Understanding Drug and Alcohol Assessments: A Complete Guide

The process of seeking help for an addiction problem usually begins with a drug and alcohol assessment. A report by the World Health Organization states that substance use disorders affect about 3 million people around the world and it leads to approximately 2.6 million fatalities every year. Whether you need help for yourself or a family member, this blogpost will lead to a sense of comfort and direction to improve the person’s health.

If you or your loved one is struggling with addiction, do not hesitate to start your road to recovery and success. Call the Inpatient Rehab Center for a drug and alcohol assessment today.

What Is a Drug and Alcohol Assessment?

A drug and alcohol assessment is a preliminary procedure before attempting to embrace the recovery process because the aim is to understand the degree, cause, and impact of substance use on your psychological, social, and bodily well-being. This comprehensive assessment gives you a full and detailed understanding of dependence that has to be treated, and it is important for creating the individual and effective treatment plan.

What Happens During a Drug and Alcohol Assessment?

For a drug and alcohol assessment, you will be meeting with a professional who has to be a licensed counselor, therapist, a healthcare provider, or somebody who works at a rehab center. It typically takes place in an environment that is comfortable and secure to create a very relaxed environment for explaining your problem. This can happen in a clinic, rehab center or even over a phone or a video call, whatever is appropriate for you.

The assessment usually consists of a set of questions that ask about many aspects of a person’s life. These questions are aimed at uncovering patterns and behaviors related to your substance use, and they often explore the following areas:

• Medical history

The assessor may enquire about your previous and present physical well-being. This could mean any existing medical conditions whether acute or chronic, past admissions or surgeries or accidents. They may also ask you questions regarding any medication or drugs you are taking or suffering from any health-related issue due to substance abuse. It is important for the assessor to know your medical history because substance use can have serious impacts to an individual’s mental and physical health. For instance, some medical conditions are needed to be treated along with inpatient drug or alcohol rehab.

• Substance use history

Discussion about your drug or alcohol use is one of the significant aspects of the assessment. Some of the questions that will be posed to you would include when did you begin using the substances, how often do you use them, and in what quantity. The professional will also likely ask you about your efforts or attempts to cut down or quit using drugs or alcohol before, and how they went. This part of the assessment assists the professional to comprehend the scope or severity of the problem, its progression, and if you’re vulnerable to withdrawal.

• Mental Health and Emotional Well-being

Since addiction is usually associated with any of the mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or trauma in most cases, an assessment will also encompass your emotional state. The assessor will question you about your states of mind, pressure, and whether you have ever been diagnosed with psychological sickness and diseases like suicidal intentions, panic disorder, and trauma. The use of substances is known to be closely affiliated with at least one psychiatric disorder and the assessment helps in detecting these disorders and treating them holistically.

• Behavioral and Social Impact

Addiction impacts interpersonal relationships, personal and professional lives, and the ability of an individual to perform any duty effectively or merely day to day functioning. The assessor may enquire ‘How do you behave with your family members, friends or colleagues due to the substance abuse?’ ‘Have there been any family, marital or employment Discordances resulting from substance use or any legal implications resulting from substance misuse?’ ‘Are you challenged in issues of job security, financial integrity or reliable performance with regard to certain duties?’ Knowledge of such wider effects enables the formulation of an appropriate inpatient rehab program that can treat both the addiction and also the adjustments necessary in one’s life in order to get off the addictive substance.

• Risk of Harm and Withdrawal

The professional may also determine your current vulnerability towards self harm or harming others. This includes recognising any violent behaviors or circumstances that have taken place because of substance dependence, including drunk driving or using drugs at other high risk settings. They will also determine the level of risk that you are likely to experience withdrawal symptoms if you quit substances, which may determine if you need medical detoxification.

Why Is It Important to Be Honest?

One thing that should never be compromised in the assessment for drug and alcohol is truthfulness and honesty. It is also important to remember that the more honest and candid a patient is, the better a professional will be able to identify what the situation entails, and what type of treatment is best in each case. It is also common for people to feel guilty, shameful or fearful for using substances, but, not to forget, the assessor is there to assist, not to judge. The main goal of the drug and alcohol assessment is to offer care and support for you to get better.

If you are not completely honest with the assessor about the substance use or the issues affecting you, the assessor may not have enough information to determine the right form of treatment interventions for you that will address all the problems appropriately. This can slow down or even prevent you from getting well. For instance, if you are going through depression or anxiety and it is not diagnosed, the treatment may fail to cover it, meaning that you may not sustain sobriety in the long-run.

What Happens After the Assessment?

After getting through the drug and alcohol assessment, the professional is going to come up with an individual 30 day inpatient rehab program for drug or alcohol addiction based on the gathered data. This plan may include recommendations for various types of care, such as:

• Inpatient or Residential Rehab: In case you have a serious substance problem, or if you may experience severe withdrawal symptoms, you may be suggested to attend an inpatient treatment where you will be monitored round the clock and receive full medical support within the special environment.

• Outpatient Treatment: Depending on the severity of addiction, for those who cannot afford to go to a residential rehab or those with less severe addiction, outpatient treatments are advised. These enable you to attend therapy sessions as well as support groups without having to leave your home.

• Detox Programs: If you have a physical dependence on substances, you may begin with detox that involves the process of withdrawal from the substance under medical supervision which is a first step in your treatment plan.

• Mental Health Counseling: If any mental health problem is present, you may be prescribed therapy for psychological disorders, for example CBT or trauma-focused therapy that targets your personal as well as emotional concerns linked with dependency.

• Support Groups and Aftercare: Most people will need to get into support groups, such as alcoholics anonymous or narcotics anonymous, or even aftercare programs that will help even after the primary phase of the treatment.

Conclusion

A drug and alcohol assessment is an essential first step towards regaining the lost 

control of your life. It assists professionals in creating a unique treatment plan that fits your needs and requirements in terms of your addiction and mental health. In this way, you make sure that you are investing in a better, healthier, and sober future for yourself.