Drug Counselling

Drug counselling forms part of a treatment approach that is specifically geared towards helping people eradicate drug use and abuse from their lives. It is highly effective when integrated into the broader framework of a well-planned treatment program. In most cases, counselling can only be as effective as a part of a broader treatment regimen. Drug counselling aims to relieve suffering brought about by the adverse effects of drugs, and its ultimate goal is to create and offer opportunities to gradually return the patient back into society.

This treatment approach is based on an exploration of the patient's life, concentrating on certain issues or events which could have triggered the use of drugs. This means drug counselling involves looking back over past experiences and focuses on events which have caused the patient to behave in a certain manner. Things that happened during childhood and beyond will have a profound influence on the way the patient thinks and behaves. It is imperative for the patient to understand how these are related to their drug use and what changes they need to make to do away with drugs and prevent a relapse. During the session, the counsellor encourages the patient to openly talk about their problems and life experiences with the purpose of finding a plausible solution. As with all problems, the recognition of the fact that a problem exists represents the first step towards 1 recovery. Though this can be painful at times, the patient must be open to the idea and needs to be honest and willing to consider any recommendations put forward by the counsellor. Patients will certainly need support from their loved ones to help them accept and treat their drug use issue. There are also help-lines and reputable organisations that provide professional assistance and advice to help sufferers come to terms with their drug use problem. However, this can only be achieved if the patient is honest and is prepared to trust the experience of the counsellor.

A drug counselling session is normally a one-on-one situation that is conducted either at the counsellor's office or at a rehab centre. The session is carried out in an informal and relaxed setting and typically lasts for an hour, though it can run for a couple of hours depending on how the session goes. Drug counselling can also be done in a group setting and may include drop-in counselling supports and weekly or daily counselling.

It is important for the patient and family members to understand that the counsellor is not there to sit and make judgment on the patient's lifestyle. Instead, the counsellor is there to listen, motivate, empathise and explore the reasons behind the problem. Drug counsellors are professionally trained and use standard models of behaviour when discussing individual cases. They take advantage of various approaches and techniques that they have learned during their formal education as well as through experience with patients. This provides them with a more flexible way of treating patients while assuring utmost confidentiality.