Saturday, January 4, 2014

The Invaluable Service Of A Substance Abuse Counselor

By Harriett Crosby


It is never easy turning away from addictive substances. This requires genuine desire and steadfast determination. More importantly, this calls for professional help. Substance-dependent individuals need counseling to successfully eradicate drugs and alcohol from their system. An effective program always includes a substance abuse counselor Pasadena. The professionals do not only understand the client's needs. They also look into the other aspects throughout their recovery.

Depending on the substance and the individuals involved, the detoxification process may not be enough. Physical dependence is only one aspect to consider. Although detoxification removes the substances from a person's body, the patient may still have high risks of relapse. Emotional, psychological or social factors are too powerful stimuli that may cause the patients to regress. The patient may still need counseling.

The counselors will guide the patients in this arduous journey. It is not easy to walk away from the lifestyle one is used to. Too many times, the role of a counselor spans beyond helping a patient turn their back from substance abuse. They can also offer counsels pertaining to one's marriage, family or professional life. As all aspects in a person's life are interconnected, the counselor needs to cover every facet.

The counselors also try to understand why a person resorted to substance abuse. Only by understanding the reason would they be able to formulate the most effective program that could persuade the patient never to go back. Sometimes, the counselor also helps in straightening out broken relationships, dealing with traumatic experiences in the past or fixing an old issue.

Counseling sessions provide constant support to the patients when they need this the most. Aside from friends and family members, a professional, who understands what the patient is going through, is indispensable. With the efforts the patients have to go through, it is easy to get frustrated and break down. A sincere help can easily be misinterpreted as an unwelcome intrusion.

On a deeper sense, the professionals create programs that aid in the client's recovery process. The counselors help the patients understand why it is necessary not to go back to substance abuse. They educate the patients on stress management, coping mechanisms, relapse prevention, communication skills and problem-solving skills.

They work with the family members, too. Keeping a healthy relationship among family members can reinforce the program's efficiency. The process gets much easier when the patient realizes that he is not alone. Unfortunately, some family members may be unwilling or merely unaware. The counselor can be a big help in this case.

Aside from counseling, the patient may also need vocational training, financial assistance, child care, housing assistance, medical care and psychiatric care. As a professional, the counselor also knows a handful of specialties in other fields. They are quite familiar with the community resources to ensure that the patient gets all the help he needs.

The role of substance abuse counselor Pasadena is undeniably vital for the success of the program. As such, the state understandably maintains high-standards in providing accreditation. This field is streamlined throughout the country. Stringent procedures are in place in assessing the aspirants. Only qualified individuals are given appropriate recognitions.




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