Addiction is a complex challenge, and most people have likely tried multiple methods of overcoming this facet of their lives, often without success. Northern Virginia and D.C. residents who are or know a loved one struggling with alcohol or substance abuse and are seeking rehabilitation information and services may have overlooked cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) among their options.
This psychotherapy approach can equip a person with the skills they need to address their addiction at a fundamental level. Cognitive behavioral therapy incorporates active, solution-oriented thinking rather than just talk therapy.
CBT works to reframe how a person thinks and teaches them to identify their thought patterns in order to replace them with ones that are more productive and in service to their goals.
Studies have shown that CBT can have many long-term benefits, even many months or years after treatment has ended.
Some of the advantages that patients can enjoy after undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy in addiction rehabilitation include:
Hope and Improved Outlook
One of the biggest drivers of addictive behavior is a recursive pattern of negative thinking. When a person consistently falls into thinking traps such as “I made a mistake; I will never get out of this” or “I’m not strong enough to do this,” these thoughts can have real-world consequences in the form of a person’s actions.
However, cognitive behavioral therapy gives participants practice in improving their outlook realistically. They can learn to identify the positives of their situation:
- “I made a mistake; I will never improve” becomes “Mistakes happen, but they do not control my future choices.”
- “I’m not strong enough” becomes “I have succeeded in [a list of things], and I can do this too.”
The ability to reframe a person’s outlook comes with practice. Cognitive behavioral therapy serves as training to strengthen this ability — which persists long after addiction treatment and applies to other areas of life as well.
A Reflection on the Self
Another long-term benefit of CBT is how it teaches a person to be mindful and self-reflective. Cognitive behavioral therapy equips individuals with the tools to turn inward, uncovering the drivers behind their behaviors. When a person succumbs to addictive tendencies, it could be for a variety of reasons, such as:
Seeking comfort- Boredom
- Peer pressure
- Lack of knowledge
- Lack of support
- Emotional dysregulation
These are just a few possibilities. Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches a person to name the true impetus that is informing their actions. Once they can identify it, they can consider whether an alternative activity can fulfill the same need.
Life Skills and Tools
The life skills taught in CBT persist after treatment has concluded. From learning to deal with stress by journaling to picking up new and exciting hobbies that last for the rest of a person’s life, cognitive behavioral therapy is about digging into what enriches a person and leveraging it to overcome behaviors that are not serving them.
If an individual finds that they have a low tolerance for distress, they may turn to addictive behaviors such as substance use to cope with stressful situations.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can teach this person numerous methods of diffusing stress in other, more adaptive manners that suit their personality and worldview. For instance, some people respond well to physical stimuli such as breathing exercises or fitness routines, while others benefit more from finding a healthy distraction.
Understanding these tendencies about ourselves and being able to consciously apply these tools can help to address addictive behavior and resolve distress in other areas of life, too.
Communication and Conflict Resolution
One of the benefits that many CBT participants carry with them for years after treatment is an improvement in their communication skills and conflict resolution.
When a person has exercised their emotional regulation muscles, they are quicker and more accurate at identifying what they want to say, what is bothering them, and how they can convey this information to another person.
Some of the drivers that promote better communication as a natural consequence of success in cognitive behavioral therapy include:
Participants learn how to weigh their priorities- They gain practice in balancing what they want and what they need
- They regularly choose their words or thoughts carefully
Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Addiction Recovery
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a powerful option for addressing addiction and substance use disorders, but its effectiveness is not limited only to these use cases.
In fact, those who complete cognitive behavioral therapy often report that they can apply what they learned to a wide range of life stressors and situations, even long after they have exited their therapy program.
The team at Aquila Recovery Clinic equips our participants with CBT skills that work for their personalities and challenges. Contact Aquila Recovery Clinic to schedule a therapy appointment.