Could I benefit from addiction counseling?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA, “Behavioral therapies––including individual, family, or group counseling––are the most commonly used forms of drug abuse treatment.” The reason for this is the multiple benefits of drug addiction counseling and other forms of behavioral therapy on the recovery of addicted individuals. While medication and other treatments can be beneficial, many individuals receive the most help and strength from regular drug addiction counseling.

Reasons people choose drug addiction counseling are:

Counseling helps people overcome addiction and build a new life.

• It teaches them new ways to view their addictions, and a new perspective can help with recovery.

• It teaches them ways to cope with triggers and cravings.

• It gives them someone to talk to about their feelings during a difficult time with no judgement.

• It helps them discover and treat possible psychological disorders they may not have known they had, which can also be reasons that helped cause their addictions in the first place.

• It introduces them to other individuals who feel the same way they feel and are dealing with similar issues.

• It can help heal relationships with friends and family members.

• It can be altered and different approaches can be used and combined to cater to the needs of the individual which is an incredibly important part of addiction treatment.

• It can be continued after a foundation for recovery is obtained by the patient, and the individual is even encouraged to continue afterward.

The NIDA states, “Years of research have shown that addiction to any drug (illicit or prescribed) is a brain disease that can be treated effectively.” Patients who learn this in treatment are able to realize that their compulsive need to abuse drugs is not because of a weakness but to a mental disorder that occurs as a result of long-term drug abuse changing the way the brain works. This helps many patients realize that treatment is necessary for recovery and that their struggle to stop abusing drugs is not due to weakness but to changes in the brain that must be reversed over time.

As a woman in recovery, Ashley has experience and insight that will be helpful to her clients when addressing their addiction and treatment plan. If you are suffering, and need support, please reach out. While most sessions are $125 per hour, Ashley does accommodate for clients on a sliding scale.