and alcoholism. Please do not hesitate to get the help you deserve.