Addiction is a chronic, relapsing illness like any other mental disorder. There is no cure for it, but reasonable ways to manage it. The more time you spend in sobriety, with a support system around you, the lesser your chances of a relapse.

A support system is principal in fighting against addiction even after treatment because treatment does not guarantee eternal freedom. It is encouraged that an after-care treatment plan is adopted to help a patient sustain the win against addiction. Such treatment can be outpatient programs, group therapy, or individual counseling sessions.

If you are about to be discharged from treatment, while anticipating an aftercare treatment plan, make sure to include a counselor.

During addiction treatment, counselors are great support systems who provide guidance free of judgment, enhance patient recovery, amongst other things. Their focus is to help you overcome addiction.

Similarly, counselors are of importance in your aftercare treatment for the following reasons:

• Close Monitoring: They monitor your progress as an accountability system to reduce your chances of a relapse. They also monitor the environment you place yourself. They ensure you have a supportive environment of people to aid your sobriety. Their focus is to make sure you are not in the same environment that led to your addiction.
• Continued support: You need constant encouragement and pillars to rely on during recovery. Counselors are the perfect fit for this. You can pour out your fears and vulnerabilities around them so they can find the strength in your weaknesses and focus on them.
• Strengthen confidence: Counselors are always there to boost your confidence in the recovery and encourage you to keep going. Being back to the society’s stress, and after one relapse after treatment, you may lose faith in recovery. If you have a counselor, you will be able to rise above the one slip-up and continue the journey to recovery.

In a nutshell, a counselor will help you stay focused and motivated, receive a high level of support, and find enjoyment in a life with no alcohol or drugs

Addiction is a powerful disease that has the capacity to control anyone who is under its influence. People who are addicted generally want to satisfy their addiction lust instead of other important things. As expected, they give priority to the satisfaction of their addiction.

A good number of people who are addicted have no idea that they are. Some of them think their addictive habits make them stay sane. So, they will do all they can to continue in that habit.

While for others, they are addicted, they are aware but they do not want to take action in curbing their addiction.

For some of them, the fear of being stigmatized has prevented them from seeking help. Because, they feel letting someone know might make them end up getting exposed to other people who are unaware. So, the best they can do is to keep it to themselves.

People like these do not readily trust their family and friends, but one person they can always trust is a counselor. A counselor is a professional who is skilled in the aspect of handling addiction and mental health related cases.

Counselors do not treat their clients with prejudice because they understand that they must have faced that from family and friends.

One of the first assignments a counselor has to do, is to help you figure out your condition. If you are aware of your addiction, then a counselor assists you to know the root cause of your addiction.

When you have the full knowledge on how your addiction came to be, it gives you insight on what you have really been going through.

A counselor also advises you to opt for treatment knowing fully well that it is your best shot at having a sober life. You can also trust that a counselor would keep tabs on you all through your addiction recovery and even during aftercare treatment.

The counselor is the one person who sticks close like a friend all through your lifetime provided you let him in.

One common mistake we make is going for checkups only when we are sick. This is a wrong move that results in endangering the health.

The best move to make is go for checkups even though there is no medical problem in sight. One reason why checkups are important is because they allow you to uncover health problems that are at the beginning stage.

Some people get addicted because they do not undergo checkups. Going for checkups does not necessarily imply that you are looking forward to the physical benefits. There are other benefits like mental health and emotional health that you will reap.

A doctor would be able to tell if you have a mental health problem from a single check-up session, and he or she would be able to proffer advice that would help you become better.

One thing you should know is, medical health issues are often connected with mental health problems and they can make an individual become addicted in the process.

Addiction negatively impacts the health and preventing it is one of the best ways to living a healthy life. There are some people who are on the verge of addiction, they abuse substances without knowing that there are adverse effects.

Such people need to be closer to the hospital than ever because they are treading on dangerous paths.

Prior to going for a health check, it is necessary that you know about your medical history. This is because, the doctor would most likely ask you as touching the history of certain diseases in your family; if they are present or not.

In preventing addiction from settling in your life and your family, it is vital to go for checkups. For families, it could be a monthly affair.

For individuals too, it could be once in a month. No matter how tight the schedule might be, giving attention to your health by going for checkups needs to be a top priority.  

Having a personal therapist during an addiction recovery process is quintessential. These therapists play the dual role of both a therapist and a counsellor. They ensure that there is a stable support system in place which is responsible to aid individuals who are recovering from alcohol, drugs and other form of addiction. Personal therapists ensure that a strong relationship is formed between them and the client, and it is built on trust and secrecy.

Therapists in this field have a very important role to play, as they aid addicts in managing crisis which are related to addiction management problems. The will to get treatment for addiction is a herculean task, as it involves much trust between the addict and the therapist. Hence, it is essential that counsellors put much effort into ensuring that a firm bond is created, this is known as therapeutic alliance.

Basically, therapeutic alliance is defined as the trust which patients feel with their counsellors, which avails them the opportunity of saying out their problems, and working together with the counsellors cum therapists in ensuring that an effective measure is patterned. Such formidable alliances ensure that patients see their therapists as people who they can totally rely on, bearing in mind that their best interests are in the leading position.

Although, it should be known that before it gets to this level, trust has to be developed, and it usually takes time. However, it starts with the patient being able to converse in a comfortable state during sessions, and having relief after each appointment, and an urge to always return.

Forming strong alliances can be done by:

• Making patients know that you have utmost interest in their welfare
• Being attentive during sessions
• Allowing patients know that you can relate with their problems
• Getting to understand and communicate the basic issues which are present during recovery

Recovering from addiction is no easy path, as many individuals who are hooked on substance abuse are unaware of their own specific abuse pattern. Hence, it is necessary for the therapist cum counselling society to be innovative as regards different modes of motivation, which would be customized for each patient.