According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, In 2017, an estimated 20.7 million people age 12 and older needed treatment for a substance use disorder. Only 4 million people received treatment or about 19% of those who needed it.
There are many aspects to addiction recovery but one of the most important ones is that of the counselor. The role of the counselor in addiction recovery has layers of help and here is just a few of the most important to be aware of.
In order for the patient to create an alliance with their counselor, they must have trust. The bond is a therapeutic alliance that allows the person with substance abuse issues to feel comfortable sharing their feelings. This allows the patient to feel that there is someone there for them even when the going gets tough. If a counselor doesn’t have a trustworthy relationship with their client, recovery is more difficult. Instead of feeling uncomfortable or awkward, a trusting relationship does a few important things for the patient including:
Another crucial aspect of the counselor’s role is to focus on the patient’s recovery. And while it is ultimately up to the patient, the counselor helps in a number of ways in this aspect. According to Wake Forest University:
“The most desirable attributes for the counselor mirror those recommended in the general psychological literature and include non-possessive warmth, friendliness, genuineness, respect, affirmation, and empathy,” according to findings by the NCBI. In comparison, confrontational counseling which included challenging the client, disputing, and refuting led to opposite results. “In this study the more a client was confronted, the more alcohol the client drank.”
It is imperative that the counselor is able to recognize some of the changes that might lead a client to have behaviors not conducive to recovery.
A counselor must provide other means for the patient such as:
While the counselor is focused on helping you get sober, an aftercare plan is important to recovery. The relapse rate is high among those with substance abuse. In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse notates:
The relapse rate for substance use disorders is estimated to be between 40% and 60%. This rate is similar to rates of relapse for other chronic diseases such as hypertension or asthma.
This in no way means that a lifetime of recovery is not possible and this is why it is so important for the counselor to provide a relapse plan. And while many may relapse at some time in the life, this does not mean that the treatment was a failure. What it does mean is that there should be an adjustment to the current treatment. Just like medication can be titrated, so can the form of treatment from the counselor.
Now each patient should have a plan that is tailored just for them. There are certain elements that should be included such as:
It is important that the patient has support from their friends and family. Part of the counselor’s role is to ensure that the family is aware of what is going on so that they can provide support. The counselor can meet with family members and even refer them to support groups so that they are aware of how they can help. Some family members do not know where to turn so it is important that they too have a way of getting the help they need to provide support for their family member who has a substance abuse problem.
In that same area, counselors can and should provide support avenues to their patients. Whether it’s Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or a community-based program like Narcotics Anonymous, there should be places that the patient can go to where they are not judged and can be surrounded by others with the same problems they experience.
The role of the counselor is crucial for success and here at Transformations Treatment Center, we have counselors who can help you recover and live a sober lifestyle.
Sources:
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2017-nsduh-annual-national-report
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery
