How prevalent is drug addiction in Canada?
Canada has one of the highest addiction rates all over the world. It is also ecstasy’s highest producer according to the United Nations. A large portion of its production goes to its neighboring country, the United States of America. Around 85% of seized methamphetamine from Australia also traces back from Canada.
And the problem does not end there. Substance abuse is also associated with alcohol. In 2016, a survey showed that 19% of Canadians have alcohol abuse and drug dependency. Approximately 59% of car crashes in Canada are said to be drivers under the influence of alcohol or drug use.
Do you want to free yourself from substance abuse? It would take a combination of time, effort, and support from your closest family and loved ones. Detoxing from the substance that you are addicted to is only the first step. Without proper treatment, most people have a relapse because of the extreme cravings for the drug or alcohol.
Besides aiming to control substance cravings and helping you deal with stress, therapy and counselling will also teach you the right responses to sudden shift around your life while you are undergoing treatment.
Different Kinds of Therapy
There are different kinds of therapy depending on the person’s dependency on the drug and every person’s needs.
- Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is usually used for people who have mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and the like with their addiction problems.
- Group Therapy
Most people prefer group therapy rather than individual therapy. Group therapy enables a group of people who are suffering from addiction to come together, supporting and challenging one another, and is led by a licensed and trained psychotherapist.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on understanding your behavior patterns. It teaches you how to control your thoughts, moods, and cravings and knowing how to avoid triggers.
CBT enables the person to know how to change negative and destructive thoughts to healthy and driven thoughts that will lead to staying sober.
- Residential Therapy
Residential therapy houses you in a special facility to completely separate you from the substance that you are addicted to. This can take weeks or months of rehabilitation depending on your level of dependency on the drug or alcohol. This type of treatment is very expensive and may cost tens of thousands of dollars.
- Outpatient Therapy
Outpatient therapy is the opposite of residential. It is the usual treatment setting for addicts suffering from alcohol and drug abuse.
- Contingency Management Therapy
This is an incentive-based treatment where vouchers are given that can be used for goods and services and a more rigorous treatment as motivation for good behavior and maintaining sobriety.
- Motivational Interviewing
This type of treatment seeks your drives and motivations and is used to maintain your desire for sobriety rather than consuming alcohol or drugs.
- Couples and Family Therapy
This type of therapy involves family members or your spouse to take part in. Studies show that this type of therapy has a lower relapse rate and makes relationships stronger and heals the wounds that the addiction has caused to the family and relationships.
- Maintenance Therapy
After detoxing from the substances you are addicted with, maintenance therapy is needed. It demands constant and ongoing counseling and treatment to the patient. Addiction is considered a chronic illness. Constant counseling and possible medication are required to avoid relapse.
Benefits of Therapy
Here are the reasons why you should get treatment for your substance addiction as soon as possible:
1. Learning Coping Strategies
Want to learn how to cope with the cravings and triggers for substance use? Join therapy or counseling sessions. Your session will also include understanding the causes of your intense desire to consume drugs.
2. Give New Perspective
Therapy will give a new perspective to drug and alcohol abusers on how to set up new behaviors, habits, and approaches to prevent oneself from using the substance. It also encourages one to live a new and healthier lifestyle.
3. Repairing Relationships
Addiction doesn’t just affect oneself but affects all those people surrounding you like your family and friends. Most people suffering from addiction have severed friends and family relationships because of the constant pain they cause to their loved ones. Therapy enables the patient to repair relationships and rebuild a better one.
4. Support
Therapy gives an addict a feeling of belongingness and support through counseling and group programs that enables them to encourage and be a part of one another’s recovery.
5. Relapse Prevention
Therapy teaches an addict on how to control their cravings. A counselor is always one call away to encourage and prevent you from relapsing every time there is an urge to consume again.Addiction is a complex disease and treatment varies depending on a person’s character and drug dependency. The good news is, it is an entirely treatable disease that needs proper treatment from licensed and experienced doctors. If you are battling addiction and you don’t know what to do, contact an online doctor Ontario or any town near you. You have the chance to overcome addiction and to enable you to live a sober and purposeful life.