CBT is a primary treatment method for addiction. It also treats co-occurring disorders like:
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The Development of CBT
CBT was first developed in the 1960s by the University of Pennsylvania Psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Beck to help treat the thought processes behind major depression. When Beck began his research, psychiatry was dominated by Freud’s psychoanalytic theories that mental disorders are caused by the subconscious. In psychoanalytic theory, feelings urge, and desires are discussed during talk therapy as treatment.
Beck found one major flaw in psychoanalysis to treat depression – everything about it is wrong. During the research, Beck found that depression rose not from the subconscious, but on dysfunctional thought patterns and negative emotions.
According to Beck, depressed patients tended to fixate on negative thought patterns and had great trouble replacing them with more positive thinking. Instead of straight-talk therapy, Beck encouraged his patients to recognize those negative thoughts while they’re happening and how to replace them with constructive beliefs. After several sessions, Beck noticed his patients participating in this new therapy felt better, functioned better, had fewer episodes of major depression, and were able to view the world differently.
The term CBT comes from Beck’s process of recognizing negative thought patterns (cognitive factor) and converting them to new more constructive thoughts and actions (the behavior.)
CBT in Addiction Treatment
Since its inception, CBT has grown to treat several types of mental health issues including substance abuse treatment. Since CBT is based on the belief that the individual has the power to make positive changes in their life, it can be used to empower patients using these methods:
- Gives the sufferer simple effective tools to change their negative thought patterns
- Helps strengthen confidence and sense of self-determination
- Helps visualize the future with a positive attitude instead of fear
- Can help sufferer develop stronger and more trusting relationships
- Teaches practical approaches for relapse prevention
- Helps teach the importance and fun of sober activities over substance abuse.