humblestudent

Hi there. I am looking for a description of what an addiction counselor does, and how they fit in to the big picture of recovery. I should say that I am not feeling drawn to 12 step, but certainly welcome all input. Do some people go to an addiction counselor vs. other group programs be they 12 step or non-12 step? How do those counselors differ from other non-addiction counselors. Are they psychologists, psychiatrists, or what?

Thank you,
Humble

AWOL

My understanding is that addiction counsellors specialize in addictive behaviors, meaning they spend a significant part of their careers learning about the nature of addiction and how it manifests in people's lives. In my path of recovery, I would rate my addiction counsellor as the one person who finally and gently enabled me to recognize my addictive behaviors. By helping me confront my addiction to alcohol and admit that I was an alcoholic she created the space for me to change. In fact, her medical assessment of the damage alcohol was wreaking in my system and her suggestion that I take proactive steps to stop drinking finally persuaded me to stop. Now, after nearly 14 months sober, I think of her with gratitude every day and sincerely hope that anyone who reads this and doesn't know how to stop drinking should seriously consider seeing an addiction specialist. For me, it was a life-saving choice.

DayTrader

They talk to you about addiction.......and your addictions.........and continue to talk to you about them........and you do a lot of talking and, if you find a good one, a lot of learning - but not much of any recovering. Back in the 20's Rowland Hazard spent a YEAR with Carl Jung, ONE FULL YEAR OF INPATIENT WITH THE PREEMINENT PSYCHOLOGIST OF HIS TIME studying, learning, and "processing" his alcoholism. The problem was Rowland was a real alkie......and several weeks after he "graduated" from his year long intensive inpatient studies he was drunk again.

From what I've seen of that community.....and from what a few "good" therapists tell me of their colleagues, maybe 10% are working to help you get free of needing to come to them for more counseling. The majority think (or maybe "want") you to remain somewhat sick and out of control, thus needing continual therapy, thus continually needing them, thus keeping them in business.

It's a tough moral question that many therapists can't answer to YOUR benefit: The question of "If I could get them past their addiction, they wouldn't need me anymore.....and I'd be out of business.......so do I REALLY want anyone to "recover" or do I want to keep them "in recovery?"

I have a therapist..... see her regularly as a matter of fact... but I don't confuse "therapy" with recovery. Therapy is like an extended 4th step...... recovery comes in the other 11 steps.

bananagrrrl

I am glad I saw this post and look forward to reading all of the responses.

I just started going to an addiction counselor. I have been in regular therapy before and for me, there is a big difference. I didn't fully disclose my alcohol abuse (dumb, I know) and now that I am seeing this therapist at an actual addiction center, I have laid all the cards on the table, which I have never done before.

Even at this early stage (3 visits so far) I feel like this is an addition to my support network. I go to AA also, but there are a lot of things I am not comfortable sharing with the group, plus I don't want to be a drunk-a-logger. It also seems like this is an additional person I can be accountable to.

I hope you find and like one as much as I do mine.

Reset

I see two psychlogists - my regular therapist and an addiction specialist on occasion.

The regular therapist is helping me with the underlying issues that caused me to drink and kept me drinking. The addiction specialist has given me strategies for quitting, warnings about triggers, cravings, dangerous situations, information on what to expect, and either validation or warnings on the things I'm currently doing. I'd say he was pretty helpful right at the beginning in getting me to quit and stay sober but these days I rely more on the other person.

Jabbadabutt

When I was finally ready to get real help (finally realized and accepted i could not do it on my own) I started seeing an addiction counselor once a week. I spilled my guts (all of them) to him because I figured I had very little to lose, and.....what could it hurt? It felt great to be able to talk completely openly with someone who you can trust (because why not?) and someone who is licensed with the State and takes an oath when they get certified to ensure patient confidentiality (not like that would really stop them, but really, my life and problems are NOT that interesting really) so who cares? He helps me to understand what the heck is going on in my head and helps to keep me on the straight path by reminding me of where i was and where I could slip back to if I drink again. He keeps me honest to meyself and to him. I know that this is not the whole point of seeing a counselor but it is working so far so I am not going to complain. I must say that it does take time (I got a little frustrated with trying to push and hurry up the recovery process) and that recovery IS a process and DOES take a lot of time. But I realized that it means very little and will not 'work' if you keep falling back to drinking. I knew that I have to put some real estate between me and my drinking (some serious time I mean) to give myself a fighting chance at living sober, and learning to be ME again and handle my anxiety better. They are not miracle workers but if it works for you, who cares why or how.

I suspect each session/patient/counselor is different but I do find that it helps the fact that mine has been in recovery for 20 years and 'walked the walk' that I walked and thererfore can relate and understand better that someone who never had an addiction. He did not reveal this to me until the second week but I had my suspicions and was glad when i learned that. I finally was able to really talk with someone who UNDERSTANDS!
Now, I am not saying that going to AA meetings can't provide the same kind of support and I also too struggle with the concept of the counselor being only interested in making money by keeping you coming back, but I have committed to trying it "his way' for 1 year and at that time I will see where I am at with this whole thing. IMPORTANT: I also work on sobriety on my own as well, through here at SR, other research, communicating with my wife about issues, understanding the 'steps', etc...so by far seeing a counselor is not the silver bullet. It takes work, you have to want it that bad, and you have to get outside help (in whatever shape) if you think you may need some.

Long story short, if you are on the fence whether you want to try seeing a counselor or not, try it.....you have everything to lose to alcohol.

LaFemme

Janna...I see a Life Coach, which is both different and the same. I also get impatient...she is constantly reminding me to look at how far I've come

SereniTee

I have found my addiction counsellour to be an integral part of my recovery because while AA friends and my sponsor are not qualified to give advice in certain areas, he is. And while other people may feel awkward about telling me when I am acting out, he tells me like it is. He knows about compulsive behaviours, cross addicting and many areas which flair up once you take away the primary addiction. He has helped me with compulsive spending, avoiding and hiding from work-related issues, a break up with a still active addict and also helped me to understand the reasons why I drank and used and helped me to find peace from it. I would definately recommend giving it a go !

Jabbadabutt

Not sure if a Life Coach is covered by insurance, but an addiction counselor is (yay me!) -- so that helped me make the call.

Reset

LaFemme and Jabba mentioned impatience. I went through that and still am going through that- I just want to be better, now!

But like them, I have been reminded by my psychologists about my progress, and it helps me keep things in perspective.