Hearing impaired persons tend to have an elevated risk of substance abuse issues because of their impairment, and treatment services should be available to them which cater to their circumstances. Those who are hearing impaired can seem to be isolated, unmotivated, and be without goals because of their impairment. Some hearing impaired individuals then choose to self medicate with alcohol or drugs to numb this pain and experience a temporary escape from the psychological and emotional challenges that accompany having this handicap in life. To begin with, detecting an alcohol and drug abuse problem among the hearing impaired is usually a challenge, since these individuals may try and hide their problem because of social stigmas attached to substance abuse. However, alcohol and drug rehab counselors who provide rehab to hearing impaired individuals see the challenges that these clients face. ASL rehab services are definitely a necessity, as are treatment services which address the particular challenges that hearing impaired individuals encounter. Group therapy gives a venue for important peer interactions in order that treatment clients can know that they're not alone, and that there is hope to resolve their problem with alcohol and drugs. Individual counseling services may be more tailored for each individual so that their particular challenges can be remedied in treatment.