Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT is a form of psychological treatment pioneered at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960. Over the last few decades, CBT for addiction has been understood to be effective in helping people suffering from a substance use disorder start on the road to recovery. If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, a cognitive-behavioral therapy program like the one offered at TruHealing Centers could be the start of a healthier and happier life. Reach out to us today online or call [Direct] to discuss the role cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction could play in rebuilding your life.
What Is Different about Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?
During cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction, you will be encouraged to identify and evaluate the negative thoughts you harbor about yourself, the world at large, and your future in it.
By leading people down this path, patients start to feel better emotionally and can behave more functionally. This is because, during CBT for addiction treatment, they develop the ability to think more realistically about their current situation and see clearer the real potential for a brighter future. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction can foster long-lasting change, help to overcome addiction, and also aid with treating other co-occurring disorders, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Severe mental illness
What Is Involved in CBT for Addiction?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction will often happen during intensive outpatient therapy programs. It can lead to an increased quality of life and play a pivotal role in your recovery from an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Professional CBT for addiction in a caring, safe environment at TruHealing Centers can be as effective, if not more so, than other forms of therapy and psychiatric medications.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction is based on several core principles, including that psychological problems are based, in part, on:
- Unhelpful ways of thinking
- Learned patterns of unhelpful behavior
- The belief that people can learn better ways of coping with these thoughts and patterns
- Relieving a person’s symptoms
Because the first key tenant of CBT is to address and change faulty and potentially patterns of thought, the strategies discussed during your cognitive-behavioral therapy may include:
- Learning to recognize that your distorted thinking is what is creating problems
- Reevaluating ways of thinking
- Giving you an understanding of the behavior and motivation of others
- Teaching you life-saving problem-solving skills to cope with challenging situations
- Developing self-confidence in your abilities
Altering behavioral patterns is the next step in progressing through a successful intensive outpatient therapy program at TruHealing Centers. During your CBT for addiction, you will learn to:
- Face any fear that is holding you back
- No longer use that fear as a crutch
- Use role-playing to build your confidence as you prepare for challenging interactions and scenarios in the future as you enjoy recovery in the real world
- Learn important methods for calming your mind
- Practice healthy ways in which you can achieve relaxation
How Can Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Treat Addiction?
While each cognitive-behavioral therapy program will differ, the cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction at TruHealing Centers will prioritize helping you learn to be your own best therapist (a tactic that will prove important during a lifetime of recovery). This is done by having you practice important exercises inside of and outside the therapy sessions. You will develop important coping skills, new ideas for approaching challenging situations that once proved harmful in your life, and harness old fears to get through emotional difficulties thanks to new behaviors learned.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction emphasizes the here and now by addressing what is going on in your life today. This means that if you have struggled historically with addiction or other disorders, CBT may work in conjunction with or after appropriate rehab for co-occurring issues. This will help you recover fully from your addiction and start you on a path toward a healthier and happier life, where you can think realistically and behave accordingly.
Learn More at TruHealing Centers
If you worry that you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, learn how TruHealing Centers’ cognitive-behavioral therapy program can help. Contact us using our secure online form or call us at [Direct] today.