People have many options when it comes to picking treatment for substance abuse. However, some methods have a better track record than others. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy is a popular treatment option for substance abuse because of its high success rate. What is this type of therapy, and how does it help those who suffer from substance abuse?
What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Abuse?
To understand why cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is so helpful, people need to know what it is. This type of therapy focuses on adopting healthy coping strategies. It also educates people about addiction and the psychology behind it. This education includes teaching them about triggers that can lead to relapse.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy relies on the idea that people’s thoughts determine their behaviors. When they think negatively, they act negatively. CBT aims to change that way of thinking with education. The therapist’s goal is to identify problematic behaviors and then guide people to act differently.
Along with having a high success rate, CBT typically shows results quicker than other forms of therapy. The biggest challenge that people face comes toward the end of CBT treatment. During this time, they may struggle with visualizing themselves putting what they learned to use.
How Does CBT Relate to Substance Abuse?
Rehab centers often use cognitive behavioral therapy for substance abuse. After all, at its core, substance abuse is negative behavior. Using this therapy, they help people develop coping skills to manage stress and emotions in healthier ways.
There are three main parts to CBT, and the first is functional analysis. During this phase, experts diagnose clients and determine if any other mental illnesses coexist with the drug abuse.
Functional analysis is an essential part of rehab because addiction rarely occurs alone. In most cases, it develops due to an existing mental health disorder. For instance, those who suffer from depression and anxiety may use drugs and alcohol to relieve the symptoms. Failure to treat these underlying problems can result in relapse.
The next part of cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance abuse is the development of coping skills. In fact, this therapy doesn’t focus as much on people’s relationships to drugs as it does on identifying coping strategies. It includes discovering methods that reduce cravings and learning how to avoid high-risk situations.
The last and most important part of cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance abuse is preventing relapse. The first two parts play a role in getting to this point.
It’s important for people to know that relapse can strike when they least expect it. Using what they learn in CBT can help them stay vigilant and prevent relapse. This focus on relapse prevention is one of the reasons why this type of therapy is so effective.
Ardu Recovery Center Can Help You Overcome Substance Abuse
Do you have a problem with substance abuse? Does someone in your family struggle with addiction? If so, Ardu Recovery Center is here to help. We provide comprehensive treatment services for adults who struggle with substance abuse.
At Ardu Recovery Center, we know how important preventing relapse is. That’s why we offer cognitive behavioral therapy to all of our clients. However, we also offer a lot of other substance use treatment programs and Utah addiction treatment services, such as:
- Outpatient program with an on-site physician’s office
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction
- Holistic and medical detox
- Dual diagnosis treatment
Don’t settle for Utah rehab centers that don’t offer CBT. See what cognitive behavioral therapy can do for you. Contact Ardu Recovery Center today at 801-810-1234 and let us point you down the path to recovery.