Hearing impaired individuals tend to have an elevated risk of substance abuse issues because of the impairment, and treatment services have to be available to them which cater to their needs. People who are hearing impaired can feel alone, unmotivated, and goalless because of the impairment. Some hearing impaired individuals then elect to self medicate with alcohol or drugs to numb this pain and experience a temporary escape from the psychological and emotional challenges that accompany possessing this handicap in everyday life. To begin with, detecting a substance abuse problem among the hearing impaired is generally a challenge, as these individuals may make an attempt to hide their issue due to social stigmas attached to drug abuse. Nonetheless, drug and alcohol treatment counselors who provide rehabilitation to hearing impaired individuals see the challenges these clients face. ASL treatment services are of course a must, as well as rehabilitation services which address the unique challenges that hearing impaired individuals face. Group therapy gives a venue for important peer support so that rehabilitation clients can know that they're not alone, and that there's hope to handle their problem with alcohol and drugs. Individual therapy services could be more tailored for each individual to ensure that their unique problems can be addressed in rehabilitation.