Cognitive behavioral therapy is used widely today in the management and treatment of substance abuse and addiction. Through this recovery model, you will learn how to find the connection between your actions, feelings, and thoughts while also increasing your awareness of how all these factors can have an impact on your long term recovery from addiction.
Also known as CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of counseling model that was invented by Dr. Aaron Beck in the 1960s. this recovery model is designed to help you address your problematic feelings and thoughts - especially those that cause you to abuse drugs and drink alcohol excessively.
Today, CBT is used widely in the management and treatment of substance abuse and addiction. It is also effective at the treatment of the following disorders that tend to co-occur alongside addiction:
The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to show that most of the harmful emotions that you experience and actions that you engage in are not rational or logical. Most of them are linked to your environmental factors and past experiences.
To this end, this form of treatment will teach you why you act and feel in a particular way. You will also learn how these actions and feelings cause you to abuse drugs and drink alcohol excessively. By so doing, you will be in a better position to understand the reasons and motivations behind your addiction.
Most cognitive behavioral therapists will also help you to identify your negative automatic thoughts - including those that are based on impulse and are derived from internalized feelings of fear and self-doubt. These automatic thoughts are also as a result of misconceptions that you already have.
By revisiting these painful memories during your addiction treatment, you will learn how to reduce the pain that they cause. At the same time, you will start learning new and positive behaviors that you can use in replacement of the substance abuse that you used to engage in.
This recovery model is commonly used in the treatment and rehabilitation of substance abuse and addiction. This is because it can be effective at helping you overcome your alcoholism and drug addiction by:
Cognitive behavioral therapy is also useful because it will help you deal with and manage triggers. It will do this by showing you how to recognize the circumstances that cause you to abuse drugs and drink alcohol. You will also learn how to remove yourself from any situations that could trigger a relapse, as well as alleviate and address the negative thoughts and emotions that could lead to additional substance abuse.
Learning what treatment is best for you or your loved one is easy. Speak to one of our trained counselors and let them guide you to the best treatment options available for your specific needs.