Both LMHC and LCSW can evaluate, diagnose and treat mental health and substance use disorders, but neither can prescribe medication. Prescription medications, including pain relievers, anxiolytics, stimulants, and sedatives. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several different drugs to treat alcohol and opioid use disorders. MAT medications relieve withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body.
Medications used for MAT are evidence-based treatment options and don't just replace one drug with another. Substance abuse counselors cannot prescribe medication or provide medical or psychological therapy. Rather, they work with the client in an advocacy and mentoring capacity. The substance abuse counselor becomes a key figure in the addict's life.
From helping the client clearly see the emotional foundations of their dependency to helping them with more mundane tasks, such as helping the client find or keep a job, the substance abuse counselor works with the client to help them become self-reliant in life. Part 4 of this TIP is for addiction treatment professionals and peer recovery support specialists who work with people taking an FDA-approved medication for OUD methadone, naltrexone, or buprenorphine. These providers have direct help relationships with customers. They don't prescribe or administer OUD medications, but they interact with health professionals who do.
They also help people who take OUD medications access supportive services (for example, counseling is one of the pillars of substance use disorder treatment for many people). Cognitive-behavioral therapy, family counseling, and other types of therapy can help you stay clean. Psychotherapy can also treat other mental health conditions that are often involved in substance abuse. Counseling plays an important role in treating prescription drug abuse.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription drug abuse therapy can teach you strategies to control cravings and recognize destructive thought processes, emotions, and situations to prevent relapse. These strategies can help improve your ability to care for yourself, work, and maintain relationships. There are several types of therapy you can choose to get you on your way to recovery. Some mental health professionals may prescribe medications to treat disorders.
Each of these professionals goes through additional years of education and training. This in-depth knowledge makes them a valuable part of a person's treatment team. While any counseling therapy for the treatment of drug abuse is better than none, group therapy is generally preferred over individual therapy. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used to manufacture them into five distinct categories or programs, depending on the acceptable medical use of a drug and the potential for misuse of a drug.
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