Choosing the Best Alcohol Addiction Therapist Near You
Alcohol addiction, like all substance abuse disorders, is a complex problem caused by a web of factors. Oversimplifying the causes of addiction can lead to a substance abuse treatment process that does not adequately address the underlying framework that fuels the addiction.
Choosing a mental health professional whose priority is to treat your underlying difficulties will make a massive difference in the long-term recovery process, so don't settle for whatever counselor happens to be up the street without learning about their approach.
Do they limit themselves to dialectical behavior therapy or cognitive therapy? Do they rely on eye movement desensitization to help resolve trauma? Does every patient have essentially the same treatment plan?
If your goal is to overcome alcohol problems, you will want a mental health counselor who has a wide range of tools to help you with your particular set of trauma, stressors, and triggers. Most likely, the best alcohol addiction therapist for you will be one who can utilize a variety of evidence-based treatment options until they find an addiction therapy program that is sure to help you.
How an Addiction Counselor Can Help You Solve Your Alcohol Problems
If you were asked to explain your addiction, you might just say that you liked alcohol, you had more fun when drunk, or even that life didn't seem worth living without the promise of a few drinks later on. But alcoholism is never just a matter of pleasure and fun.
Like any addiction, alcohol masks much deeper problems than pure enjoyment. There seems to be a genetic component, but if you have family members with addiction problems, then odds are that you also have trauma that needs to be dealt with.
Many addictions mask underlying mental health issues, and alcohol abuse is no exception. And while traditional treatment programs can give you tools to help you control your addiction or even quit completely, they seldom help with the negative thoughts and false beliefs that led you into addiction in the first place.
Without finding healing for the disorders that caused the addiction in the first place, chances are good that your recovery will be short-lived--or that some other forms of addiction will be waiting for you.
An Addiction Counselor Can Give You Coping Skills to Prevent Future Drug Addiction
A qualified professional will have a multitude of treatment methods at their disposal, along with a deep understanding of the causes and precursors to substance use disorders.
A good treatment program for you may include behavioral therapy, or it may not. But it will be a holistic therapy program intended to heal wounds, resolve trauma, and give you the tools you need to meet future challenges.
From Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Eye Movement Desensitization: Addiction Counseling Heals Your Wounds to Heal Your Alcohol Use Disorder
When you are ready to begin your journey of healing from addiction, seek help from a therapist who possesses a wide variety of therapy options.
Some therapists have only one specialty and use a single technique repeatedly for every patient. But a well-rounded therapist is more likely to possess the keys to your particular substance use disorder, meaning that you are more likely to find a long-term solution without having to try several therapists.
For some, talk therapy coupled with advice about coping mechanisms is plenty to help them break bad patterns in their lives. For others, techniques like eye movement desensitization work better, finding a way to circumvent their mind's defenses and handle trauma directly.
Whatever your therapeutic needs, the right treatment will help you begin your journey, get through withdrawal symptoms, and overcome your inner challenges to find life after addiction. You won't regret choosing to walk this path with a qualified professional at your side.
