What Does a Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor Do?
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors work with patients with addiction problems. Unlike mental health counselors and psychiatrists, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors do not deal with mental disorders like depression or mental illnesses like schizophrenia. Instead, they provide guidance to those looking to recover from an addiction. The types of addictions these counselors handle are greatly varied. Some patients may have a drug use problem, whether it is the usage of illegal drugs like cocaine, or legal prescription drugs like painkillers, or even legal recreational substances like cigarettes and alcohol. Counselors also handle patients who are obsessively addicted to certain activities, such as gambling. Eating disorders are also regularly managed by substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors. Counselors typically assess each case individually and use “talk therapy” to treat the patients. Those in high risk situations, such as patients with sever
