Recovering from problems with substance abuse is a lifelong process. Going to rehab enables patients to physically recover from addiction and helps to establish a reset in a patient’s life that encourages recovery. At rehab, patients are also provided education about solutions for their problems with addiction. This includes individual substance abuse counseling.
Nevertheless, patients eventually have to return to the real world. Relapse can easily happen if the right steps are not taken. Therefore, patients need to consider therapy options that can keep them on track for continued sobriety for years to come.
What is Individual Substance Abuse Counseling?
Individual therapy for substance abuse aims to help patients stay sober after getting through rehab by addressing emotional and psychological needs. Recovering addicts often mentally debate whether they should return to using harmful substances when stressful events happen. Eventually, patients can convince themselves to return to abusing a substance if they’re left without the long-term care they need. Therapy aims to give patients long-term support by enabling them to dissect their thoughts with a professional who is experienced in helping patients get through the recovery process.
Therapy is important because many of the drivers that led to patients using drugs in the first place are usually present when a patient returns to the normal world. If the right steps are not taken, a patient may decide to continue associating with individuals who encouraged them to use drugs in the first place. Additionally, many patients struggle to stay sober when they spend time in the same home or vehicle where they used to abuse substances. Therapy providers can help patients to reject their former ways and learn new healthy habits.
Are There Different Types of Individual Therapy?
Call us today. 844.684.0795Before you begin therapy, you should understand that not all therapies are the same. Care administrators need to carefully evaluate a patient’s unique situation to decide what therapy is most appropriate. The mode of therapy chosen should vary based on a patient’s history of relapses and the reasons why a patient is struggling to recover.
Many therapies focus on helping patients who have relapsed since patients who recover successfully rarely need help. Nevertheless, if you’re learning about individual substance abuse counseling options because you are new to the recovery process, you should know that there are treatment options available that are specifically tailored to your needs. Some of the most common individual substance abuse counseling options are explained in detail below.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common substance abuse therapy option used in today’s world. This mode of treatment focuses on anticipating problems with self-control that patients will experience and developing effective coping strategies.
CBT has been proven to be effective at preventing patients from relapsing after starting the recovery process. This therapy option was originally developed for patients struggling with alcohol addiction, but it was later adapted for the needs of cocaine addicts. Today, CBT can be used to facilitate effective recovery for patients struggling with any substance abuse disorder.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of individual substance abuse counseling that involves patients talking through the problems they are having. DBT is often referred to as “talk therapy” because it often involves patients having an ongoing dialogue with a caring treatment provider. Traditionally, DBT has been administered through one-on-one counseling sessions provided at a professional’s office. Increasingly, however, DBT is often being administered online to bring down costs and make therapy more accessible to patients with busy schedules.
In many cases, DBT is provided through a combination of in-person meetings and phone-based therapy sessions. Patients often talk to their therapist one-on-one when their treatment starts, but they can later switch to phone or video-based sessions once they have developed a strong relationship with their care provider.
Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
Rational emotive behavioral therapy helps patients to think through their own thoughts to develop positive habits. Many patients who struggle with substance addictions are not physically addicted to a substance, but they cannot succeed at breaking their habit of using a substance on a regular basis. Therefore, these patients often need to reason with an experienced therapist who understands how to break down unhealthy thought processes.
REBT can be especially helpful for patients who feel a need to turn to substances because of their inability to control their emotions. Practitioners can help patients to learn how to cope with pain in a healthy manner. REBT can also be helpful for these patients because it can help to address the holistic range of issues that may ultimately be leading to frequent substance abuse.
The Matrix Model
The Matrix Model is a term used to describe a form of therapy that helps patients to recover by improving their self-esteem. Many patients who struggle to quit using a substance irrationally believe that they need a substance to do their work, manage stress, or enjoy themselves. Practitioners who use the Matrix Model teach patients that they are no less capable than anyone else of dealing with issues that come up in life. Once patients discover that they can cope without a substance, they often make a full recovery for life.
How Does Individual Substance Abuse Counseling Work?
Most therapies are still done inside a practitioner’s office, and this is unlikely to change in the near future. Both patients and therapists naturally need close human connections to communicate as effectively as possible. Patients who are new to individual substance abuse counseling should start by relying on in-person therapy sessions. There are thousands of licensed substance abuse therapists in the U.S., so there is sure to be a therapist you can rely on near your home or workplace.
Nevertheless, some therapy sessions can be done online. Generally, you should rely on your local therapist if you choose online treatment options. In this way, you can visit your therapist’s office when you have a major issue but can still enjoy a more convenient form of care when necessary.
Of course, there are also therapy options that are entirely online. Be careful to choose a reputable therapy provider. Some therapy websites offer very cheap services, but they often send you to talk to an untrained person in a foreign call center. Most substance abuse care administrators can refer you to a reputable online service.
What Treatment Intervals are Necessary?
Book an AppointmentRecommended treatment intervals depend on the nature of your problem, your stage in the recovery process, and your history with relapses. Patients who first start the recovery process usually begin with rehab. In rehab, you may see a therapist on a daily basis. Once you get out of rehab, you will generally need to see a therapist once or twice a week. However, many programs have you keep in touch with your therapist or their assistant on a daily basis through text messages or brief phone calls.
After you have proven that you can stay sober for a substantial period of time, your therapist may give you the option to reduce the frequency of your appointments. Some patients continue to see their therapist on a monthly or quarterly basis for years after they have made a successful recovery.
What Can Someone Expect from Individual Therapy?
Patients can expect to get better results from therapy when they are motivated to make a full recovery. If patients are uncooperative in recovery, there is little a therapist can do except try to convince a patient that recovery is necessary. On the other hand, patients who are ready to take a therapist’s advice have a high chance of making a successful recovery.
The best part about working with a therapist is that your odds of making a full recovery can become much higher than the norm. Many people with substance abuse disorders fail to get the help they need because they believe that nothing can be done to resolve their problems. With some of the most potent substances, recovery rates are generally less than 40%. However, these statistics are misleading because patients who are motivated to recover and have a therapist at their side have a high chance of returning to normal life.
If your addiction requires inpatient rehab, you will usually get to know your therapist before you return to regular life. Therefore, your therapist will be able to get through the basics of building rapport and developing a treatment plan before you get out. In these cases, therapists can be very effective because they can get you mentally prepared for a new routine that does not involve substance abuse.
In contrast, if you are starting the recovery process with counseling alone, you may go through an intensive therapy process. When you first start, you may be asked to do individual substance abuse counseling on a daily basis to support your recovery. Nevertheless, once you have proven that you can resist the temptation to continue using a substance, your therapy sessions will usually become more infrequent.
What Are the Goals of Individual Therapy?
The goal of individual substance abuse counseling is to get patients to stop using a harmful substance altogether. Additionally, individual substance abuse counseling also aims to prevent patients from relapsing. Sub-goals often develop at different stages of the recovery process, but long-term recovery is always the goal of any counseling effort.
Get Therapy for Substance Abuse at Intrepid Detox
If you are struggling with a substance abuse disorder, you should not have to get through the recovery process alone. Our team of individual substance abuse counseling professionals can help you recover from any substance abuse disorder. Contact our professionals to initiate the recovery process today.