If you are addicted to drugs and have decided to have drug counselling to help you overcome this addiction, here are two tips that you should keep in mind.
Be honest with your counsellor if you relapse
It is extremely common for people to relapse when trying to overcome an addiction to drugs. If this happens to you whilst you are seeing a counsellor, you might find yourself hesitant to tell them, because you feel ashamed or because you are worried they might judge you.
However, it is absolutely critical not to allow your emotions and worries to prevent you from being honest with your counsellor. Instead, if you do end up relapsing, you should inform them as soon as possible.
The reason for this is as follows; your counsellor will not judge you for making a mistake. More importantly, they will be far better able to help you overcome your addiction if you are completely honest with them.
For example, if you relapse and then tell them about this during your next session, they can help you to understand why this incident occurred (i.e. what thoughts, emotions or events triggered your desire to take drugs) and what actions you can take the next time you find yourself in a similar situation, so that you can avoid relapsing again in the future.
Be patient and willing to do the work
Many people who go for drug counselling mistakenly believe that attending just a few sessions with their counsellors will be enough to enable them to beat their addictions.
It is important not to have this mindset when you start seeing your counsellor, as it will only serve to disappoint and demotivate you, potentially to the point where you give up and start consuming drugs again.
Instead, you must be patient and be willing to do the work that your counsellor gives you. This 'work' could take many forms but may include having honest conversations with the friends and family members who have been negatively affected by your addiction, as well as practising cognitive behaviour therapy techniques that will help you to identify and cope with unhelpful thoughts you might have regarding your addiction.
This process could take a few months or perhaps even several years, and it's important to be accepting of this fact from the outset. This acceptance will ensure that you persist with counselling and eventually overcome your drug addiction.
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