CBT for Addiction Treatment

Philosophy

When a person understands why they feel or act a certain way — and how those feelings and actions contribute to substance use — they’re better equipped to recover. This is why Hannah’s House provides cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for women recovering from substance or alcohol use disorders.

The purpose of CBT treatment is to help patients overcome emotions (cognitions) and actions (behaviors) that are illogical or irrational. CBT is an active intervention; one can expect to do homework or practice outside of sessions. It is a cornerstone of addiction treatment modalities because it can help someone experience change and be woven into a treatment plan from day one.

People undergoing CBT for addiction can expect their therapist to be solution-focused and goal-directed in addressing the challenging symptoms of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Alongside alcohol or drug use disorders, CBT also treats co-occurring disorders such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Eating disorders
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Problem gambling
  • Video game addiction
  • Compulsive Shopping
  • Food addictions
  • Other types of harmful or excessive behaviors

 

How Does CBT Work for Addiction?

Many harmful or irrational feelings and behaviors may come from past experiences or environmental factors. They can be rooted in traumas, stresses, or family systems. Our caring therapists first work to help each woman identify their negative “automatic thoughts.” An automatic thought is based on impulse and often comes from internalized self-doubt, shame, or fear.

Many people with a substance use disorder may try to self-medicate these painful thoughts and feelings by drinking alcohol or misusing drugs. By reassessing these painful memories and framing them in a new way, those in treatment can reduce the pain they cause and learn new, positive replacement behaviors.

CBT Treatment Process at Hannah’s House

Hannah’s House uses the evidence-based practice of CBT for addiction as one of our key treatment modalities because it focuses on examining the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We incorporate CBT into all of our highly individualized treatment plans and help each woman identify self-defeating thoughts and behaviors which may drive addiction.

Our patients learn to modify their thought patterns and improve their coping skills by exploring beliefs that direct negative thoughts, leading to self-destructive actions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Substance Use Disorders

 

No matter who you are, negative thinking is an obstacle to change. Negative thinking patterns can exacerbate many illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and addiction. These powerful, destructive thoughts are common among women with substance abuse, and all-or-nothing thinking often contributes to the powerlessness they experience around their drug of choice.

All-or-nothing thinking is one of the most frequently encountered negative thought patterns. An example of all-or-nothing thinking is, “If I can’t do something perfectly, I shouldn’t even try.”

Most of us are familiar with these types of thoughts, but for people with addiction, they can be deadly. These types of ideas can drive someone away from engaging in recovery altogether. By keeping a record of when these types of thoughts come up, CBT can help a person intimately understand their thought processes and develop new perspectives.

CBT Works Quickly – But the Benefits Last a Lifetime

In Hannah’s House 30-day, 45-day, or 90-day addiction treatment program, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can help each patient develop alternative behaviors that will lead to a lifetime of success. CBT for addiction treatment is effective because it’s highly focused compared to other therapeutic modalities. A course of CBT sessions is relatively short-term in nature, but the benefits are long-term.

Start your journey to freedom by calling the Hannah’s House team at 561.841.1272.