Substance abuse counseling in Los Angeles
Providing relief from unmanageable substance use and the underlying causes behind it.
Has your drinking or drug use become a problem?
Do any of these statements sound familiar?
- “I can’t seem to stop once I start.”
- “I find myself using/drinking more than I intend.”
- “I keep going back to it even though I know it’s bad for me.”
- “It’s affecting my work/school/relationships.”
- “I’m missing commitments because of it.”
- “I spend too much money on it.”
- “I use it to cope with stress/anxiety/depression.”
- “I’m always tired/run-down.”
- “My friends and family are worried about me.”
- “I avoid seeing people because of it.”
- “I’ve had arguments or conflicts because of it.”
- “I’ve tried to cut back, but I can’t.”
- “I don’t like who I am when I’m using/drinking.”
- “I wish I could stop, but I don’t know how.”
- “I stopped for a while, but then I went back to it.”
- “I thought I had it under control, but it’s come back.”
- “I’ve gotten into trouble because of it.”
- “I’m worried about my health because of it.”
People often drink and/or use drugs to provide temporary relief from life’s challenges – until the substances stop working and actually BECOME the problem. Using substances to numb the pain or check out doesn’t allow you to address the underlying issues of why you started in the first place.
Have friends and family commented on your drinking and/or drug use? Have you noticed that substances are creating new problems for you or making existing issues worse?
These are red flags warning you to pay attention to your substance use. Some other impacts can include:
Physical Health Effects
- Declining Health: Substance abuse can lead to chronic health issues, such as liver damage from alcohol abuse. The abuse can weaken the immune system, leading to frequent illnesses.
- Physical Dependence: Many addictive substances create a physical dependency on them and withdrawal symptoms without them. This can lead to a cycle of use that feels impossible to break.
Mental and Emotional Health
- Mental Health Disorders: Addiction is often present alongside other mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, and can make those existing mental health issues worse.
- Emotional Distress: Substance abuse can cause you emotional turmoil, including shame, guilt, and self-doubt. These emotions can erode self-esteem and contribute to a sense of hopelessness.
Relationships and Social Life
- Strained Relationships: Heavy alcohol or drug use often strains or destroys relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners. It can lead to arguments, distrust, and isolation from social support systems.
- Social Isolation: As addiction progresses, you may find yourself withdrawing from social activities and support systems.
Work and Financial Consequences
- Job and Career Issues: Substance abuse can result in reduced productivity, absenteeism and job loss.
- Financial Problems: Addiction can lead to financial difficulties, debt, and even homelessness.
Legal and Safety Risks
- Legal Trouble: Many addictive behaviors are illegal or lead to illegal activities, resulting in arrests or court cases.
- Safety Concerns: Substance abuse increases the risk of accidents, injuries, or risky behaviors.
Loss of Control and Purpose
- Sense of Loss of Control: Substance abuse can lead to you feeling trapped in a cycle of use and relapse.
- Loss of Purpose: As addiction progresses, you can lose your sense of purpose and direction, leading to existential crises or feelings of emptiness.
Substance abuse counseling can help you identify if there’s an issue going on for you with drugs and/or alcohol and can help you start addressing it.
No one has to tell you that you have a lot to lose because of your drinking & using- it’s why trying to cut down or stop by yourself has been so frustrating.
Maybe you’ve been to treatment and are ready to commit to long-term recovery or maybe you’re just exploring the idea that you could have a problem with drugs and alcohol and want to cut down.
There’s not a one size fits all when it comes to working on your relationship to substances. Maybe reducing your use is what you’d like to focus on, using a technique called harm reduction, or maybe you feel that you want to stop drinking or using by choosing to be abstinent. An addiction therapist can help you decide the best way forward and lay out the steps to get to a healthier place.
An addiction therapist provides a safe space for you to address the underlying causes of your addiction, work through the damage it has caused, and rebuild a healthier, more fulfilling life. Counseling for drug and alcohol abuse can provide the tools and support you need to manage the recovery process, reinforcing your commitment to change and offering guidance along the way.
Your life may gradually transform as you work toward recovery.
Here’s what it could look like:
Early Stages of Therapy
- Awareness and Acceptance: You begin to acknowledge your substance use/abuse and its impact on your life. Acceptance is a crucial step toward recovery.
- Establishing a Support System: Therapy helps identify and connect you with your support network, such as family, friends, and support groups. This support system is vital in encouraging and maintaining the positive changes you are making.
Developing Coping Strategies
- Learning Coping Mechanisms: Therapy provides tools to manage cravings, triggers, and stress. These coping strategies are crucial in reducing your use or risk of relapse.
- Addressing Underlying Issues: Substance abuse often masks deeper emotional or psychological issues. Therapy can help you uncover and address these root causes.
Rebuilding Relationships
- Repairing Relationships: Therapy can facilitate communication with loved ones, helping to rebuild trust and mend broken relationships.
- Reconnecting Socially: As you progress in therapy, you may find yourself reconnecting with friends and social circles from which you withdrew while you were drinking and using.
Improved Health and Well-Being
- Physical Health Recovery: With sobriety, your physical health often improves, with increased energy, better sleep, and overall well-being improving.
- Mental and Emotional Stability: Therapy helps you manage co-occurring mental health disorders and develop emotional stability. This can lead to improved mood and reduced anxiety.
Achieving Personal and Professional Goals
- Returning to Work or School: As you recover, you may find stability in your job that previously eluded you or pursue educational goals you’ve given up on.
- Setting and Achieving Goals: Therapy encourages setting achievable personal goals, whether related to career, education, or personal interests.
Building a Sober Lifestyle
- Engaging in Healthy Activities: You may start exploring new hobbies, exercise, or other activities that support a sober lifestyle.
- Establishing Boundaries: Therapy can help you set boundaries to avoid triggers and harmful environments.
Ongoing Support and Relapse Prevention
- Continuing Therapy and Support Groups: Alongside therapy, participating in support groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or Refuge Recovery, can provide you continuous reinforcement and community.
- Developing a Relapse Prevention Plan: Therapy can help you create a plan to manage setbacks and reduce your risk of relapse, offering a proactive approach to maintaining sobriety.
Finding Meaning and Purpose
- Rediscovering Purpose: As your substance use decreases or stops and sobriety takes hold, you may find new meaning in life, whether through relationships, career, spirituality, or personal growth.
- Giving Back: Many in recovery find fulfillment in helping others who are also struggling with substance abuse, giving back through mentorship or volunteering.
Getting better from addiction means you can live without depending on substances, regain control over your life, and start to feel healthy and strong again. It allows you to rebuild relationships with family and friends, focus on your goals, and find happiness in everyday things. It’s about finding stability, confidence, and a new sense of purpose.
Substance abuse counseling meets you where you’re at and focuses on your individual needs.
As an addiction therapist I will work collaboratively with you, coming up with a game plan to reduce or abstain from substance use while uncovering and focusing on the underlying issues that are driving your desire to drink/use.
Getting therapy for your substance use can help you…
- Become aware of the problem and motivate you to make the changes needed to feel better
- Address the underlying issues behind your drinking/using
- Develop healthy coping strategies to deal with stress, triggers and cravings
- Establish healthy habits
- Create a prevention plan so you can maintain your healthy lifestyle
- Reclaim your life
- Stop the guilt associated with your behaviors while under the influence
- Gain the trust of friends/family again
- Strengthen your support system
- Feel like your life is no longer spinning out of control
- Build resilience
- Define and achieve your personal goals
- Rediscover those interests and passions you thought were lost to you
- Encourage personal growth
- Acknowledge and celebrate your progress
- Maintain long-term recovery with continued support and guidance
It’s possible to break free from the chains of substance abuse. Let me help you get there.
Substance Abuse Counseling FAQs
What is substance abuse counseling?
It’s psychotherapy with the main goal of reducing or eliminating problematic substance use while simultaneously working on the underlying problems that are driving the substance overuse.
How does substance abuse counseling work?
You would meet with your addiction therapist (me) for 50 minute sessions, usually weekly. There may also be referrals to other community or mental health based treatments, self-help or therapy groups based upon the individual circumstance.
When is counseling for drug and alcohol abuse needed?
When your drug and alcohol use has become a problem and is interfering with the way you’d like to live your life.
How much does substance abuse counseling cost?
Each individual session is $175.
How long does the substance abuse counseling process take?
The length of therapy is variable, usually dictated by the challenges the client has and the client’s wishes.
How do I know if substance abuse counseling is right for me
It’s helpful over a wide range- from someone who is just starting to explore their relationship to substances to someone who may have long term sobriety but is now dealing with an underlying issue they used to turn to substances for.
How often should I have a session with an addiction therapist?
A typical client may start off seeing a therapist weekly and may consider coming in bi-weekly once the pain points lessen.
Outside of substance abuse counseling, will I need additional support to reduce or stop my substance use?
It depends, as each person’s journey is different. I like to think of all the different treatment options as a scaffolding that will help support you- and sometimes you may need more support than other times. It’s often wise to tap into existing support groups such as AA, NA or Recovery Dharma. If you are still struggling, you may want to consider more intensive treatment options such as Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs) or an in-patient treatment facility.
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