It can be difficult to admit, or even recognize, that you have a substance use disorder. It’s hard to be objective and face the facts, even when you know substance use is negatively affecting your life. Once you see how you could benefit from addiction therapy programs in Pennsylvania, whether it’s a group therapy program, a dialectical behavior therapy program, or any other type of therapy, you’ll have taken the first important step toward recovery. Any of these may be coupled with a recovery coaching program.
You might be undecided when it comes to whether your addiction is severe enough to require treatment. However, there is never a wrong time to seek help. If you ask, “Do I need addiction counseling?” there is no better time than the present to get started.
Understanding Your Addiction
Many people choose to delay or pass up treatment because they don’t think their substance use has reached a critical point or they feel like they haven’t hit rock bottom. However, the truth is that if you question whether you need help or not, you likely do.
Criteria for Addiction
There are 11 criteria that experts use to gauge your addiction level. Regardless of how many (or how few) of the following criteria you meet, you could still seek addiction counseling. The 11 criteria for addiction are:
- The desire to quit, but the inability to do so
- A lack of control when you use substances
- Experiencing cravings
- Spending significant time getting the substance
- A loss of interest in life activities
- Relationship problems
- A lack of accountability or responsibility
- Worsening situations
- Dangerous use
- Developing tolerance
- Symptoms of withdrawal when not using
If you meet only two or three of the above criteria, you may have a mild addiction. If you meet several of them, your substance use is likely severe. However, these criteria are only guidelines. In order to get an official diagnosis, it is necessary to speak to a doctor or clinician.
Benefits of Therapy for Addiction
Effective treatment programs can help patients heal and return to healthy, happy lives and relationships. Patients are able to build a reliable support system as treatment progresses, and they work to address the underlying issues that triggered the substance use in the first place. Patients can learn coping skills that are vital to avoiding relapse.
Counseling can provide professional, peer, and direct support for addiction. It can also provide a means of offering new behavior strategies for recovery. The benefits of therapy for addiction all come down to reaching sobriety and reducing the risk of relapse.
Finding Addiction Therapy Programs in Pennsylvania
The best addiction counseling centers offer a multitude of treatment modalities that are evidence-based and proven to help patients work toward recovery. Which ones patients take part in will be determined on an individual basis by professional care providers.
A holistic approach is vital for comprehensive recovery. It’s an approach that focuses on healing the entire person, not just stopping the actual addiction. A patient’s mind, body, and spirit need healing for full recovery to be achieved. Some of the most effective addiction treatment therapies include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
There are also various treatment programs available, some of which include residential (inpatient) treatment, partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), and outpatient treatment programs in Rehrersburg, PA.
Begin Your Recovery Journey at a Pennsylvania Treatment Center
To begin your journey to recovery, you deserve the best, most supportive, and most comprehensive help out there. Take the first step toward a healthy, happy life free from addiction by seeking addiction counseling today.
