Is a Career in Substance Abuse Counseling Right for You?

In the USA, President Trump made an official declaration that the country is experiencing an opioid drug crisis when he signed a new executive order on March 29, 2017. This executive order served to create a new President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. Along with the executive order, he made promises to the American people that the federal government would help the people who have been affected by the opioid crisis.

America, by far, is the country that has the greatest numbers of opioid drug abusers. However, numerous other countries have also been affected by the opioid drug crisis, and it is possible that the epidemic could go global. One of the major contributing factors to the epidemic is the overuse of, and resulting dependence on, legal prescription medications for pain. Large numbers of opioid addictions have resulted from these drug prescriptions. The addictive nature of the drugs guarantees that a percentage of users will become dependent on them. Experts at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that up to 24 percent of opioid users develop dependencies on the drugs. As the drug companies that manufacture these medications take their marketing campaigns global, the opioid crisis is expected to expand. Canada, Australia and Germany and some other countries already have considerable populations of opioid drug users.

Demand for drug treatment is high. Dedicated substance abuse counselors are needed to fill the demand and help turn this situation around.

Do You Have the Right Personality Traits for a Career in Substance Abuse Counseling?

Counselors are likelier to succeed in their careers if they possess the following personality traits:

Empathy — In the past, drug addicts were often stigmatized and treated like scumbags.  But this sort of attitude is all wrong if you hope to succeed with a career in counseling. A huge percentage of the people suffering from opioid addictions are in that situation because they had car accidents, workplace accidents, sports injuries or other accidents and then their doctors prescribed opioid painkillers for them. The painkillers helped them feel as if they could put their lives back together. Then they became addicted to the painkillers their doctor recommended. This scenario could literally happen to anyone. A great deal of empathy is appropriate.

Toughness, Resilience and Perseverance — Counseling substance abusers requires mental toughness and a resilient attitude. It is a difficult job. Because it is usual for addicts’ craving for drugs to outweigh their common sense and also their willpower, counselors will have to deal with the fact that some of their clients will relapse back into drug abuse. Relapses often end in drug overdoses and death. The counselors who are successful have come to understand that they must persevere through these challenges.

Credentials Necessary for Starting a Career in Substance Abuse Counseling

If you want to become a substance abuse counselor in the USA, most employers will require you to obtain at least a bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology or a closely related discipline. All US states require private practice counselors to hold a master’s degree. Many states also require licensure, certification or both. The National Board for Certified Counselors has additional information about state licensure requirements that you may find helpful.

In Australia, counsellors typically hold bachelor’s degrees. Many Australian counselors also earn a graduate diploma of counselling.

The future job outlook for counselors is favorable in both countries.  If this is a career path that interests you, it’s a great time to obtain the credentials you need to begin practicing.