Substance Abuse Counseling

Substance abuse as well as addiction is a topic many people choose to ignore or tend to believe that it does not affect them. Addiction itself does not seek out certain types of people but can affect anyone, at any time, for any reason. Stress, per pressure, financial trouble, even genetics all play a role in substance abuse and addiction. Unlike others, I don’t see substance abusers as weak willed but instead in need of guidance and someone to talk to about their problems. That is why, when I decided to go to school I was very interested in becoming an Addiction Counselor. I am one of those types of people who really enjoy learning new things and coming up with solutions for myself or others. The biggest reason that I decided to go to college was to find a job that I was actually fascinated with and wouldn’t dread going to work day in and day out. The biggest concern I have for my future job is stability and job availability. One area that I don’t really find high on my priority list is the money. I want to be able to make enough that I can survive and even thrive at times but I’m not looking for a job just for the financial gain. If I’m going to spend my life in a working profession it might as well be doing something I love.

Through standardized testing, the Commission is able to set a benchmark for professionals and monitor the abilities of those who treat addictions (NAADAC, 2013). It is extremely important to focus on the individual counselor to determine the current knowledge and competence at the national level. In addition, the process was created to establish, measure, and monitor the requirements for knowledge in the profession while providing assistance to identify quality counselors who have met the national competency standards. As one can see the certification, professional licensing, and credentialing of substance abuse professionals are important to ensure quality service is received by the client, counselor, and service provider

Getting help for drug addiction is often such an intimidating idea that many addicts continue to use rather than expose themselves to the embarrassment or pain that they have associated with reaching out to someone for help. This is in large part due to the fact that television, books and movies have portrayed drug rehab centers in such a negative light that the reality is actually quite incomprehensibly different than these depictions. Millions of people have gotten help for addiction and gone on to lead productive and fulfilling lives free from the bonds of substance abuse. However, there are plenty still who delayed treatment for one reason or another and suffered severe consequences by doing so. Because addiction is a progressive and

There are various care settings wherein substance abuse therapy services are provided. This include primary care clinics, urgent care center or the hospital’s emergency department, freestanding substance abuse treatment or mental health facility, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs and acute care inpatient settings. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) developed a clinical tool called Placement Criteria, Second edition, revised (PPC-2R), to match patients’ care needs for substance abuse detoxification and the suitable care environment. Placement determination is evaluated according to

I want to start by saying I have appreciate your post for the past 7 weeks. I have tried to pick others but I always seem compelled to respond to yours. Substance Abuse Counselor are definitely needed these days. I am a product of two parents who have died of congestive heart failure because the use of drugs throughout their life. No one wants to lose a family member to this disease. I pray that you are able to help heel people along with utilizing God’s words. May you find your field rewarding and may your mind be strong to for those who need

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there are about 100,000 of deaths per year and there are approximately 8 million people in the United States who have a substance abuse problem (CDC, 2015). A better understanding and greater attention to the commonly abused substance and its treatment would be beneficial in a provider's practice and will also protect the provider from the legalities of prescribing these medications. There are several forms of treatment for every abused substance and the main goal is to help the patient to stop the stop and helping them during the phase of withdrawal. The intent of this paper is to discuss the commonly used substance for abuse and its treatment with the implications

Despite some hesitance to reporting CRNAs with substance use disorder, depending on the state, individuals may have certain legal responsibilities to report an impaired colleague. According to the AANA, “States may hold colleagues responsible for harm to patients if they fail to report a coworker in whom substance use disorder is suspected” (2016). A chemically impaired provider might give inappropriate doses in an effort to divert some of the narcotic resulting in inadequate analgesia for the patient (Luck and Hedrick, 2004). Impairment of a colleague in the workplace can have harmful patient safety implications. Bringing a suspected colleague to the attention of a supervisor or someone who can help is an act of caring and concern, not

Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors are to aid individual clients or groups to understand substance dependency, outline goals, and establish an action plan as stated by the State of Texas Health Services Directory (2016). In Texas, an LCDC must have “135 hours, or nine semester hours, specific to substance abuse disorders and treatment and an additional 135 hours, or nine semester hours, specific or related to chemical dependency counseling” as per the State of Texas Health Services Directory (2016, Sec. 504.152.). Although a chemical dependency license is an extra certification, the ACA Code of Ethics applies to both Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors as well

One of my main reasons for wanting to become an alcohol and substance abuse counselor is to assist and educate individuals on the effect of substance abuse. For example, from my childhood I have seen my father drank alcohol on a weekly basis, today he is a sober and coherent. Sadly to say this situation has became an enormous devastation in lives of families today. It produced abused, incest, violence, separation, resentment and low self-esteem within the family circle.

The Johnson model technique seems more effective as the group focuses on a consistent, collective expression of caring and support for the individual. This group gathers together to prepare everyone to learn about the disease of the addiction, listing specific facts regarding the effects from the substance abuser and making decisions on potential treatment options. The intervention is conducted in an objective and specific reality to accept help in a caring, nonjudgmental atmosphere. In the end, Andrea has one relapse however she attends meetings regularly which she has been sober for over ten years. Amanda’s intervention seem to resemble the ARISE intervention techniques which seem to place a lot of blame upon the parents. The ARISE interventionist

It is critical counselors are competent in assessments as it is an integral part of counseling (Whiston, 2013). Those practicing in the counseling field must be aware of the applications and limitations of the assessing instruments that they are using with clients. Counselors should consider that they are responsible for the proper purpose and the competency of the assessment that they are using with their clientele is appropriate for the situation. The American Counseling Association ([ACA], 2014) Code of Ethics standard E.1.a. Assessment stated “The primary purpose

To become an effective substance abuse counselor, there are six key points which include: knowing the principles of MI, being able to help strengthen a client’s coping skills, being able to utilize OARS, understanding Thomas Gordon’s Twelve Roadblocks, being knowledgeable about drugs, and having knowledge of assessing and Individualizing Evidence Based Treatment Plans.

Drug addiction is a disease of the brain and a lot of times individuals who suffer with addiction also have other mental disorders. For individuals suffering with both one issue becomes very hard to treat because another issue is intertwined. Anyone who is entering a treatment program should be assessed for the co- occurrence of both substance use and a mental disorder. Research has proven that treating both (or multiple) illnesses at the same time in an integrated fashion is generally the best treatment approach for these patients.

successful and a powerful resource for treating substance abuse. Similarly, group therapy for substance abuse is just as effective as individual therapy and successful. As individual therapy, or better due to the benefits and the positive effects it has on clients.

To the outsider, the lives of substance abusers often look like a series of crises 'waiting to happen.' Often, the extent to which substance abuse is causing devastation in the life of the sufferer is more manifest to outsiders such as friends or relatives than the abuser him or herself. Crises relating to substance abuse may be biologically-related (such as a medical crisis brought about by abuse); legally related (a conviction for abusing an illegal drug, drug-dealing, or DWI); or psychologically-related (the abuser seeks treatment for another psychological condition, such as depression, which is caused by the abuse or for which the abuser is using the substance as a form of self-medication) (Kanel 2011: 221). Regardless, a crisis can actually be a fruitful opportunity to precipitate change in an abuser's life. Because drug abusers are often very ambivalent about giving up abusing drugs, it may take a crisis for the user to hit 'rock bottom.'