Addiction treatment is integral for those wanting to break ties with addiction and experience sobriety. However, merely receiving treatment is not effective for a lifetime. Just like patients recovering from surgery might occasionally need checkups, patients recovering from addiction may occasionally require counseling. Addiction counseling offers a number of benefits for patients battling substance abuse.
Renew Sobriety Goals During Addiction Counseling
Addiction counseling for those who have already completed addiction treatment serves as a reminder of the importance of sobriety. When individuals are removed from their substance abuse, it can be easy to forget about the negative aspects that it brought to life. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, overdose deaths are on the rise. In the United States, 25,000 died from prescription drugs overdoses, with an additional 20,000 fatalities from opioid painkiller overdoses, and thousands more from benzodiazepines, cocaine, and heroin. The fatal overdose risk factor is often used in counseling as encouragement to continue the commitment to lasting sobriety.
Addiction Counseling Helps to Rework Relapse Prevention Plans
After a week in detox, patients technically achieve sobriety. However, the following weeks and months in treatment are vital for patients to create a relapse prevention plan that will help keep them sober long term. In counseling, patients will have the chance to revisit and rework their relapse prevention plans. Customizing these plans on a regular basis can effectively combat temptation.
Discuss Challenges to Sobriety
Addiction counseling is also an opportunity to discuss ongoing challenges in sobriety. Those who have been sober for years—or even decades—will still encounter challenges along the way. Often, major life events trigger a relapse. Some of these events include:
- Death of a loved one
- Loss of a job or promotion
- Change in a living arrangement
- The onset of depression or a physical injury
Continue Healthy Habits and Structure
Addiction counseling also serves as a way for patients to seek advice and get help in establishing routines and regular structure. In treatment, daily schedules are a priority, and they’re important in discouraging relapse. However, those out of treatment may not thrive with their new freedom and flexibility. Counseling helps patients maintain focus, decreasing the likelihood of relapse. Stepping Stone Center for Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida, understands the need for continual care that extends beyond the last day of treatment. Speak to admissions today at 866-957-4960, and learn more about your options for sobriety, addiction treatment, and aftercare.
