Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that has found great success in addiction treatment. It is the principle that dysfunctional emotions and thoughts can be redirected to avoid destructive behaviors. In this way, patients can use cognitive behavioral therapy in Houston to avoid drug abuse.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques
If you have never heard of CBT, you may wonder, “What is cognitive behavioral therapy, and how can it help with substance abuse?” Addiction often starts as an attempt to escape troublesome thoughts and emotions such as depression. Drugs like benzodiazepine or alcohol produce a false sense of well-being. Once the drug leaves the system however, the individual is then left with the same issues.
In addition, addiction often leads people to engage in risky behavior, such as missing work, drunk driving, etc. The result is that despite the drug-induced sense of well-being, in reality, the person’s life is spiraling out of control, further increasing feelings of depression, anxiety, etc.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the concept that the way we think and interpret events influences our behavior and ultimately how we feel about ourselves. CBT has the following characteristics:
- CBT is problem specific and goal oriented
- Offers skills and strategies for overcoming specific problems such as depression, drug abuse, and others
- Occurs over a finite period, typically between 5-20 weekly sessions
- CBT focuses on current problems, rather than resolving past issues
- CBT is collaborative. The therapist won’t tell you what to do, but rather help you to find a solution to current issues
CBT Techniques in Drug Addiction
To treat drug addiction, the therapist will use CBT techniques to help the patient identify the thoughts and emotions that trigger drug abuse. Once the triggers are known, the patient can then alter their thoughts and actions to produce positive outcomes.
For example, an individual may abuse drugs or alcohol, because they feel like a failure. The person may drink because they assume that failure at work or home is imminent and the alcohol helps to numb the shame. The patient and therapist will use CBT to analyze the assumption of failure. Instead of giving in, the patient can learn to break down their tasks and work through them methodically.
As a result, the patient experiences success and a sense of well-being, rather than falling to the desire to drink. In this way, the patient can use cognitive behavioral techniques to develop long term coping strategies, making sobriety and a happier life achievable.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques at Serenity House Houston
If you are suffering from substance abuse, consider cognitive behavioral therapy at Serenity House in Houston Texas. Serenity House uses a wide variety of evidence based and therapeutic treatment methods including CBT, group therapy and family therapy to treat alcohol, methamphetamine and other types of substance abuse. Call us today at 866.516.8356 if you or someone you care about is ready to free themselves from substance abuse.
