Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a highly effective method for treating substance use disorders. By helping patients change their thoughts about drugs or alcohol, CBT helps them form new behavior patterns. This method also teaches problem-solving skills, coping mechanisms, relaxation techniques, and ways to face fears. Let’s explore why CBT is used to treat substance use and how it might be right for you or someone you love.
Addressing Negative Thoughts and Behaviors
CBT helps individuals recognize that harmful thoughts and behaviors aren’t logical or rational. By moving away from these automatic patterns, overcoming a substance abuse disorder becomes more likely. Often, people turn to drugs or alcohol to avoid trauma or harmful past experiences. CBT teaches coping thoughts and behaviors, allowing a person to work through negative past events and live in a healthier way.
CBT and Addiction
For many, addiction goes hand in hand with anxiety and depression. The automatic thoughts associated with these co-occurring disorders often lead to self-medication with drugs or alcohol. By confronting these thoughts and recognizing them as maladaptive, individuals learn to identify and cope with triggers without relapsing. Key strategies include:
- Dismissing false beliefs
- Learning and implementing self-help tools
- Developing effective communication skills
- Identifying and managing triggers
Managing Triggers
A trigger is a person, situation, or anything else that makes someone want to use substances. Managing these triggers is a crucial part of CBT, typically done in three steps:
- Recognize the trigger.
- Avoid the situation or person that acts as a trigger.
- Use appropriate CBT techniques to handle thoughts and emotions that lead to substance use.
CBT Techniques
CBT involves several specific activities that can be tailored to individual needs. These techniques help in addressing the unique aspects of one’s substance use disorder and can include:
- Thought Records: Keeping a journal to identify patterns and triggers.
- Behavior Experiments: Comparing the outcomes of negative and positive thoughts and behaviors to see which are more effective.
- Imagery-Based Exposure: Facing the factors that lead to substance use to reduce their power over you.
The goal of repeated exposure is to diminish the influence of triggers, making them less likely to lead to substance use. Additionally, finding pleasant and healthy activities to replace substance use is essential, providing something positive to look forward to and removing you from previously triggering situations.
If you’d like to learn more about how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can benefit you, contact Canon Human Services Centers, Inc. today. We’re here to help you on your journey to recovery.