Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has become very popular over the last decade or so. What exactly is CBT and why is it becoming so popular?
CBT is a type of psychotherapy that helps people change their thoughts and behaviors. The aim of CBT for substance abuse is to identify negative thinking patterns and replace them with positive ones. CBT is often used to treat a range of mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, OCD, phobias, panic attacks, and depression.
CBT was developed in the 1950s by Dr. Aaron Beck who believed that our thoughts influence our emotions and behavior. The basic principle of CBT for addictionis that if we can understand how our thoughts affect our feelings and actions then we will be able to control our thoughts and therefore improve our emotional well-being.
To learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for substance use disorders, including its main principles, how it works in practice, its range of applications, and its side effects, take a look at the information below.
What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), sometimes called acceptance and commitment therapy, is based on two ideas:
- Thoughts influence behavior. So if you think badly about yourself, you’ll act badly towards yourself.
- If you’re unhappy, you tend to focus on what you don’t like rather than what you do like.
To help you overcome your problems, cognitive-behavioral therapists use two main techniques: cognitive restructuring and exposure.
Cognitive Restructuring
Cognitive restructuring involves identifying your negative thoughts and replacing them with more balanced thoughts. For example, you may have an intrusive thought about harming yourself.
This could lead to feeling anxious and worried. You might try to think about something else instead, like what you would say to a friend if they were having similar thoughts.
Exposure
Exposure involves deliberately exposing yourself to situations that are likely to trigger your fear. For example, you might start walking down a street where there are lots of cars. If you find this difficult, you could take a bus or train instead.
Other Techniques
In addition to utilizing the two main concepts of cognitive restructuring and exposure, a CBT and addiction therapist will likely use a myriad of other techniques and methods to reach the desired outcome. These include:
- Talking therapies such as counseling and psychotherapy.
- Relaxation exercises.
- Self-monitoring.
- Problem-solving.
- Mindfulness training.
- Exercise.
- Dieting and exercise programs.
- Coping skills training.
How Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Abuse Work?
CBT may look different for different people. This is because practitioners of CBT for drug addiction often use it in combination with other types of therapy. However, most cognitive-behavioral therapies begin by helping you identify negative thoughts.
For example, if you notice that you’re constantly worrying about how fat you are, you might ask yourself questions like these:
“Am I really worried about my weight?” “Is it normal to worry so much about my body?”
Then you’d write down all the answers. Next, you’d look at your answers. And you’d decide whether they were true or false. This helps you see that some of your worries are irrational. It also teaches you to challenge negative beliefs.
Next, you would learn to replace them with positive and more factual ones. For example, you might say:
“I’m healthy.”
Or perhaps you’d tell yourself that you have lots of energy.
Finally, you’d be taught to make decisions based on facts rather than emotions. For example, rather than deciding to avoid a certain social situation because of your negative body image, you will attend because you know you are healthy.
Who Can CBT Help?
CBT can help anyone who suffers from a mental health problem. It is most commonly used for those suffering from anxiety disorders, OCD, and depression, but it is also used as a treatment for eating disorders, phobias, panic attacks, PTSD, substance abuse, and many others.
In fact, CBT is not only useful for treating mental illnesses; it can also be helpful for problems such as stress, anger management, and weight loss. It is often used in conjunction with other activities such as exercise or mindfulness.
What Are The Benefits Of CBT?
CBT has been shown to be effective for treating a wide range of psychological conditions. Here’s why:
- CBT for substance use works by teaching you new ways of thinking and behaving.
- CBT encourages you to become aware of your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- CBT helps you understand what causes your symptoms.
- CBT helps you change the way you think, feel, and behave.
- CBT techniques for addiction allow you to gain control over your life.
- CBT can help you overcome any obstacles that stand between you and achieving your goals.
- CBT gives you tools that allow you to cope better with difficult situations.
- CBT enables you to live a happier and healthier life.
How Is CBT Different From Other Types Of Psychotherapy?
CBT differs from other forms of psychotherapy in several important ways. First, CBT focuses on changing your behavior, whereas other types of psychotherapy focus primarily on changing your thoughts.
Second, CBT involves learning to recognize and correct maladaptive patterns of thinking and behaving. Third, CBT is goal-oriented. Fourth, CBT emphasizes self-monitoring and self-evaluation. Finally, CBT uses behavioral experiments to test out its theories.
Why Does CBT Work So Well?
There are two main reasons why CBT is an especially powerful form of therapy.
First, CBT is based on sound scientific research. CBT was developed using cognitive psychology, which studies how we process information. Cognitive psychologists found that people tend to fall into certain thought patterns when faced with stressful events.
These patterns can cause us to experience strong emotional responses. By helping you identify these patterns and then replacing them with more accurate ones, CBT can help you get rid of unwanted emotions.
Second, CBT is highly structured. Unlike some other therapies, CBT doesn’t rely on free association. Instead, it teaches you specific techniques for identifying and correcting negative thoughts. This makes CBT easier to learn, teach, and use in everyday situations.
It is also interesting to note that CBT can be effective even if you don’t fully believe that your thoughts are causing your symptoms. In fact, research shows that CBT is just as effective at treating people who are skeptical about its effectiveness as those who are completely convinced.
Does CBT Cause Any Side Effects?
The good news is that there’s no evidence that CBT causes long-term damage. However, there are risks involved. For example, if you try to change your thinking without changing your actions then you’ll probably fail.
If you do succeed, you may find that you start to think differently about yourself and others. You might start to blame yourself or others for things that weren’t actually your fault. You could end up feeling depressed and anxious.
There’s also a risk that you’ll become obsessed with trying to control everything in your life. This can lead to feelings of frustration and anger. As such, even though CBT isn’t particularly dangerous, it isn’t without risk or difficulty either.
As such, if you are interested in getting CBT, it is of the utmost importance that you receive therapy from a trained practitioner. A trained CBT therapist will be able to give appropriate advice and remain vigilant for any negative consequences of the therapy.
How Do I Know Which Type Of Therapy To Try?
There are many different types of therapies and varieties of CBT. The one you require will depend on which problem you want to solve. For example, you might choose between:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.
- Cognitive Analytic Therapy.
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapies.
- Rational Recovery Techniques.
- Functional Family Therapy.
- Mindful Awareness Practices.
- Mindfulness Meditation.
- Relational Frame Theory.
- Narrative Exposure Treatment.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
- Hypnotherapy.
- NLP.
- EMDR.
Don’t worry – we know that this list is overwhelming! If you’re in need of CBT for alcoholism, drug abuse, or another kind of therapy, you do not need to choose what type is appropriate for your needs by yourself. Your first port of call will be your doctor. Your doctor will be able to advise on the type of therapy you require given your problem.
Following that, if you begin a certain type of therapy but don’t feel as if it is the right one for you – that is absolutely fine and quite normal! You simply need to voice your concerns with your qualified therapist, and they can advise you on how to move forward.
How To Get CBT
To receive CBT for substance abuse, you first need to get an appointment with your doctor. Once you have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, OCD, or other mental health conditions, your doctor will refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist who specializes in CBT for addiction.
Once you’ve done this, your therapist will work with you to develop a plan for managing your condition. This plan will not only give you a tangible route to better health but should also be completely tailored to your lifestyle and personal needs.
We know that taking these steps can be scary. However, they are necessary steps on the road to better mental health. If you are feeling worried about asking for help, you can always take a close friend or family member with you. If this isn’t a viable option, you can reach out to mental health charities for support.
How To Prepare For CBT
Before you attend CBT sessions, there are a few things you should consider. First, you might be required to find your own therapist. If this is the case, you can find a therapist through a local or state psychological association or by searching online.
We recommend setting up a few introductory sessions with multiple different therapists. The relationship between yourself and your therapist is a very important one.
If you don’t feel comfortable with your therapist’s methods or feel able to share things with them, your treatment will be impacted.
As such, it is necessary to prepare yourself for the possibility that your chosen therapist doesn’t work out. This is normal and ok – there is a huge range of therapists out there to choose from. It can sometimes be a bit of a journey to find the right one, but it is definitely a journey worth making.
Additionally, it is necessary that you are well-prepared for the cost of therapy. If you have health insurance, you will need to figure out what coverage it offers for your treatment. You can also discuss payment options and fees with your chosen therapist.
Finally, it is always useful to have some concerns and issues in mind before your first session. We recommend making a list of the problems you would like to tackle with your therapist so that you can discuss them in detail in your first session.
Conclusion
Depression, Anxiety, OCD, and other mental health problems can affect anyone at any time. They can cause serious distress and damage to your physical and emotional well-being.
Fortunately, there are effective treatments available that can help you overcome them. We hope that this guide has helped you understand more about cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction and its benefits.
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