I eventually got really tired of the relapse levels of some of my clients and the reality of substance abuse and mental health populations in general, and starting using licensed chemical dependency counselors about seven years ago to help lower the recidivism rate and get people into treatment up front for better results and a changed life. I have always told clients to do what is in their long-term best interest, not just their short-term best interest. It is our job to do the math for them both short term and long term, and when a client is addicted to hard drugs such as methamphetamine, opiates or alcohol it can be a tough habit to break. We have really good treatment programs in Abilene at Concho Valley and the Bowie Women’s program, and some midlevel like SAFP that can make a big difference if a person self-invests. As the majority of substance abuse clients are self-medicating for undiagnosed or untreated mental illness, or some trauma, it’s very important to get the right counselor in there to help them understand not only their addiction but their triggers. I find it very rewarding when we can help people turn their lives around and see them at the grocery store or somewhere else in public a few years later a changed person. Addictions can be overcome, whether its substance abuse or other behaviors, but the work has to be put in.
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