C Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a treatment modality for substance abuse that has become significantly popular over the decade. The foundation of this strategy has been developed by some of the greatest minds in psychology originating from classic conditioning, operant learning, and behavioral therapy. CBT focuses on positive thought patterns, attitudes and beliefs about self and stressful situations, and cognitive schema.
CBT focuses on adopting healthy coping mechanisms that will help with cravings and changing negative thought patterns in stressful situations. This treatment strategy avoids identifying and changing beliefs about themselves and their relationship with drug abuse. Educating the recovering addict about the psychology of addiction and identifying triggers that could cause relapse are key in sustaining a lifestyle that does not involve substance abuse.
When the recovering addict is put into a stressful situation the coping mechanisms adopted from CBT will help them handle the situation, their feelings, and destructive behaviors when encountering substance abuse. There are three main elements to CBT that make this treatment modality effective:
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Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Brief Interventions and Brief Therapies for Substance Abuse. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 1999. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 34.) Chapter 4—Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64948/