SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE
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Are you, a loved one, or a family member struggling with your relationship to substances? I work with individuals in the maintenance stage of recovery and help you refine your coping mechanisms, uncover longstanding patterns, and deepen your relationships. Data shows that drug use and chemical dependency are on the rise in the U.S.
“Drug use is on the rise in this country and 23.5 million Americans are addicted to alcohol and drugs. That's approximately one in every 8 Americans over the age of 12 – roughly equal to the entire population of Texas. But only 11 percent of those with an addiction receive treatment. (See more info here ). A process addictions or "behavioral addiction" is defined as "the compulsion to continually engage in an activity or behavior despite the negative impact on the person’s ability to remain mentally and/or physically healthy and functional in the home and community defines behavioral addiction. The person may find the behavior rewarding psychologically or get a “high” while engaged in the activity but may later feel guilt, remorse, or even overwhelmed by the consequences of that continued choice. Unfortunately, as is common for all who struggle with addiction, people living with behavioral addictions are unable to stop engaging in the behavior for any length of time without treatment and intervention." (Source can be found here: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/behavioral-addictions/) Process addictions can include unhealthy relationships with gambling, exercise, eating, sex, cell phones, shopping, video games, risky behaviors, and more. In my work, I draw from evidence based models such as ACT, CBT, and Motivational Interviewing and support both harm reduction and abstinence-based models. I find group work and family systems (or couples) work to be an integral aspect of chemical dependency treatment and will make referrals a part of your treatment plan accordingly. In our work you can expect: +assessment of your current use and potential for relapse +develop awareness and understanding of triggers +functional analysis of maladaptive coping tools +Developing a new tool kit +Ongoing support around implementing and maintaining new coping strategies +Greater awareness of needs and how to meet them without your addiction +Communication skills If the level of care you are seeking is higher than I can provide, i.e. you are actively struggling with harmful addictive behaviors throughout your day, your usual day-to-day functioning is gravely impaired, and you are caught in a cycle that cannot be interrupted with weekly therapy, I also offer 50 or 60 minute consultations to assist you in finding a support team. For a thorough assessment and placement strategy, I generally recommend 1-3 sessions and will customize a plan for you according to your needs. When Does Drug Use Turn Into Drug Abuse? (Link) If you think that your drug use may have become an actual drug abuse problem, ask yourself the following questions:
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, you may have what addiction treatment professionals clinically describe as a substance abuse problem. If this is the case, it is absolutely vital that you contact a treatment center before your problem shifts from abuse to drug addiction. |