Counseling in Alcohol Abuse Treatment

Alcoholism is a potentially deadly condition that can create an array of complications and problems in the user’s life. Like other forms of addiction, alcohol abuse treatment often involves the use of counseling to help restore the patient’s psyche to a health, stable state. During every phase of alcohol abuse treatment, from the start of the program when detox takes place through the end when aftercare is the focus, counseling creates the foundation for continued success.

According to NIDA, alcohol abuse and addiction can cause inherent problems for the user many years after the individual quits drinking. This is why counseling is such an important part of the alcohol abuse treatment process. Through counseling, you can expect:

Education

Your counselor will educate you on the methods that you can use to cope with stress and other emotions so that you no longer turn to alcohol as a means of solace. The coping strategies that you develop while in counseling can be used for many years to come and will provide you with a foundation upon which you can effectively grow your efforts toward continued abstinence and sobriety. Each counseling session will include time during which you will learn how to recognize triggers and take appropriate steps to avoid relapse.

Friendship

Counseling can help you to understand and overcome your alcohol problem.

While you may not necessarily look at your counselor as your friend in the beginning, the role of your counselor will be very much like that of a good friend. The counselor will support you when you’re feeling down, motivate you when you’re feeling like giving up and encourage you when you think you can’t go another day without drinking. The counselor will also challenge you to make better decisions and to remain sober despite the emotions that you may be feeling.

Promoting Change

When you become addicted, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters in life, and it’s easy to fall into a lifestyle that simply is not conducive to sobriety. Counseling will help to promote lifestyle changes, behavioral changes and changes in the thought processes that may otherwise provoke you to abuse alcohol. Recovering alcoholics who partake in regular counseling are more likely to make positive lifestyle changes that help them to avoid relapse in the future.

Success

Counseling is not the cure for alcoholism, but it is a step in the right direction. The tools, education, support and friendship that you gain while in counseling can help you to be successful in your recovery.