Substance Abuse Treatment

by Kriti J. Freelancer

A lot of people get into substance abuse. Substance abuse happens when you consume drugs which are not allowed legally. Or when you consume alcohol or prescription drug or other legally allowed drugs in a wrong way. People usually consume alcohol and drugs for recreation purposes but slowly get hooked on to them. Substance abuse can actually lead to death. Those who get hung on to substance abuse eventually tread towards a damaging path in life. Besides posing a negative influence on health, any kind of substance abuse leads to grave mental as well as physiological issues. Consumption of drugs cause neurological changes in the brain. Substance abuse is not like an addiction. People with substance abuse can quit the unhealthy behavior if they wish to do so. But in the case of addiction the process is more tough. Substance abuse treatment has become quite popular these days.

Some people abuse prescription drugs. When people use drugs which are prescribed for others or when any drug is used without any need for it it is referred to as abuse. Some people take extra dosages of drugs than required. The most commonly abused drugs are cough and cold medicine or opiod pain relievers. When consumed in high doses these drugs have an intoxicated effect on the user.

Different types of substance abuse rehabs have opened up to help people. These programs are designed on the basis of levels of abuse and condition of the patient. Treatment programs which are provided at the rehab centers are very helpful and bring about positive outcomes for most of the patients. But, in the end it all depends on will power and determination level of the patient. Seeking substance abuse treatment in Georgia is the first step towards getting out of the problem.

Individual as well as group Counseling is a part of substance abuse treatment. Individual counseling puts emphasis on minimizing or discontinuing substance use. Counselors offer a wide range of services to patients in treatment for the substance use disorders. This includes assessment of the problem, planning of the treatment and counseling sessions. The professionals use a wide range of therapies. Some common therapies are:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy

• Contingency management

• Motivational enhancement therapy

CBT teaches patients to recognize and stay away from negative thinking patterns and behavior. For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy enables a person to recognize stressors, situations, and the feelings which cause substance use. In this way a person can avoid such situations or act in a different manner when they happen.

Contingency is designed in such a way that incentives are given to reinforce the positive behaviors, like if you stay abstinent from substance use you get awarded with something. Motivational enhancement therapy enables people with substance abuse to build specific plans towards treatment and lead to recovery.

Some kinds of counseling treatments are tailored to deal with specific population groups. For young people there is a different set of treatment and for old there are different plans.