Being on the "recovery roller coaster" is exhausting and costly. Don't wait until it's too late to avoid the inevitable health problems, losing your job, stressed-out relationships, going to jail, or worse. Rick had been told by his last counselor that he needed to get honest with himself and the only thing he needed to change was "everything."
Besides feeling like he was being talked down to, Rick was frustrated and felt that the counselor hadn't been listening to anything he was saying. He had managed to stop drinking on his own for a while and still had his job - wasn't that worth something? Shelley had been told she was a "chronic relapser."
Besides feeling like he was being talked down to, Rick was frustrated and felt that the counselor hadn't been listening to anything he was saying. He had managed to stop drinking on his own for a while and still had his job - wasn't that worth something? Shelley had been told she was a "chronic relapser."
Services
The advantage of being seen by an addictions' specialist is that our training and professional focus is treating substance abuse issues (6000 hours for an LAADC). Mental health professionals receive a minimal amount of addiction training as part of their general coursework and probably haven't had a ton of experience with clients presenting with addiction-specific problems.
Being pulled in two directions and running out of good options soon turns into being trapped between a rock and a hard place. At this point "checking yourself into a program" may get brought up. This may conjure up images of being told you're "sick" or "wrong" or even "attack therapy." The addiction lets us talk ourselves into doing things that clearly aren't in our best interests, so why keep doing it?
Anger, resentment, loneliness, and sadness in intimate relationships are part of the collateral damage done by active addiction. Mistrust over any number of issues makes it difficult to reconnect to find common ground to begin the healing process. Most partners of recovering people I have spoken with have found Al-Anon to be extremely un-helpful.
Don't let location, transportation, or scheduling be one of them. There may be a job or family commitment that makes taking a month off or even attending a weekly session legitimately impossible. Online counseling can mean the difference between settling for a local provider out of convenience or developing a relationship with a counselor who may be out of town but a better match for you as an individual.
The more I understand about your unique situation, the faster we can start getting you back on track. Share only what you feel comfortable with and feel free to ask questions as well. Sharing what's been going on in a safe, supportive space can be liberating and is the first step in the journey of self-discovery.
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