Differences in treatment approach
In an effort to provide additional information, I've included some insight into the differences in approach we take for the various types of substance addictions. Each treatment plan is customized to the specific individual and is based on their needs goals and situation.
Alcohol: due to the broad social acceptance of alcohol use in our country, much discussion is had about how to be socially accepted without using alcohol. Treatment for alcohol use disorder includes many discussions on navigating situations that usually include drinking such as sporting events, concerts, weddings, holidays, birthday parties, business dinners/events and happy hours. People in recovery for alcohol use have shared with me (and my fellow counselors) many clever tips and tricks for being "in the mix" socially, but staying sober.
Cannabis: a fair bit of the counseling for cannabis abuse centers around noticing the difference in how a person feels once they have stayed abstinent for a week or two. Clients often tell me "I am thinking so much clearer now, it's like before I was in this kind of fog." Clients are also asked to evaluate if cannabis abstinence is getting them closer to their goals - and the answer is usually a quick "Yes! I am way more motivated to do X, Y and Z now."
Opioids: the use of opioids (prescription pain medications or heroin) tends to carry with it some level of shame associated with how the drug is usually acquired. There also tends to be more social isolation associated with opioid use, so that becomes an area of focus. Opioid use treatment also commonly involves the integration of extremely helpful medications that assist in recovery, which is logical since - to be brutally honest - relapses can be fatal.
Cocaine: often the use of cocaine is preceded by, or combined with, alcohol use, so the discussion often involves that dynamic. There tends to be a pattern with cocaine use that seems more avoidable than other drugs, so there is lots of talk about how certain people, places or situations can be avoided - and replaced by something healthier.
Methamphetamine: the use of meth is somewhat similar to opioid use, in that it seems to be accompanied by more shame and social isolation than other substances. Often the counseling discussions include a look at the small community of meth users that must be replaced with non-using friends if abstinence is to occur. Their is often a great deal of discussion around the link between dating apps, sexual "hookups" and meth relapses.
Benzodiazepines: the use of "benzos", better known by the trade name Xanax, are a highly addictive substance that requires several adjustments in treatment as well. For starters, Xanax users cannot safely quit the drug after consistent use without risking a potentially fatal withdrawal experience. Modern medicine informs us that only two substances - Xanax and alcohol - can create a withdrawal that is possibly fatal. How? Seizures, stroke and heart attack - nothing to mess with! Counseling for benzos often revolves around, like cocaine, the need for vigilant abstinence from alcohol as well.
