Cognitive Behavior Therapy For Addiction

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a promising treatment for a wide range of addictions. While the therapy itself is not a treatment for any addiction, it can be used as part of a larger therapeutic program, and will allow someone to recover more quickly.

Many people do not understand the basics of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. The main theory of the therapy is that a person has his or her feelings and behaviors based on their thoughts, and not by anything that they do. While many people may think this is crazy, there is some logical basis to it. Everyone has a choice of what they think, and when they think it. Sometimes, you are stuck in certain situations that you can just not get out of for any reason. However, if you change your basic thinking, you can change how you will react and what you will do in these situations.

This can sound very confusing; however, it is very simple when put into context. For example, when someone who is addicted to alcohol undergoes Cognitive Behavior Therapy, they are taught to recognize and avoid situations where they could gain access to alcohol. The addict is also taught about strategies they can use to cope, in case they cannot get away from the situation.

Addicts who are not ready to admit they have a problem are not good candidates for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Not only will they be unwilling to participate, but the training will not help them at all, as they will not use the skills to avoid their addiction. For addicts who are ready to go through with the therapy, there are two steps in the program. The first step is a functional analysis. While this may sound very scary, it is just a session where a therapist and an addict talks with a person about their feelings and emotions surrounding their addiction. This may be the “ah ha” moment for the addict, where they learn what was pushing them into their addiction. The session may actually be several sessions; however, it is important that the full picture of the addiction be realized before the next step is undertaken.

Once the therapist and the addict have gone through the functional analysis, the next part of the therapy is to have a skills session. This session will help teach the addict what they need to know in order to avoid going into relapse. Like the first step of the therapy, this session will actually take multiple sessions. It may require that the addict unlearn old habits, and learn proper coping skills. Once the therapist helps the addict learn new healthy coping skills and strategies, the addict can be done with the therapy.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a fast and accurate strategy for addicts of any addiction to help themselves stay sober. They take about how they were before, during and after their addiction. The addicts also talk about what they felt like. Once everything has been laid out on the table, the addict learns new coping skills with the help of a therapist. The entire therapy takes between ten to fifteen sessions; however, it is well worth it.

 Source: http://www.onlinerecoverysupport.com