Substance Abuse Counseling
Substance Abuse Counseling
Those who know, love, or live with substance abuse and /or addiction also live with behaviors that often leave companions, parents or friends frustrated, fearful, angry and too often ill. Drug users can be extremely secretive about their drug use. Unless it is alcohol and the person has consumed enough to exhibit obvious signs, it can be difficult to determine whether your child, spouse or friend is using certain other drugs. Drug users are often distrustful about what they are doing to obtain and maintain their drug supply. Again, unless alcohol is the drug of choice, which can be legally purchased and leaves a paper trail, it is difficult to know if a person is acquiring certain other drugs. The underpinnings of these behaviors erode trust and destroy relationships.
The social, emotional, biological and psychological implications of chronic use of mind and mood altering drugs are irrevocable damage to the body and subsequent death. More importantly, substance abuse and addiction affect the entire family. It can be said that when alcoholics or other types of drug addicts go down they take others down with them. We must consider that alcoholism and addiction to other drugs are commonly discussed as a familial disease that involves the entire family. Spouses become enablers or codependents. Children of addicts often develop emotional and psychological difficulties for which many seek help. Timely intervention is not just necessary but paramount to problem solving and solution for the substance abuser, addict and family.
Knowing when to look, where to look, what to look for and how to look require skills that can be passed on to family members who seek help. Most important is what to do when substance abuse is identified in your family. The mind and mood altering aspects of drugs and drug use related behaviors are two of the most important reasons to seek assistance in your search for answers about your child, companion or friend. (Click here to see my complete Biography.)
I am confident that Art Therapy and the Cognitive Therapy approaches to certain aspects of substance abuse and addiction are effective therapeutic models that can produce evidenced based results. The way we think can be faulty and distorted because experiences that shape our thinking contribute to what we hold to be truths and convictions and thus aid in forming certain realities about ourselves, others and our surroundings. For example, an adult male had recently become 21 years old. He was pulled over by a police officer who asked him if he had been drinking. “Yes,” he answered courteously, then added that he was old enough to drink. The obvious distortion in thinking in this example is that the legal age to drink does not legally qualify or equip one to drink and drive. There is no age requirement for drinking and driving in America. The officer on the other hand has a sworn duty to protect the public safety and if there was reasonable cause is completely justified. Learn more about my approach to substance abuse counseling and treatment. Click here to contact me.
Additional services:
- Substance Abuse Education
- Public Speaking
To acquire any of the services mentioned above, click here to contact me by message, or call 703-989-2335, 24/7.