Addiction Wreaks Havoc on the Lives of Millions
Mental illness comes in many forms, affecting everyone differently. People commonly think of depression and anxiety when the discussion of mental health comes up, and rightfully so. However, many people often overlook the mental health implications of addiction and substance abuse. Those struggling with addiction understand just how much of an uphill battle beating it can be. However, there is no quick fix to ridding yourself of your addiction. It is an arduous process, but admitting your struggles and issues is the first step.
Once you’ve recognized your issues, it’s time to start working towards solving them. While addressing your problems and committing towards changing them is the first step, it’s only the beginning. Deciding to overcome your addiction is a life-changing decision. Addiction affects individuals in various ways. While your body is addicted to a substance and craves it, after time, so too will your brain and mind. To clarify, quitting substance abuse is not just a physical task; it also means working on your mental health, as well.
Those suffering from a dependency on a substance should not have to go through this process alone. Some of the most successful stories of those overcoming their addiction are with the help of loved ones by their sides. Counseling for addiction is one of the best ways to help you overcome your addiction and lay the groundwork for continued healing and success in the future. If you or a loved one is suffering from substance abuse or addiction, contact Lifework Counseling Center today and let us help you on the road to recovery.
What is Addiction?
Addiction is a complicated disease that manages to affect all parts of your body and mind. The defining characteristic of addiction is a dependency on the use of a particular substance. Individuals are fixated and focused on a substance to the point where it interferes with their everyday lives. Regardless of the negative health effects associated with the drugs or alcohol they are addicted to, they continue using them.
This continued use rewires how their brain and body function. Signs of addiction include:
- An uncontrollable urge to consume a substance
- Losing interest in activities not associated with their substance abuse
- Difficulties with personal relationships with friends, family members, and romantic partners
- Uncontrollably seeking a substance
- Increased tolerance of the substance
- Isolation
- Experiencing symptoms of withdrawal
- Irritability
- Consistent blackouts
- Memory loss
- Legal troubles
- Secrecy, such as hiding their substances or lying about what they are doing
- Drastic changes in appearance
- Other health problems
These are just a handful of symptoms those struggling with addiction face. According to the Center on Addiction, 40 million Americans over the age of 12 abuse are addicted to substances, such as nicotine, alcohol, or drugs. That is more that one in seven people, surpassing those with heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
For those with a loved one who struggles with addiction, it can be difficult to watch them spiral out of control due to the increased dependency of a substance. The process of defeating their addiction is a long one, but with the help of loved ones, counseling for addiction, and other treatments, they can overcome this disease.
The Importance of Counseling for Addiction
As we stated earlier, overcoming addiction is no small feat. After all, through continued substance abuse, your body has grown to depend on a drug, both physically and mentally. Fortunately, with the help of a reliable support system and trusted addiction counselors, these individuals can successfully beat this habit in a healthy way.
Counseling for addiction provides those struggling with substance abuse guidance from a trusted and licensed professional. These professionals will rely on various evidence-based treatment methods to help you understand your addiction and how you can beat it. Therapy puts individuals whose lives have been controlled by their urges in a better position to overcome their disease.
Role of an Addiction Counselor
Many people often feel ashamed about their issues. This is a common way to feel. However, addiction counselors do not judge and want to help you overcome your disease. Through counseling for addiction, you will discover what drove you to use drugs or alcohol, how they make you feel, and much more.
The role of your addiction counselor is to:
- Provide unbiased emotional support
- Conduct therapy sessions, whether one-on-one, couples, group, or family
- Evaluate your level of substance abuse and dependency to create a general assessment
- Conduct periodic drug and/or alcohol tests to ensure you haven’t been using
- Use the result of your general assessment to create a personalized treatment plan unique to your needs
- Help you create an aftercare program to help you continue sobriety
Counseling for addiction is a vital part of overcoming your struggles. Deciding to quit this destructive habit is a massive life change, and significant life changes often cause anxiety and depression, which only adds to your struggles. Addiction counselors provide individuals with an unbiased support system to give you the tools to deal with the struggles that come with fighting your addiction.
Achieving sobriety is not the end of the fight, however. Keeping yourself sober is a whole new fight. Once sobriety has been achieved, an addiction counselor will help you adopt useful skills intended on helping you take control of your emotional and physical health. Through counseling for addiction, you put yourself in a better position to overcome your addiction by identifying the root of it, creating a support system, and adopting strategies to keep yourself sober and healthy once your habit is beaten.
Lifeworks Addiction Counseling
When an individual struggling with substance abuse seeks counseling for addiction, they are more likely to overcome this disease than those who do not. Quitting substance abuse is a monumental task, and it cannot be done alone. The skilled and compassionate counselors at Lifeworks Counseling Center are here to help you overcome this disease, create healthy habits to help you take control of your physical and mental health, rebuild broken relationships with loved ones, and continue living a clean life. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, contact Lifeworks Counseling Center today.
