Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Addiction Treatment​

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment option that has been found effective for addiction treatment. The goal of CBT is to change unhealthy thought patterns that contribute to addictive behavior. This form of therapy teaches patients how to identify and modify these thoughts in order to foster positive behavioral changes. CBT for addiction treatment involves setting achievable goals, developing coping strategies, and learning how to manage cravings. Unlike other forms of therapy, CBT is structured and goal-oriented, providing patients with clear steps towards recovery. By addressing negative thoughts and developing healthy coping strategies, individuals can successfully overcome addiction with the help of CBT.Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy At Findlay Recovery Center

LEARN ABOUT CBT TECHNIQUES

What Techniques Are Used in CBT?

There are various techniques that cognitive behavioral therapists use to help those with substance abuse addiction to understand their thought patterns, learn coping mechanisms and change for the better.

These include:

Exposure therapy

This CBT technique is ideal for helping an individual learn to overcome their fears and address their phobias. The therapist creates a safe space and slowly exposes you to things or situations that provoke fear, anxiety, or stress. From your reaction, they can guide you on how to cope and deal with these emotions, instead of reaching for drugs or alcohol. Facing your fears builds confidence and makes you feel less vulnerable in triggering situations.

Role playing

Another effective technique is role playing. Here you act out different scenarios that you might encounter in your daily life. These are mostly situations where you feel stressed or out of control. As you play out these scenarios, your therapist will point out your common reaction patterns while suggesting better ones. As a result, you’ll learn to alter your behavior, becoming more assertive and confident over time. This in turn helps you reduce dependency on addictive substances to get through stressful situations.

Cognitive restructuring

Using this CBT technique, your therapist will ask you questions about different scenarios and your thoughts, feelings, or reactions to them. Your response will help them identify problematic thought patterns. Once they make you aware of these, you work together to reshape these patterns into healthier, more productive ones.

Journaling

Writing down your thoughts can come in handy in helping you identify common patterns. Your therapist may ask you to keep a record of all the negative or troubling thoughts you’ve had between sessions then you’ll work together to find more positive ones you can choose instead. Journaling your new thoughts and feelings, compared to your previous troubling ones is a great way for you to keep track of the changes and growth you make as your recovery progresses.

Stress Reduction Techniques

Stress, anger, depression, and other negative emotions contribute greatly to addiction. Feeling overwhelmed by such emotions can lead you to self-medicate using drugs or alcohol in an attempt to escape or numb them. Learning and practicing stress reduction techniques, such as breathing exercises can help you gain control of these emotions while reducing stress and tension. For instance, if you find yourself losing your temper or panicking, take a time out and practice tensing and relaxing different muscle groups or concentrating on your breathing. Eventually, you’ll come down enough to react rationally to the situation you’re facing.

Activity Scheduling

To keep you motivated during your recovery and in life, your therapist may ask you to incorporate healthy and positive activities into your routine. These not only break up the monotony of a regular routine but also give you something positive to look forward to. These activities can also serve as a source of excitement or a reward for meeting certain goals or for consistently choosing better behavior. The positive, upbeat emotions they induce are a great way to counter negative thought patterns and feelings.