How to find Addiction Counseling near me
Substance addiction is one of the most common behavioral health conditions that impact millions of Americans each year. It is a mental health condition that can physically and psychologically change the brain. The most impactful way to treat this disease is through addiction counseling and substance use disorder treatment. It is scientifically proven, heavily researched and specifically developed to help those with substance use disorder issues. It can help improve both physical and mental health damage from substance addiction.
There are many people who struggle with substance addiction and want to stop but are struggling and unable to. Anyone can develop a substance use disorder. There are many underlying factors that contribute to the onset of the disease, which include family history, biology, age and a history of mental illness. Finding addiction counseling is the first major step toward recovery and a healthier way of living.
In the past, addiction counselors used to be called substance abuse counselors. However, the name was too stigmatizing. Stigma can significantly reduce the willingness of people with substance use disorders to want to seek out help. It can also lead others to feel pity or anger towards people with substance use disorders. The stigmatizing language can even negatively impact how health care providers treat people who are struggling as well as impact the quality of care given.
Most people seeking help will initially go online to search for addiction counseling near me. There are many different resources for finding the appropriate help with your substance addiction.
How to search for Addiction Counseling near me
You can start your initial search for help online by searching for “addiction counseling near me”. Online searching can yield a wide variety of treatment options. You can also search for more specific types of addiction treatment such as alcohol addiction or opioid addiction. Another way to find addiction counseling is to call and ask your insurance provider. Insurance providers will be able to direct you to treatments that are covered under your insurance policy. You can also talk to your primary care physician and ask them to refer you to a licensed addiction counselor.
Types of addiction counseling include biofeedback, CBT, DBT, EMDR Therapy, meditation and mindfulness, online therapy, holistic therapy, and motivational interviewing. Depending on the individual, patients can implement one, two, or a combination of different types of therapy and counseling.
What is Substance Addiction Counseling?
Substance addiction counseling provides patients with education, skills and strategies to help them improve their overall wellness. It does not provide direct advice or instruction on how to live life. Instead, it offers tools and resources to help a patient change their outlook on their future away from substance abuse. Addiction counseling involves a licensed and certified addiction counselor building a safe and trusting alliance through conversations and learning about the patient’s experience with substances. Counselors learn about the client’s goals and help them develop an individualized treatment plan of action to achieve these goals.
- Assessment – counselors assess the mental and physical health of patients to determine the severity of addiction
- Treatment planning – counselors work with patients to develop a personalized plan that involves therapy, medication and support groups
- Referrals – counselors often act as a bridge between the patient and other addiction treatment professionals
- Intervention – sometimes counselors need to intervene in certain situations
- Counseling – provide individual or group therapy
- Education – counselors can also provide education to the families of addicts and teach them about the disease and how to work together through recovery
- Case management documentation – counselors provide detailed documentation about progress and the types of care patients need during treatment
Counselors teach patients how to reestablish relationships with friends, family and their environment. Counselors offer support to help monitor and manage triggering symptoms associated with substance use disorder. Counselors perform psychological assessments to help create a more individualized treatment plan. Counselors help patients develop a relapse prevention plan. Counselors can also refer you to other types of specific treatment and help you locate local support groups to aid in your recovery.
Ultimately substance addiction counselors work to build a working relationship with patients by creating a sense of connection, showing interest in their overall well-being, collaborating in treatment, expressing empathy and expressing a high level of communication skills. This can be done through individual or group counseling.
Who are Substance Addiction Counselors?
Most if not the majority of substance addiction counselors have credentials or certifications specifically in substance and alcohol addiction. Many of these counselors and therapists also have master’s degrees in social work and counseling with specialization in addiction. They can be licensed professional counselors with specialties in substance addiction, licensed clinical social workers, licensed psychologists or licensed psychiatrists. Some counselors are also experienced in treating co-occurring mental health disorders.
Two popular counselors include addiction psychiatrists and addiction psychologists. It is important to find a trained and experienced professional that meets your needs in addiction recovery. Psychiatrists work by helping to manage addiction medications related to co-occurring mental health conditions and generally work to help manage medication use throughout treatment. Psychologists cannot write prescriptions. They focus on treating mental health disorders through individual and group talk therapy.
Substance addiction counselors work together as part of a treatment care team alongside other psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, caseworkers, primary care physicians, registered nurses and other clinical rehab professionals. They work in private or public addiction rehabs, hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers, detox centers, outpatient facilities, sober residencies, schools and even correction facilities.
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What is the difference between a counselor and a therapist?
Both substance abuse counselors and substance abuse therapists are utilized in treatment for substance and alcohol addiction. They are both trained to assess, diagnose and treat behavioral conditions like drug addiction and mental health conditions. They are both trained in the latest clinical techniques for treatment.
Addiction counselors tend to have a more immediate and practical approach to treatment and work to help problem solve right away. Counselors will take on a direct role in helping patients and follow a more standardized treatment plan. In counseling sessions, they are more likely to keep you on topic and less likely to stray away from other things that may arise during talk therapy.
Treatment plans are developed based on ASAM
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is a standardization framework that often dictates the type of treatment needed for a person diagnosed with a substance use disorder. ASAM uses six different dimensions that touch on various aspects of a persons life.
- Dimension I – This involves acute intoxication and withdrawal potential. An addiction counselor will review current or past substance use concerns and assess the need for potential medical treatments.
- Dimension II – This involved biomedical conditions and complications. An addiction counselor will review health history and potential complications in treatment that need to be addressed.
- Dimension III – This involves emotional, behavioral, and cognitive conditions. An addiction counselor will review mental health history, and current conditions and assign a treatment team to assist.
- Dimension IV – This involves the readiness to change. An addiction counselor will review motivations for change and readiness to act, which includes understanding what detracts from motivations.
- Dimension V – This involves potential relapse or continued problem potential. An addiction counselor will review potential relapse triggers, current substance use and other concerns that may require additional attention.
- Dimension VI – This involves recovery and living environment. An addiction counselor will review current living situations and the safety of the patient’s living environment for recovery.
Reach out to Hotel California by the Sea
We specialize in treating addiction and other co-occurring disorders, such as PTSD. Our Admissions specialists are available to walk you through the best options for treating your addiction.
Are you looking for treatment for Substance Use Disorder?
Addiction can affect anyone and there is no cure. However, there is proven evidence of therapy and addiction counseling that produces results in helping people overcome and manage their addictions. Substance addiction counselors are experts at understanding underlying conditions and causes of addiction and work by encouraging patients throughout the duration of their recovery. Professional behavioral health treatment programs such as Hotel California by the Sea provide addiction counseling for all clients in recovery.
Throughout each level of care including detox, residential and outpatient treatment, an addiction counselor will be available to help create a unique treatment plan and guide patients through the recovery process. Addiction counseling often involves other types of treatments including CBT, DBT and group therapy, all of which are available to patients in our program. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping people with substance abuse issues overcome their addiction and realize a different path to their future.
References:
https://www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/addiction-counselors
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25165-substance-abuse-counselor
https://counseling.online.wfu.edu/blog/the-role-of-substance-abuse-counselors-in-addiction-recovery
https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/graduate-school-addiction-studies/what-are-addiction-counselors
https://blog.opencounseling.com/substance-abuse-counseling-vs-therapy