Substance abuse counseling provides healing and next steps for individuals struggling with addiction. Through counseling rehab, people learn to move forward in life without their addiction. Substance abuse counselors are equipped to help you find self-resilience and deep motivation to achieve and maintain sobriety. Further, the length of addiction counseling can be flexible depending on you.
What Is Substance Abuse Counseling?
Substance abuse counseling occurs between a licensed substance addiction counselor and a client with a history of substance abuse. Sessions are private and safe spaces to talk about anything, whether it seems to relate or not. Drug and alcohol abuse creates deep emotional scars that can only be healed by bringing them to the surface. Thus, counseling provides mental, emotional, and spiritual healing through talk therapy tools. At Aliya Health Group, we employ counselors who are trained in dealing with addiction. They help clients engage with counseling as part of the greater picture of rehabilitation and recovery.
What Does a Substance Abuse Counselor Do?
Simply put, substance abuse counselors facilitate a conversation that unpacks the individual’s experience of addiction. Through therapy methods, talk exercises, and resources, they help the person understand how their pain connects to their substance use. But instead of leaving them feeling raw and vulnerable, counselors then provide insight and steps to help the individual heal from their past. Sometimes, all it takes is someone empathetic and caring to listen. Yet, substance abuse counselors are much more than that.
What Substances Can Counseling Treat?
People enter treatment with a wide range of addictions they struggle with. Nothing is too taboo or difficult to recover from. Our counselors are trained to help you heal from whatever you’re struggling with.
Alcohol
Alcohol abuse can start from a young age and spiral throughout one’s lifetime if they don’t receive care. In the United States alone, almost 29 million people aged 12 and older battled alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2023. We can help you recover from alcohol abuse.
Opioids
Opioid abuse plays a huge role in the opioid crisis, as dependence is likely after use. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates over 77,000 opioid deaths in 2024. Opioids can be impossible to recover from without medical detox and treatment. Our counselors are prepared to help you overcome opioid abuse.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines, or “benzos,” are prescription sedatives with a high risk of abuse due to the relaxing effect they provide. The National Library of Medicine estimates that they have a roughly 20 percent misuse rate. Our team is knowledgeable about detoxing and recovering from benzodiazepine addiction.
Stimulants
Stimulants encompass a wide range of drugs that increase activity in the brain but can easily be abused or overdosed. These include amphetamines, tobacco, methamphetamine, nicotine, cocaine, and diet aids. We can help you break your addiction to stimulant drugs.
Get confidential help from our addiction and mental health treatment facilities located across the United States. Call to join one of our quality programs today!
Speak With Our Admissions TeamDoes Substance Abuse Counseling Take a Long Time?
You’re probably curious: how long is addiction treatment? That depends on a number of factors based around you. Our programming is flexible and adapts to the needs of the individual. We provide levels of care ranging from full-time in-center living to day treatment options. In sum, addiction counseling can span from weeks to months as you progress through levels.
Initial Consultation for Substance Abuse
All clients start their journey with an initial consultation. Our intake team will learn about your addiction journey, your goals, your responsibilities, and your insurance. Then, they’ll be able to provide a better understanding of how treatment timelines can work for your situation.
Detox for Substance Abuse
Next, for clients with substances in their system, detox is the first step of rehab. It generally spans between 4-8 days, during which you receive 24/7 medical support to ensure comfort and safety. After detox, you reach a base level of sobriety free from toxins in your body.
Residential Treatment for Substance Abuse
During residential inpatient care, clients live in a center where they receive 24/7 care and monitoring. Residential treatment for opioid addiction provides a comprehensive and immersive approach to recovery, offering individuals a structured, drug-free environment where they can focus solely on healing. This form of treatment typically includes medically supervised detox to safely manage withdrawal symptoms, followed by intensive therapy sessions aimed at addressing the psychological, emotional, and behavioral aspects of addiction.
Outpatient Treatment for Substance Abuse
After completing the lower levels of care, outpatient treatment is an in-between step for those ready to gain independence but stay connected to rehab. Clients continue counseling and therapy sessions while working towards concrete future goals. This way, they prepare to return to society as sober, motivated individuals.
Aftercare for Substance Abuse
Aftercare is the final step of rehab, and in some senses, it lasts the rest of your life! You will always have a support group through Aliya to hold you accountable, care about your well-being, and provide resources. Aftercare programming starts after OT and can include less frequent counseling sessions and support group meetings. We also offer sober living housing for individuals to live with peers in sober homes while returning to their regular routines.
Looking for quality treatment for substance abuse and mental health that’s also affordable? Aliya Health Group's treatment facilities accept most major insurance providers. Get a free insurance benefits check now!
Check Your CoverageThe Dangers of Substance Abuse
If you’re struggling with how to get a loved one into treatment, we understand the significance of getting them help and are here to support you. Our team can offer practical and actionable steps to help you begin the conversation about rehab. It’s important because there are many short- and long-term dangers of substance abuse to both physical and mental health.
Physical Dangers of Substance Abuse
Physically, substance abuse can have the following negative effects:
- Trouble sleeping
- Changes in appetite
- Aches and pains
- Blood pressure changes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Liver damage
- Risk of lung disease
- Risk of heart disease
- Seizures
- Death
Mental and Emotional Dangers of Substance Abuse
Substance addiction also takes a toll on your brain, from its processing to your mental and emotional health. Symptoms can include:
- Poor memory and cognition
- Trouble with decision-making
- Excessive risk-taking
- Irritability or mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Hallucinations or paranoia
- Loss of interest in things you loved
- Loss of goals and motivation
Find Help for Substance Abuse
You’re wondering, how long does rehab take? That depends on your treatment program, which is entirely personalized to you. Factors that contribute to the timeline include your health, how long you’ve been facing addiction, your goals, and how extensively you want to seek care. Our programming equips you with all the tools to combat triggers and prevent relapse. We are here to help you recover from substance abuse, so reach out today!
Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
Our treatment programs are customized to the needs of our clients. We will help you overcome addiction by looking at your sobriety goals while taking into account any personal barriers to care. For example, we offer flexible rehab options for those with responsibilities at home who can’t commit to living in-center.
Recovery Support Groups
Being a part of Aliya Health Group means you have a support group for life! We offer counseling for drugs, counseling for alcohol, and peer support groups to show you you’re not alone in your struggles. Everyone in a substance abuse counseling program has access to our aftercare programs as well. Recovery support groups humanize drug and alcohol addiction problems and provide accountability for clients to stay on a sober path.
- Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the United States: Age Groups and Demographic Characteristics | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (nih.gov)
- Benzodiazepine Use and Misuse Among Adults in the United States – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Products – Vital Statistics Rapid Release – Provisional Drug Overdose Data (cdc.gov)
- Drug Fact Sheet: Stimulants (dea.gov)
