Does Substance Use Seem Like The Only Escape From Your Troubles?

Are you struggling with substance abuse or alcohol addiction? Do you wish you could break your habit, but you don’t know where to turn for support? Maybe you started using in order to cope with a job loss, a breakup, or the passing of a loved one. Perhaps you have anxiety, depression, or trauma, and substance use seems like the only escape from your pain. Or maybe you’re not sure why your habit began. You simply felt like there was something missing in your life. At the time, drugs and alcohol seemed to fill that void.

When you’re dealing with addiction, one of the hardest parts is knowing where to turn for help. Depending on your income level, insurance, and other factors, there may be limited options for substance abuse treatment. What’s more, most rehab places are full and many outpatient providers have lengthy intake processes with almost no availability. As a result, you may find yourself feeling isolated and alone in the midst of your addiction. Your hobbies, relationships, and work performance may deteriorate, as your habit gets in the way of other obligations.

Breaking an addiction is incredibly hard, and it isn’t always possible alone. Thankfully, with SMPsychotherapy & Counseling, we provide a warm, nurturing atmosphere to work through your struggles. Our goal is to help you reduce your substance use and achieve a legacy of empowerment and transformation.

Drug And Alcohol Addiction Take A Huge Toll On Millions Of People

Roughly 20 million Americans aged 12 and older struggle with substance abuse. This phenomenon “cost[s] American society more than $740 billion annually in lost workplace productivity, healthcare expenses, and crime-related costs.”¹ Put simply, substance abuse and addiction take a huge toll on millions of people.

In our area of Connecticut, we are familiar with many of the reasons people here turn to substance use. Oftentimes, users are stuck in an intergenerational cycle—their siblings, parents, and even grandparents used, so the habit is all they’ve ever known. What’s more, we as a society are dealing with racial injustices which heavily impact the mental health of individuals and communities across the country. Systemic oppression and a lack of access to healthcare prevent many people from getting the support they need. As a result, substance use seems like their only consolation.

Additionally, there is a negative stigma surrounding users in our society. Some people are shunned by their families for being honest about their substance use. And in a highly individualistic culture like ours, many people do not believe in seeking help for mental health issues. Men, especially, are encouraged to “suck it up” and not show any sign of weakness or emotional vulnerability.

Nonetheless, addiction is often a deeply isolating and lonely struggle. When you’re in the thick of your habit, you may find yourself ignoring basic obligations and letting relationships deteriorate. Substance abuse counseling is a time to learn new coping skill and keep your addiction from consuming your life. It’s a chance to envision a bolder, brighter future for yourself.

Substance Abuse Counseling Can Help You Envision A Brighter Future For Yourself

Let’s be honest: talking about addiction is hard. You may not feel comfortable discussing your struggles with friends or family. With SMPsychotherapy & Counseling, you have a chance to share things you’ve never told anyone and vent your frustrations without any fear of judgment. Your confidentiality is vital to us—no one else has to know about what you tell us.

What’s more, we’ll never push you to open up about past trauma and personal issues that you don’t want to share right away. We want the healing process to happen on your terms and at your pace. Our first priority is establishing a rapport of safety and trust before delving into the deeper questions.

On our journey with you, we want to help you understand the underlying issues fueling your substance use. For instance, unresolved anxiety, depression, trauma or abuse may have created a void in your life that drugs or alcohol seemed to fill. Our goal is to help you fill that void without the need for substance use. That’s why a huge focus of ours is helping you develop new coping skills for managing stressors and overcoming addiction. We want you to be able to regulate your emotions and find satisfaction in healthier, more life-affirming ways.

While our approach to the healing process varies from client to client, one of our main counseling philosophies is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The goal of CBT is to help you recognize how your thought processes affect your substance use. CBT can help you increase your self-awareness by understanding how your thoughts affect your emotions and actions. This will enable you to correct any harmful thinking patterns that led to your addiction.

No matter how bleak things look at the moment, we encourage you to be kind to yourself. It’s easy to be your biggest critic, but it’s important to remember: you don’t have to overcome your addiction overnight. By learning healthier coping skills and making small changes to the way you think, you can gradually reduce your substance use and find relief. What’s more, we want to help you envision a better future for yourself. With our help, we believe you can overcome your addiction and craft a legacy of recovery, renewal, and fulfillment.

You may have some concerns about drug and alcohol addiction treatment…

What if I can’t afford the cost of therapy or don’t have transportation?

If you’re worried about finances, I can offer a sliding scale or work with you to come up with your own payment plan. As far as transportation is concerned, substance abuse therapy appointments can be done online or over the phone. This way, you don’t have to worry about issues of accessibility.

I’m afraid of being judged or not connecting with my therapist.

We know that addiction is a sensitive issue—you probably don’t want to tell certain friends or family members about your struggles. That’s why we aim to be as unbiased and non-judgmental as possible. Establishing a safe and trusting relationship is very important to the first stages of the healing process. And if for some reason you aren’t connecting with your therapist, you are more than welcome to try working with another addiction counselor from our office. We want what is best for you. If you and your therapist aren’t a good fit, we promise we won’t take it personally.

What if I’m not ready to change or take those first steps?

The first step, asking for help, is always the hardest one. You may not feel ready to change—that’s okay. You don’t need to have a perfect mindset or clear-cut goals to overcome your addiction. There is no right or wrong road to follow as everyone makes their own path. Our goal is to help you find that path. We want to know: where are you in your journey right now, and where do you want to end up? As long as you want to feel better, we can assure you that you can. The success of the healing process does not depend on your readiness to change right now.

Don’t Let Addiction Get In The Way Of Your Best Life

When you’re in the throes of addiction, it’s easy to feel like all the important things in your life—your relationships, your career, and your hopes and dreams—are slipping away from you. In substance abuse counseling, we want to help you reframe your mindset and reclaim control of your life. To get started, you can call 203-800-9778 or send us an email.

Due to COVID-19, all our drug and alcohol counseling sessions are online right now.

¹ https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/addiction-statistics