Getting the courage to admit you have a problem is the first step on the road to recovery. Before you or a loved one embarks on their journey for recovery, it is imperative that you address your issues with someone you love, trust or respect. Once you’ve gained support from a trusted confidant, you should consider talking to a board-certified counselor about you or your family member’s specific issues.
Issues Addressed By Board Certified Counselors
Talking to a counselor can help your loved ones gain perspective and direction when dealing with an issue that negatively impacts their life. Counselors are equipped with the tools needed to help individuals see their problems from a different angle. These issues include:
- Drug or Alcohol Abuse
- Behavioral Issues
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
- Relationship Issues or Self Image Issues
If the behavior or actions of your friends or family members negatively impacts their life or the people around them, these individuals are prime candidates for seeking out the help of a licensed and professionally trained counselor.
Substance Abuse Counseling
Most people who seek out counseling do so because of an addiction to drugs or alcohol. With alcohol and drunkenness being so widely accepted in today’s society, many alcoholics are stuck wondering if they have a problem with alcohol or if they are just like everyone else.
This can be a difficult place to be considering the shift into alcoholism can happen rapidly and unexpectedly. For many alcohol abusers, they once responsibly enjoyed alcohol but now they seem to go off the rails every time they drink.
Is There a Difference Between Drug and Alcohol Counseling?
Unlike alcohol, those who are addicted to illicit drugs may not be “Functional” whereas alcoholics can sometimes hold a job and keep their families together. When people become addicted to hard drugs such as heroin, PCP, cocaine or prescription pain killers, they typically must surround themselves with unsavory characters in order to continue their addiction. Other times, the lines are blurred and addicts live a life of dishonesty and deception in order to fuel their addictions.
Talking to a counselor is often the first time a drug addict or alcoholic realizes that their actions negatively impact the people around them. This revelation alone can sometimes persuade a person to commit to a life of sobriety. The hope is that the first talk with a counselor can serve as an eye-opening experience that will persuade the patient that they need to get help.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Care
If your loved one is unable to carry on with their day-to-day life while going through a detox, it might be wise to look for an in-patient treatment facility. These facilities cater to the patient around the clock providing them with a structured environment to help them get their life back on track.
If withdrawal symptoms include vomiting, tremors or some other type of violent reaction, checking into an inpatient facility might be the best option. Outpatient care is a facility that has counselors available however patients typically do not board themselves within the facilities overnight. In an outpatient care facility, the treatments are more focused and intensive, but the patient is typically free to go after the sessions are complete.
Finding The Right Treatment Options
Talking to a counselor will help you or your family member figure out the best treatment facility options based on the unique circumstances surrounding the issues you’re wanting to treat. The severity of the addiction shouldn’t be the only determining factor in whether a person should get inpatient or outpatient help; in fact, it is best to get a professional opinion on whether or not these types of treatments are appropriate for the types of addictions or disorders exhibited by the patient.
Traveling for Out-Patient Treatment
When addicts come to terms with their issues, they must figure out the best way for them to get onto the road to recovery. There’s an old saying, “You are who you associate with, most of the time.” Therefore, if a patient is associating with peers who are heavy into the drug and alcohol culture, it can sometimes be hard to pull that person away from their habits without completely changing their surroundings.
Many counselors will recommend outpatient treatment facilities in a place that has good weather, relaxing landscapes and plenty of activities that help the patient build confidence and self-esteem. If you are on the east coast of the USA, flying to a place like Florida is an affordable option that gives the patient the opportunity to release all of their anxieties and resolve their internal issues in a safe and supportive environment.
Are you ready to get started on the road to recovery? Call us today at 844-639-8371 and we’ll introduce you to one of top counselors in the area who will help you determine the best way to move forward as you attempt to live a sober and clean life.