substance misuse and its behavioral management
By Team PCPA
The misuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans. Examples of the negative impact of specific substances on human health and behavior listed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) include:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2019)
The chronic use of most psychoactive substances leads to tolerance (needing higher doses to achieve the same impact) and dependence (being physiologically, emotionally and/or cognitively unable to tolerate being without the substance). Substance use is particularly problematic when specifically used to cope with stress and personal problems, as it tends to amplify your sense of helplessness over time.
While recognizing the clear risks of misusing substances, at PCPA, we also understand that substance use is accessible, ubiquitous, and may play an important role in your cultural, interpersonal and even professional rituals and routines. Thus, we strive to approach substance misuse management from a non-judgmental, open-minded and accepting perspective. Your therapist will work with you to develop a holistic, individualized substance use management plan, without categorizing you, or attempting to force you to adhere to a generic treatment manual.
If you are concerned with substance misuse, early intervention is the best way to prevent the substance misuse from progressing to dependence. Whether the treatment goal is harm reduction or complete abstinence, a behavioral health clinician can help assess and intervene in ways that will help eliminate unwanted behaviors through specific thought and behavior modifications. The first step of treatment is to help you identify the problems associated with substance misuse. Building insight around how substance misuse is impacting professional, interpersonal, physical and emotional health can motivate an individual toward change. Once sufficient motivation to change substance use pattern is established, your therapist will help you design strategies to cut down yous use, while adopting alternative coping strategies such as relaxation, social support, and cognitive management of negative thinking. During this process, your therapist will frequently consult with your medical provider to ensure safety and minimum physical distress.
If you and your therapist discover that your substance misuse is severe and/or resistant to change, a higher level of treatment may be recommended to further boost your capacity to make difficult changes. Higher level of care may include encouragement to attend group therapy focused on substance misuse, attend an intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization program, enroll in a residential facility, or be temporarily admitted to a medical detox facility. While these options may sound scary and intimidating to you at first, your therapist will facilitate the associated transitions, and will be there to pick up your care upon your discharge from higher level of care.
Call or email today to find out more about substance misuse management and other services we provide at PCPA!
- Excessive alcohol use can increase a person’s risk of developing serious health problems in addition to those issues associated with intoxication behaviors and alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
- Tobacco use and smoking do damage to nearly every organ in the human body, often leading to lung cancer, respiratory disorders, heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses.
- Cannabis has not only immediate effects like distorted perception, difficulty problem solving, and loss of motor coordination, but also effects with long-term use such as respiratory infection, impaired memory, and exposure to cancer-causing compounds.
- Opioids reduce the perception of pain but can also produce drowsiness, mental confusion, euphoria, nausea, constipation, and—depending upon the amount of drug taken—can depress respiration.”
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2019)
The chronic use of most psychoactive substances leads to tolerance (needing higher doses to achieve the same impact) and dependence (being physiologically, emotionally and/or cognitively unable to tolerate being without the substance). Substance use is particularly problematic when specifically used to cope with stress and personal problems, as it tends to amplify your sense of helplessness over time.
While recognizing the clear risks of misusing substances, at PCPA, we also understand that substance use is accessible, ubiquitous, and may play an important role in your cultural, interpersonal and even professional rituals and routines. Thus, we strive to approach substance misuse management from a non-judgmental, open-minded and accepting perspective. Your therapist will work with you to develop a holistic, individualized substance use management plan, without categorizing you, or attempting to force you to adhere to a generic treatment manual.
If you are concerned with substance misuse, early intervention is the best way to prevent the substance misuse from progressing to dependence. Whether the treatment goal is harm reduction or complete abstinence, a behavioral health clinician can help assess and intervene in ways that will help eliminate unwanted behaviors through specific thought and behavior modifications. The first step of treatment is to help you identify the problems associated with substance misuse. Building insight around how substance misuse is impacting professional, interpersonal, physical and emotional health can motivate an individual toward change. Once sufficient motivation to change substance use pattern is established, your therapist will help you design strategies to cut down yous use, while adopting alternative coping strategies such as relaxation, social support, and cognitive management of negative thinking. During this process, your therapist will frequently consult with your medical provider to ensure safety and minimum physical distress.
If you and your therapist discover that your substance misuse is severe and/or resistant to change, a higher level of treatment may be recommended to further boost your capacity to make difficult changes. Higher level of care may include encouragement to attend group therapy focused on substance misuse, attend an intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization program, enroll in a residential facility, or be temporarily admitted to a medical detox facility. While these options may sound scary and intimidating to you at first, your therapist will facilitate the associated transitions, and will be there to pick up your care upon your discharge from higher level of care.
Call or email today to find out more about substance misuse management and other services we provide at PCPA!
