| The answer to the question in the title
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| | addictions counselor.
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| of this article is: "Yes, but with the
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| | Online Treatment or Counseling
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| need to understand the limits of online
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| | Online help for persons with full blown
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| help."
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| | addiction problems can be helpful, but
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| Definitions
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| | the comprehensive programs outlined under
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| The words "alcohol dependence" or
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| | Treatment of Severe Addiction may be
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| "addiction" are often used without
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| | necessary depending upon the seriousness
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| definition. So, let's first define some
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| | of the problem. A comprehensive
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| terms. As used in this article, alcohol
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| | evaluation of the addicted person is
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| or drug addiction means that a person's
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| | needed. Such an evaluation can be done
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| alcohol or other drug use has reached the
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| | online, leading to recommendations for
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| point that the person cannot use without
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| | the appropriate treatment.
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| loss of control over use of the substance
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| | Persons who are already involved in any
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| and/or cannot use without producing
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| | stage (intensive outpatient, continuing
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| adverse consequences in significant life
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| | care, aftercare) of traditional treatment
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| areas. The addicted person has developed
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| | programs can use online services as a
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| a psychological and/or physical
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| | supplement to their treatment and to
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| dependence upon the substance. An
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| | Twelve Step Program attendance. Persons
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| addicted person will continue to use the
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| | who have completed traditional treatment
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| substance in the face of adverse
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| | can also benefit from these services.
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| consequences.
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| | Loved Ones of an Addicted Person
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| The term alcohol or drug dependence is
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| | Spouses, lovers, friends, co-workers,
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| often used interchangeably with
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| | parents, brothers, sisters, and sons and
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| addiction, but here I use the term
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| | daughters, to name a few, can be
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| dependence to mean physical dependence on
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| | concerned that the person they care about
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| a substance, meaning that stopping use of
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| | may have an alcohol or other drug
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| the substance will result in withdrawal
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| | problem. When adult children are
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| symptoms. A person can develop dependence
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| | concerned about use by a parent, the term
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| on a substance without developing
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| | "Adult Child of an Alcoholic or Addict"
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| addiction; the best example of this
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| | (ACOA) may apply. Persons close to an
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| physical dependence would be the person
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| | individual with a drug or alcohol need
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| who takes a narcotic analgesic (pain
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| | help for their natural feelings of
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| killer such as oxycodone or morphine) as
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| | confusion, hurt, anger, and loneliness.
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| prescribed by a doctor long enough to be
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| | Online services can provide support,
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| physically dependent on the drug, a
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| | education, and recommendations for these
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| natural, inevitable consequence of
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| | concerned persons.
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| chronic use of such a drug. Under these
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| | Cautions
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| circumstances, abruptly stopping use of
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| | Persons with serious emotional or
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| the substance will result in the
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| | psychiatric conditions (such as, but not
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| withdrawal syndrome typical for the class
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| | limited to, eating disorder, anxiety
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| of substance involved. Most persons with
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| | disorder, bipolar disorder,
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| addiction (for ex., alcoholism) are NOT
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| | schizophrenia), not stabilized through
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| physically dependent on their drug and
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| | traditional treatment by a qualified
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| will not experience the full blown
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| | mental health professional are not
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| physical withdrawal for the substance.
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| | appropriate for the help offered online
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| They will, however, experience cravings,
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| | and should seek help from such
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| sleeplessness, and other symptoms caused
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| | professionals before accessing online
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| by their psychological dependence on the
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| | services. These patients can, when
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| drug.
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| | stabilized by appropriate treatment,
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| Diagnosis
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| | benefit from online counseling.
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| Alcohol or other drug problems fall
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| | Persons who are depressed and thinking of
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| within two diagnostic categories: abuse
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| | harming themselves or others are also not
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| or addiction (as I said, often called
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| | appropriate for online help and should
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| dependence). Abuse basically means the
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| | get help immediately by calling a crisis
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| person has developed a pattern of use of
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| | line, going to the Emergency Room of a
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| the substance in the face of adverse
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| | hospital, or seeking other immediate
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| consequences in significant life areas
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| | help. These patients can, when stabilized
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| (medically, financially, legally,
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| | by appropriate treatment, also benefit
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| problems in relationships). Addiction is
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| | from online counseling
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| summarized in the first paragraph of this
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| | Persons who have a pattern of using
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| article.
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| | addictive substances on a daily or almost
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| Treatment
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| | daily basis need to access face-to-face
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| Alcoholism and other drug addictions are
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| | evaluation and treatment service
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| devastating disorders which negatively
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| | providers to address possible medical and
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| impact affected individuals and all who
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| | other problems associated with withdrawal
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| care about them, physically, emotionally
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| | that may accompany physical dependence,
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| and mentally, and spiritually. For
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| | before using online services available
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| persons diagnosed with full blown
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| | here.
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| addiction, I favor an abstinence based
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| | Limitations
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| treatment model, meaning a model whose
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| | 1. By its nature, internet counseling can
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| basic ultimate (it may take a while to
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| | be interrupted by technological
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| get there) goal is abstinence from use of
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| | difficulties beyond the control of either
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| alcohol or other drugs. This model should
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| | the counselor or the client. Before
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| include education, cognitive behavioral
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| | services are provided, the client will be
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| counseling, and use of Twelve Step (for
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| | given suggestions for alternative methods
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| ex., AA) spiritually based principles.
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| | for contacting the counselor should
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| Online addiction treatment can be helpful
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| | disruptions in the client's service occur
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| in itself and/or as part of a
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| | (for ex., a public library). The
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| comprehensive treatment program that
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| | counselor should pledge that should
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| includes traditional face-to-face
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| | technical difficulties result from his
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| counseling and other treatment
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| | her personal computer or other internet
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| interventions.
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| | access, the counselor will have
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| Treatment of Severe Addiction
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| | alternative internet access readily
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| Successful treatment of persons with full
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| | available.
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| blown alcohol or other drug addiction may
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| | 2. The visual and auditory cues available
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| require a comprehensive treatment
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| | during face-to-face counseling are, of
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| program, with services provided by
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| | course, not available in internet
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| professionals face-to-face. This
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| | counseling. Therefore, it is vital that
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| treatment would be beyond that offered by
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| | both the client and the counselor be
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| online addiction treatment. Such a
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| | diligent in seeking clarification of any
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| comprehensive program should be staffed
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| | communications, as needed.
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| by helping professionals from many
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| | 3. The addictions counselor must at the
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| disciplines. Staff should include
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| | outset of the counseling relationship
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| physicians to address medical issues such
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| | help the client to identify local
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| as withdrawal, mental health
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| | therapists and other treatment providers,
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| professionals such as psychiatrists or
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| | including crisis services.
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| psychologists, to treat co- or
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| | 4. The addictions counselor must include
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| pre-existing psychiatric disorders that
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| | safeguards to keep client information
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| may be present, and last but not least,
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| | confidential and protected from
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| certified, licensed addiction counselors,
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| | unauthorized access. Client information,
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| preferably a significant number of whom
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| | including history, diagnosis, treatment
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| are in recovery themselves. Such a
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| | recommendations, and progress notes,
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| Treatment Program should also provide
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| | should be for the counselor's eyes only.
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| individual and group counseling,
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| | No one else must have access to this
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| educational groups, and, as important as
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| | information. The information should be
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| any of the treatments, access to Twelve
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| | retained on a safeguarded CD for one year
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| Step self-help groups such as Alcoholics
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| | after the counseling relationship has
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| Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon
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| | ended, or for a longer or shorter period
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| and Nar-Anon (for loved ones), and ACOA
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| | of time dictated by the client.
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| (Adult Children of Alcoholics), to name
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| | Under the circumstances outlined in this
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| but a few.
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| | article, online counseling of persons
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| An evaluation will reveal the extent of
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| | with drug or alcohol abuse or addictions
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| the treatment required. This evaluation
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| | can be effective.
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| can be performed online by a qualified
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|
