At our practice, we have several therapists who specialize in addiction counseling, and they know it’s often hard to figure out just when to seek professional help with your addiction. The degree of addiction is difficult to pinpoint when you’re the addicted person- you may find yourself rationalizing addictive behaviors, or dismissing them as not truly a problem because you can ‘stop whenever you want to”. However, if you have any suspicion that you may need help, or that you are indeed addicted, you should know that there are resources available to you and addiction counselors ready to help you move onto a new chapter in your life.
Addiction Self-Tests
There are a number of online self-tests that can help you determine the severity of addiction, several of which we’ve linked to below.
Drug Addiction Self Diagnosis Test
Alcohol Addiction Self Diagnosis Test
Private Drug & Alcohol Addiction Counseling
A crucial part of recovering from addiction is therapy to help you accept the addiction, begin to address the reasons you became addicted, and learn coping skills to prevent a return to addiction. Our addiction counselors will want to meet with you initially to verify any self diagnosis you made (feel free to bring the anonymous test results from above). They will want to know your history of substance abuse, and any incidents that may have led you to seek help. In our safe, caring, private environment, you’ll be free to tell the therapist about any past attempts at sobriety, any situations you feel have caused the addiction to escalate, and more. Patients tell us that, even though they may have been scared and nervous to talk to someone about their substance abuse, the calm, warm environment of our practice has helped them feel safer exploring their addiction and treatment options.
Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery
Once you’ve made the decision to challenge your addiction, it’s time to explore your treatment choices. As you consider the options, keep the following in mind:
- There’s no single perfect treatment that works for everyone. When considering a program, remember that everyone’s needs are different. Addiction treatment should be customized to your unique problems and situation. It’s important that you find a program that feels right. Our addiction counselors are experts in constructing a treatment plan that works for you personally.
- Treatment should address more than just your drug or alcohol abuse. Addiction affects your whole life, including relationships, career, health, and psychological well-being. Addiction treatment success depends on developing a new way of living and addressing the reasons why you turned to drugs in the first place. It may have been because of an inability to manage stress, in which case you’ll need to find healthy ways to handle stressful situations. Detox and medication may be used, but ongoing addiction counseling is a critical component.
- Commitment and follow-through are key. Addiction treatment is not a quick and easy process. In general, the longer and more intense the addiction, the longer and more intense the treatment you’ll need. But regardless of the treatment program’s length in weeks or months, long-term follow-up addiction counseling & care is crucial to recovery. This is a life-long change!
- There are many places to turn for help. Not everybody requires medically supervised detox or an extended stint in rehab. The level of care you need depends on you: your age, substance abuse history, and any other medical or psychiatric conditions all play a part in treatment recommendations. Your addiction counselor will be able to review the best options for you after you review your history with them.
As you seek help for substance abuse and addiction, it’s also important to get treatment for any other medical or psychological issues you’re experiencing. Your best chance of recovery is through integrated treatment for both the substance abuse problem and the mental health problem. This means getting combined mental health and addiction treatment from the same treatment provider or team.