Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is a complex issue that often has an underlying cause, such as childhood trauma, anxiety, grief, or pain. At Yes Ministries, offering online visits to those in Boylston, Worcester, Marlborough, and the rest of Massachusetts, Rev. Carol Smith, a licensed independent clinical social worker, and Mara Dahl, a certified alcohol and drug counselor, can help you overcome a substance abuse problem.
Why Substance Abuse Happens
People choose to do drugs or use alcohol for various reasons, such as the following:
- To escape reality
- To feel better, particularly if they have depression or anxiety
- To perform better (prime example: taking a stimulant to improve focus)
- To socialize
- Out of curiosity
- Pressured into it by others
How Addiction Happens
While some people are able to only use drugs occasionally, this isn't the case for everyone. Keep in mind that even trying a drug once can have harmful health effects.
With continued use, your ability to control usage becomes impaired. What happens is that whenever a person takes a drug or drinks alcohol, the substance stimulates the reward center in the brain. Over time, the substance changes your brain chemistry. Eventually, the brain becomes overstimulated, and it no longer produces the same amount of that neurotransmitter. This leads to chemical dependency and needing to have the substance just to feel normal.
Getting Treatment
There's no shame in seeking out help for substance abuse.
You'll receive guidance on how to use faith to help guide you through this difficult time. By taking a spiritual approach, you'll learn to let go of your need to control and, instead, rely on a higher power. This type of therapy helps you understand how your mental, emotional, and spiritual health are all interrelated.
With faith, you develop strength, comfort, and hope, which can give you the drive to overcome a substance abuse issue. Your treatment may include spiritual practices, scripture, and prayer.
Through this treatment, you can gain a deeper understanding of where you belong in the world and who you truly are. You can then feel better about yourself overall.
Forgiving yourself, learning to take steps to improve and make amends, and changing negative thought patterns are also part of this therapy.
Yes Ministries, offering online visits to residents of Boylston, Worcester, Marlborough, and the rest of Massachusetts, provides services to help you recover from substance abuse problems. Call Mara at 774-262-6269 or Rev. Carol at 774-261-0682.