How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Helps in Treating Addiction & Prevents Relapse
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Have you heard about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? It is one of the most important therapies for all forms of addiction. In fact, the treatment method is even useful in dealing with other psychological problems.
As the name implies, the treatment involves understanding and analyzing the behavioral patterns that are associated with addiction. For a starter, it involves observing the external and internal stimuli that are driving you towards the consumption of alcohol or any other drugs.
How CBT Helps in Treating Addiction
Most forms of substance abuse and addiction start with casual usage and consumption. For example, social drinking sessions could have made you feel good. What started as an ordinary party with your friends and colleagues could often lead to chronic addiction.
Cognition – Trying To Understand The Underlying Cause
The underlying reason for this addiction, in this case, is the feeling of belonging that is achieved when you drink along with your friends. Slowly, your mind relates the feeling of high that is associated with drinking alcohol with the feeling of belonging. Ultimately you end up drinking in order to feel the same sense of belonging.
In CBT, you are taught how to observe and analyze the feelings, and actions that happen when you have the urge to drink or consume other substances. Once you are able to identify the cause, it becomes easier to separate yourself from the scenario and deal with the negative thoughts.
Behavioral Changes
You will also learn techniques and behavioral changes to cultivate to make yourself an independent individual. The therapy will also equip you to recognize the early signs of cravings. When you are properly trained with coping mechanisms, you will be able to successfully stay away from alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and other habit-forming substances.
How CBT Helps in Prevention of Relapse
Relapse into alcoholism and addiction is a frequent event. In fact, most successful rehabilitations will have an episode of relapse once or twice. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy doesn’t see relapse as a permanent condition. Relapse is to be seen as a process of getting over your addiction. Each and everyone that undergoes treatment for addiction is under the threat of relapsing.
As CBT finds the underlying causes for all forms of addiction and it ventures into neutralizing these causes, it is effective in combating addiction. So, the probability of a long relapse is minimized.
Practices like self-monitoring, identifying high-risk situations where you will be tempted to fall back to the old ways, and understanding and combating negative emotions are all important to prevent relapse.
CBT helps you to identify such signals and respond actively to these external stimuli. It helps in
- Identification of high-risk situations.
- Maintaining emotional stability even during the flooding of emotions both negative and positive.
- Understanding the coping mechanisms.
Where Do I Turn For Help?
At Nova Recovery Center, we provide the best cognitive behavioral therapy to combat your addictions. It trains you mentally, emotionally, and physically to stay out of substance abuse. We have many sober living homes and detox centers in Texas. Book an appointment today. If you feel that you need help with an addiction and want to learn more about outpatient drug rehab in Austin, Texas, please call Nova Recovery Center at (888) 427-4932 or contact us online today.