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Experiences/attitudes towards AOD Counsellors.

yawning man

yawning man

Greenlighter
Joined
Dec 24, 2010
Messages
47
Hey Aus Bluelighters

Apologies if this has been posted before. Mods, do whatever needs to be done if that's the case :)

So, currently i am studying Cert IV in Mental health/AOD and finding it very engadging and interesting. Definitely a field i'll be happy to work in as a career.

I have had some decent drug use in the past, and continue to dabble when i have the time or feel like it. I've never been to a Drug Counsellor myself though. So i was wondering if anyone here could share their experiences with counsellors? If you thought they were helpful or a waste of time. What they did right and wrong. Were you there by choice? How long did you see them for etc etc.

Everyone's different, but would you feel a bit more at ease knowing your counsellor has had drug issues of their own in the past? Don't give a fuck?

And if there's any actualy AOD Counsellors here feel free to post what you find great about your job and what you find frustrating.

I'm just curious as this subject comes up a bit at smoko time and that sorta thing.

cheers
 
i have had lousy experiences with substance abuse counselors,
ad to that i know a former counselor who slanged cocaine while working in the racket.
it's a sham from my perspective as the addict makes the choice to begin destructive behavior and it's the addict that choses to end the addiction.

group counseling is equally just as nonsensical as one on one.
 
When I was in psychiatric care last year they decided to send me to a drug counselor at a service oriented towards young adults (16-25).

The drug counselor service had never heard of a CWE and thought the amount of codeine I was taking (about 1.2 grams) was huge. They wanted me to do an inpatient detox for it, but having just spent a while in hospital I was not too keen on that. I went cold turkey myself, then went to a few sessions for support in staying clean.

Well, obviously I am not 'clean' at all right now but the guy who was my AOD counselor was really nice and did actually help me look at my patterns of overuse and abuse and that if I wanted to be functional again, I needed to get all the different aspects of my life in balance. They also assisted me in other aspects, such as job seeking and getting on Centerlink (I ended up getting a job so didn't need that it turned out).

it's a sham from my perspective as the addict makes the choice to begin destructive behavior and it's the addict that choses to end the addiction.
Click to expand...

I think you misunderstand what their real purpose is. Once you decide to quit or manage your drug use, they are there to support you and offer advice on how best to proceed. They aren't meant to be there cheer leading like those guys in the quit smoking ads (No, Johnny, no!). Though I imagine in jail it may be different.
 
Had a really good experience with one counsellor. Female in her late 40's I'd guess. She smoked pot and drank when she was younger but that's about it.

Wouldn't have bothered me much if she had or hadn't used drugs...I suppose it could have made me feel a bit more comfortable knowing she had.

She was really genuine which was good, rather than someone just going through the daily grind. She was very funny as well which was a bit plus in my book...a few jokes can be KEY with these kind of things I think, I find it hard to talk about my own problems in person so it helped lighten the mood. She was down to earth, realistic and she liked me (or at least made it seem like that) + believed in me making changes which I eventually did.

I was there by choice but also at the encouragement of family.

My Mum had me going to a counsellor when I was caught with a bong in my room when I was younger 8) bit over-reactive and the counsellor I saw basically agreed with that. I was about 16 I think.

Also when I was 16 had to see a counsellor as a diversion thing for being caught smoking bongs by the police. Don't remember much about that experience or the previous one...suppose I wasn't 'into it' and don't think I 'clicked' with the counsellors I saw.

Good on you going for counselling mate...it can be really rewarding from what people have said to me who work in the field. If you genuinely like helping people, and let that show in sessions, I think you're half-way there. Can imagine it being a bit frustrating and depressing working with drug addicts :\ I like to see RESULTS or else I would have probably gone for mental health in my study.
 
counselors are only effective if the patient is ready to quit, they really are only a guide to help keep you on YOUR chosen path
 
while i can see being a drug councillor a very rewarding job in certain aspects, i would also be apprehensive because so many of the people there are merely forced to be there.

in situations where you have people genuinely come to you seeking help, it could really be a great experience for you. however so many people have to go there for court trouble, or want to only to look better in court. one of my mates got done with a near trafficable amount of pills and better part of an ounce of bud, so he went to a councillor to be able to say he's sought help to the judge. The lady he ended up going to just had him come in a signed something like 3 times, she said "i know why you're here and what you're doing. why dont i just get you in an out so i can go help someone with an actual problem and send you on your way?" i can imagine these sorts of things would get you pretty jaded after a while, not to mention seeing the real junked out people who really dont want to change at all.

good on you though if you do end up going that way, a very admirable career path/choice.
 
Thanks for the responses guys! It's good to get some perspective, and as i imagined the responses are varied.

Mmm i don't see counsellors as the golden ticket to sobriety, but i think if given a chance they would be at least some use to everyone, even the most stubborn, 'I'm only here coz the cops want me to be".

Mr Blonde, yeah, in my opinion, knowing the habits and the culture of the people you're trying to help is only a good thing. Not knowing about basic shit like a cwe, yeah, you don't need to know that stuff, but i would think it'd help the two click in their first few meetings.

Personally, i don't think i could have much input into a persons use if they're there on a court order. But there's always a level relative to a person, it's just a matter of connecting with them in a manner they're comfortable with and one they understand.

Like, there's not much i can do if the person is intent and happy to keep using, all i could do is get them to be smarter and safer with their use. . . . and subtly hint at ways they can reduce the amount ;)

Cheers bud, i still think i'm in denial a bit about how frustrating it will be, but that's how i roll lol. It's cool, most of the people in my class have either been effected by drug use or mental health on some level and are all down-to-earth people there for the same reasons i am. Hopefully a good sign for the future.

cheers
 
the most stupid thing I have found about D&A counsellors (well I have only had one) was that she would not believe that I took the particular drug because I got a great big buzz off it.
She couldnt handle that, she wanted me to say that I was using it to escape some experience in my past or some shit.

But really if you wake up in the morning, and you feel like a normal person, but you also have a couple of mil of a liquid that will make you into the smartest and funniest bugger in the street (and a sex god) well what do you think your going to do?=D

As she hadnt experianced the way chemicals do enhance certain aspects of your life, she couldnt believe it was for enjoyment, not escapism.
 
"she would not believe that I took the particular drug because I got a great big buzz off it"

^That sounds like a fairly unhelpful argument to be having in counselling.

One of the more useful things I have been asked by a counsellor was to think about what I get out of using. Thinking about what its like being sober versus what its like being high is a good initial step when it comes to evaluating your life and the part your using has in it.
 
@ Bustabraincell - Yeah man, sounds like she would have come right out of school into a uni course to have that kinda mentality. They really hammer it into you that drug use is a result of a number of factors, e.g environment, mental health issue, masking pain whatever.

You reason's just as real as any other, it's why i use ;)



justsayknow said:
"she would not believe that I took the particular drug because I got a great big buzz off it"

^That sounds like a fairly unhelpful argument to be having in counselling.

One of the more useful things I have been asked by a counsellor was to think about what I get out of using. Thinking about what its like being sober versus what its like being high is a good initial step when it comes to evaluating your life and the part your using has in it.
Click to expand...

Yeah dude, funnily, that's like basic basic stuff for a counsellor. Methods to engage the client in convo and get them thinking.
 
People can do whatevers drugs they like. When it becomes a problem for them, starts to effect them in a negative way, effects others around them in a negative way, that's where i would step in. I'll let this thread die now.
cheers for the responses.
 
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