Substance Use Disorder, Treatment And Education
Substance Use
Substance use disorder is the repeated harmful use of any substance, including drugs (whether illegal or prescription), alcohol, or even unclassified substances for mood-altering purposes. Abuse occurs when you aren’t using the substance the way it was intended/recommended or if you are exceeding the prescribed dosage. This use causes significant impairment in various aspects of your life.
In counseling, the underlying causes of addiction are addressed because simply removing the drug does not instill the understanding needed for one to move forward. After a person with a substance use disorder has stopped using and has been sober, counseling aims to rebuild their life focusing on education, prevention, and recovery.
Counseling looks at solving the problem that made the substance so attractive in the first place, such as the person’s:
Emotional state
Stress reactivity
Coping skills
Educational and job opportunities (depending on age)
Environment
Support system
Purpose in life
Addiction Counseling
Addiction treatment can be complex and confusing, especially in the beginning. A therapist that understands abuse of substances such as prescription pills, alcohol, and others that result in chemical dependency or alcoholism is important to ensuring full recovery and maintaining sobriety.
Whether you are just starting to question if you have a problem, have been encouraged by a loved one to get help, relapsed or are getting out of residential treatment or an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), we can help you on your journey to wellness and recovery.
What is Chemical Dependency?
Chemical dependency is a process in which a person repeatedly uses a substance in order to get high or to avoid unwanted feelings. Chemical dependency or substance abuse includes the use or misuse of:
Alcohol
Marijuana
Prescription medication
Heroin
Benzodiazepines
Cocaine or Crack Cocaine
Hallucinogens
Barbiturates
Other sedatives and hypnotics
Do You Have A Problem With Drug Addiction?
Are you wondering if you might have a problem with alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications? Consider these questions.
Have you:
Tried to cut back unsuccessfully?
Noticed people becoming annoyed or critical of your use?
Felt guilty about your use?
Ever felt you needed to use first thing in the morning to steady your nerves, or to get rid of unwanted effects from not using?
If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then you would be a good candidate to talk with a therapist in more depth about your use. Call Landmark Therapy Group at (815) 526-0676 and we would be happy to answer your questions and discuss your situation.
Seeking Help for Your Drug or Alcohol Problem
If you are like many others who struggle with addiction, you have experienced the costs of addictive, obsessive, or compulsive behavior or thinking.
You may have experienced:
Cycles of cutting back, quitting, and starting again.
Substituting one addiction for another
Contemplating making changes rather than taking action
Struggling with accountability to a plan you already put in place
Working together, we will look at the physiological, psychological, and environmental factors that are present in your life. We will embark on removing barriers to change, identifying personal change goals, and establishing a personal change plan.
Mental Health & Addiction; Dual Diagnosis
When a person has both a mental health diagnosis and a chemical dependency, we call this dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders. It is best to work with someone who understands that these issues are not separate and unique, but rather that they are tied together. Working simultaneously on these issues is the best path toward wellness and recovery.
If you have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and you are also struggling with addiction, the most important thing for you to know is that you can get well and live a happy, successful life in recovery. Often we work with people who have experienced a relapse in their mental health symptoms and their addiction because the recovery efforts focused on a single issue, instead of looking at the whole picture.
Here are some common situations we have come across.
Do you experience or engage in:
Addiction and Anxiety
Struggling in social situations?
Having trouble sleeping at night?
Turning to alcohol or drugs as the only solution to ease the pain of anxiety?
Panic attacks that won’t stop?
Nervousness about getting out into the community to find sober supports through AA/NA?
Worry about what family, friends and co-workers will think about you now that you are in recovery?
Feeling limited in the type of medications you can use to treat anxiety for fear of becoming cross-addicted?
Addiction and Depression
Use of substances to make yourself feel happy or to forget your pain?
Use of substances to help you sleep or wake up?
Isolation and loneliness when you stop using?
Suicidal thoughts were soothed when you used?
Addiction and Bipolar Disorder
Wondering how you will manage the highs and lows without alcohol or drugs?
Your loved ones can’t tell the difference between my Bipolar Disorder symptoms and whether or not you are using again?
Needing help managing your psychotropic medications?
Addiction and Psychotic Disorders?
Struggling to stay sober when your hallucinations or delusions are very active?
Trying a new drug and it caused psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or delusions for the first time?
You can overcome this and get well! Recovery is possible and sustainable with the right supports in place. We will set up a plan that works for you and your family. It is important to involve loved ones in this process, because their support will be key in accountability and sustainability. Be kind and patient with yourself and we will find a solution that is individualized and works for you. Call to discuss your situation and see if we will be a good fit.
Family Education
When a loved one is struggling with mental health or chemical dependency issues, it can be very scary navigating what to do next. We have helped families understand their loved one's diagnosis, the process of trying different medications, how to locate community support, and how to best help their loved one. If you feel scared, helpless or hopeless, consider learning what the options are while getting support from someone that can answer your questions.
We work with families and friends to help them acquire information. You may have a loved one that is receiving treatment, and you are not sure how you should act around the person, or what you should say. You might find yourself searching the internet about their problem, but really want to hear more about it from a professional.
Here are some common concerns we have helped people with:
My son was just diagnosed with depression.
I think my loved one is using marijuana and I am not sure if it is really a bad thing.
My wife needs help with her alcohol use.
Why does my husband have to go to AA meetings all the time?
My daughter was just diagnosed with schizophrenia, what do I do?
How do I help my friend who has Bipolar Disorder?
The doctor just prescribed medicine and it changed my loved one.
I have been told I am enabling my loved one.
What is codependency and is that something I am struggling with in my relationship with my loved one?
Speaking with a professional to learn more about a loved one’s diagnosis is an important step to determine what role you will take in their journey to wellness and recovery. We can discuss the specifics of the diagnosis and what the criteria are for that diagnosis, as well as the science behind what is happening in your loved one’s brain chemistry. We will discuss community support options for you. In certain circumstances it may be recommended that the entire family participate in family counseling and appropriate referrals will be made.