Cognitive Behavior Therapy CBT and Addiction
Addiction is one of the hardest things to overcome. It is not something you can take an anti-psychotic medication for and move on. They do not teach you to turn away from alcohol or drugs to help change the feelings you are experiencing. When you recover from an addiction, you will need resources to help break the chain of thoughts that you once had. When your chain of thought is experience something painful, turn to your addiction, feel better, and then hate yourself for turning to a chemical, it is time to break the cycle of negativity with a course of action that really works. Otherwise, this process constantly repeats until you seek assistance to break your cycle. The most effective treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Cognitive Behavior Therapy CBT Treatment Techniques
The two ways CBT can help an addict, is through Functional Analysis and Skill Training. Functional Analysis is when the therapist helps the addict identify his or her emotions and why he or she turns to a substance to deal with those emotions. If the addict knows how to deal with their emotions, then they are less likely to relapse after leaving treatment. With Skills Training, the addict is given the tools and resources to deal with specific situations and stresses. These resources are geared to help the recovering addict re-learn how to cope, and not use addictive substances that only mask the pain. CBT Therapists can provide patients suffering from addiction with a number of cognitive behavioral tools, as well as support.
For an updated, more in-depth look at this topic, see Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Drugs.