Whether through substance abuse or following destructive behavior cycles, addiction can destroy lives. It’s why millions of people turn to counseling for support and guidance. A helping hand can, in the right circumstances, make all the difference in helping people break free from addictive cycles. But how can clinical counseling help and support those who struggle with addictive tendencies the most?
For many people addicted to substances and destructive behavior, it’s important to simply have a support network. For others, it’s crucial to have an outside force to step in when things go wrong. Ultimately, counselors are exceptional at helping people ‘see the light’. Each case can be very different from the last!
Are you considering your own career in addiction counseling? Let’s take a look at a few ways that a counselor can help people with substance addictions get the help they sorely need.
It’s an alliance addicts can trust
In many cases, people with addictions simply look for reliable relationships they can turn to when they start feeling certain urges. Sadly, not all who attend clinics have reliable support networks. This is where a counselor can step in and assure vulnerable people that they genuinely care about their health and well-being.
Trust building is a crucial step in counseling addictive personalities back to full health. Alongside physical rehabilitation, patients with addictions need to know that they can trust their counselor without fear of judgment or abandonment.
A talented counselor will assure substance addicts early on that they intend to help them through even the toughest moments of rehabilitation. They provide empathy and will listen attentively to everything patients have to say.
Communication is incredibly important! Qualified and attentive addiction counselors work hard to create an environment where addicts can head for support through the toughest steps in their recovery. Simply having a non-judgmental figure to talk to and share experiences with is a fantastic way to bring addictive personalities out of their destructive shells.
It’s customized support
Beyond the need for a reliable alliance, effective counselors understand that every substance abuse case will differ, even slightly. While hundreds of people may be addicted to the same substance, they will all have different stories to tell and, therefore, very different needs.
One patient may have lapsed into addiction through depression or suicidal thoughts, while another may have fallen into addictive cycles as a result of peer pressure. Others may simply be looking to fill their lives with an activity that feels good — forever chasing a dopamine hit without ever realizing the long-term damage.
A counselor is a crucial figure in customizable rehabilitation. Whether they’ve studied for an online MSW degree such as the course offered at Florida State University, or in-person, these professionals learn early on that tailoring their services is essential. Counselors listen carefully to their patients’ stories and become invested in helping them to find a healthy route out of their destructive behavior.
A catch-all rehabilitation program is not necessarily conducive to helping people with substance addictions safely find their way back into society. Many addicts stand to benefit from close, empathetic, tailored help that’s neither biased nor based on any assumptions. Catch-all approaches assume that all addicts are the same and require the same treatments to get back on their feet. This has limited success in practice!
Counselors help addicts find motivation
Motivation to get better, or to break destructive cycles, can prove to be a sticking point for many people struggling with addiction. Patients need to clearly see the effects of their behavior and substance abuse and to understand realistic opportunities that may arise once they break free from such cycles.
A talented counselor’s job is to help their patients appreciate what they ‘could be’ if they break free from addiction. This needs to be realistic, meaning that counselors should train carefully to communicate effectively with future patients. Helping addicts find the motivation to leave problem behaviors behind will vary from person to person. While counselors can’t, ultimately, force their patients to change for the better, they can encourage their charges to find reasons to keep trying.
An effective counselor will explore and brainstorm ways to help people with addictions to find breakthrough opportunities. This can and will go beyond simple active listening and asking the right questions about their charges. Counselors will mirror and challenge their patients where appropriate. They’ll find ways to challenge perceptions and hard-worn routines. Once they’ve earned the trust of an addicted patient, counselors may find it easier to explore these options. Effective counseling with addicted patients should ideally be non-confrontational. While addicts should confront their behaviors and their cycles, counselors shouldn’t take the ‘higher ground’ or show aggression. Patience is key, and for all counselors, a calm, patient approach is often conducive to long-term success.
Counselors help patients create long-lasting, preventative plans
It’s a common misconception that counselors simply help addicts ‘kick drugs’ or help them ‘get back on the wagon’. An effective counselor will help their patients to build rehabilitation plans that go beyond initial diagnosis and treatment.
After the end of initial counseling, patients should feel confident to follow pathways that will steer them away from temptations and destructive behavioral cycles in the future. A counselor should help their patients develop plans to prevent relapses. Again, this might not always be a simple task, and it will vary wildly from case to case. But there’s no point in counseling and rehabilitating an addict if they will simply fall into the same behaviors further down the line.
Counselors are crucial in addiction rehabilitation because they can give a voice and a sense of direction to the journeys that patients have ahead of them. Being willing to follow a straight path or to change one’s behavior is, sadly, not enough to prevent relapse in future. At least, for the most addicted of people, repeating the same cycle is only too easy. Without counselors in addiction therapy, there’s a danger that patients may feel rehabilitation is too impersonal to provide lasting effects. With a caring counselor as a single point of contact, a patient has an experienced support network who can ensure they don’t fall into the same cycles again and again.
Respect is vital
A key element to any rehabilitation program is respect. The patient must be respected by the process, and especially by the counselor. An impersonal program without direct counselor support may not respect the needs of a patient directly. When this is the case, a patient may feel less empowered to seek help, or even unable to help themselves overcome some of the tougher steps along the road to recovery.
Empathetic counselors can help to respect patients by establishing clear boundaries for both sides. They will actively listen to stories and explanations, and only offer advice when it’s appropriate, or even when asked for. Above all, privacy and non-bias are golden. Many people struggling with addiction may feel too embarrassed to seek rehabilitation right away because they may be seen in a negative light. Many people addicted to substances may also judge themselves harshly because they feel they may be judged the same by others.
A respectful counselor will build trust and openly discuss expectations early in the rehabilitation process. Fostering trust and actively building a relationship are essential to long-term counseling success. Without this support, people struggling with addiction may feel alone and unworthy or may even lack the motivation to help themselves. The role of a counselor compared to more impersonal programs can’t be understated.
Can anyone become a counselor?
Anyone can become a counselor, providing they have the right attitude and are willing to patiently listen to various concerns and worries. Many people can struggle with addictions for years to come, so an open mind is also a requisite for advancing in a career as a counselor. Of course, learning the requisite skills for counseling is a must! Whether through an intensive program or gradual upskilling, many people can become counselors in a matter of years.
The most effective counselors are those who genuinely want to help other people. They don’t hold agendas or struggle to communicate with others. They want to help people help themselves — not just at the point of initial treatment but also in the years to come. As addictive behavior can recur without clear behavioral insight, effective counselors must also take the initiative to learn more about their patients and be willing to tailor their approach for each patient.
Conclusion
Counseling has proven highly effective in preventing addiction relapse. Having a personal, human support network available while navigating some of the more difficult stages of rehabilitation can prove crucial for some addicts’ recovery. A talented counselor can help an addicted patient understand their thoughts and behavioral patterns clearly and can help them find healthy ways to break free from destructive cycles.
