The best way to Come to be Drug Abuse CounseloThe World Health Organization said that substance abuse means the use of harmful and dangerous psychoactive substances including alcohol and illicit drugs that lead to dependence that can develop to repeated usage and a strong desire to acquire such substance disregarding more important things. In the simplest term substance abuse is a form of addiction.According to statistics, the abuse of alcohol results to 2.5 million deaths per year. While about 15.3 million have drug use disorders and 120 out of 148 report HIV infection due to drug injections. The statistics are very startling. However, if a person is indeed abusing drugs, a Substance Abuse Counselor steps in and will help this person get back to his or her normal life.
Their primary role is to help assess those victims and to help them find the right services in order to help them in quitting the habit. Naturally, they advocate substance abuse prevention and they are willing to help those who are crying out for help when the addiction has taken its toll. Typically, it is expected that they promote substance abuse prevention because avoiding is the best way to keep your life normal. The job of a substance abuse counselor is very tough because not only are they going to handle unstable clients but they are also exposed to other diseases that can be found in the clients. But if they are dedicated, then they will only find these things as risks and challenges.
So what are the things to do in order to become a substance abuse counselor? The first thing that one must do is to enroll in sociology or psychology so get the basic idea of the disorders and many other important things. Then it is recommended that you volunteer in centers and clinics to get some experience and also to have an idea on how the job will be in an actual setting. Another thing to do is to have some time to mentally and emotionally prepare yourself for this kind of job because some of the patients can take a toll on your own emotional and mental stability. To ensure health in that area, make sure that you have a good support system and also that you find ways to relax.
It is also important that you obtain a substance abuse counselor certification because it is a requirement for some states and so that you have a greater chance to get hired. Therefore, you should get some information about it from the Certification Board of Addiction Professionals.
The work of a substance abuse counselor is a tough one and it is a very big challenge. It requires plenty of patience and understanding but the satisfaction that you get from knowing that you are helping other people to get back their normal lives.
