Reasons to Have a Substance Abuse Counselor
When you make the decision to enter an addiction recovery center, you are taking a very large step in changing your life. It is not a step to be taken lightly, nor is it a step that is easy to make.
Taking the step to enter rehab requires a deep sense of trust that the decision you are making will help improve your life.
Because this decision is so large and important, it is crucial for any person entering into rehab to have a dedicated substance abuse counselor to help them through every step of the process. This counselor is there to help establish trust between the person entering the program and the program itself.
Feeling Vulnerable
It is not uncommon to feel very vulnerable when you enter into treatment. You have lived with your addiction, or for your addiction, for so long that making these significant changes in your life can be overwhelming.
It is very common for those going through addiction recovery to have things they want to tell others, but don’t because they feel awkward or embarrassed.
Your counselor is there for you and you alone to help you make progress on your journey to recovery.
Substance Abuse Counselor – What They Do
Your counselor will be the driving force during the initial stages of your recovery. Your counselor will work with you to help you address your deepest concerns and help you learn to build trust in the program.
They will work with you as your confidant as well as your representative to others in the program. Your counselor will be your advocate as you begin the process of recovery.
Making Progress
As you progress, your substance abuse counselor is going to help you address other areas in your life that will help with the recovery process. This may include helping you reconnect with your family, help you address health conditions, or even help you find a new hobby or interest to fill the time your addiction used to consume.
Your substance abuse counselor’s most important role in your recovery is preparing you for when you leave drug rehab. This is their goal, to help you reenter your life substance-free and know how to stay that way.
Life After Rehab
This may include helping you prepare for things like social interactions once you leave rehab, learning how to handle friends and relatives, learning what may trigger a relapse, and how to deal with stress.
It will also include helping you set up a support system once you leave rehab so that you do not feel like you are facing sobriety on your own. This is a crucial step if you are to survive the first 30 days of sobriety.
If you’re married, it’s especially important for your significant other to know how to help when your spouse is an addict.
The Most Important Thing To Remember During Recovery
The most important thing to remember when you are thinking about entering into an addiction recovery center is that you will not have to face the process alone. Addiction has a way of creating loneliness and making a person feel that they cannot rely on anyone but themselves.
When you are in rehab, you will no longer have to face any challenges alone. At first, you will not even have to make decisions on your own; there will be someone there to work with you and guide you and provide you with the emotional support you need.
You are Not Alone
Having someone you can rely on is not only crucial to succeeding at recovery; it is also a way of building a new future for yourself. As you learn to trust your substance abuse counselor and discover how to interact with someone on such a trusting level, you will also relearn how to form relationships after you leave the recovery center.
This is so important as you start in your new life and will help you stay in sobriety.
Your Counselor is There for You
Your counselor is there for you. They will be there during the hard times in rehab, and they will be there to celebrate your milestones. They will help you face challenges, answer questions, and provide support.
Your counselor will be there when you have to start making decisions about your future and when you are ready to move on with your new life. It is a wonderful thing.
If you have had any doubts or fears about entering into a treatment program, knowing that you will have such personalized care and attention should eliminate those fears. When you can work with someone that is as dedicated to your recovery as you are, succeeding in the program becomes that much easier.
