When you are going through addiction, detox and withdrawal are the first steps in treatment and recovery. With that, you will need therapy to help you develop the skills and tools you need to stay sober. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a very common tool used to treat addiction, with multiple studies showing that it can significantly improve the quality of one’s life.
Experts at centers such as https://www.ascendantny.com/ will say that cognitive-behavioral therapy can help in the treatment of addiction as it helps you to change your mindset on many behaviors. Learn more about cognitive-behavioral therapy here, and how it can help in recovery.
Related: A Guide to understanding the benefits of Seeking Addiction Help at a rehab center
What is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that helps you to work on how you think, and how that impacts your behavior. It is a form of short-term treatment that will last between 5 and 20 sessions, depending on your needs. The word “cognitive” refers to how you think, and the word “behavioral” refers to how you behave based on what you think.
In this kind of therapy, your therapist will help you to identify the thought patterns that are most dangerous to you. They might include problems that come from your childhood, or problems in your life now. They may not have anything to do with your addiction. The point of this is to find the streams of thought that you have that increase your likelihood of addiction.
You might for example live a life where you feel rejected by people, even though that is not happening. That could lead to increased stress or depression levels that put you in danger of relapse. During your treatment, you will be taught how those thoughts aren’t legitimate and shouldn’t be pursued with behavior. You probably aren’t being rejected by people, but it may feel that way if you have lived a life with people who became stressors.
Stay away from those people will be one piece of advice during your cognitive behavioral therapy. They aren’t helping you live with healthy thoughts.
Related: When Should You Seek Help with Addiction?
Why CBT Helps With Addiction
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps with addiction because stress and depression play significant roles in the addiction. You are more likely to stay sober and prevent relapse when you are thinking in a healthy way. When you aren’t thinking healthily, you may drink or use drugs to try and get numb those unhealthy thoughts or make them go away.
This could be a painful time when you are working through negative thoughts that harmed you. However, with a therapist and in the right setting, you will find safety in this treatment as so many others do. This space is about healing and not judging.
Seek Safe Support
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a very successful tool when you are overcoming addiction challenges. Experts at centers such as https://www.ascendantny.com/ will tell you that it is an important part of safely changing the mindsets that led to your addiction. Success is possible with safe support. Start the journey of seeking tools that will help you get back in control of your life.