Approximately 20 million people in the United States struggle with at least one substance use disorder. There are various treatment options available to these individuals to help them overcome addiction and maintain their sobriety. One of these treatment options is reality therapy, an effective therapy model used to change people’s behavior and outlook.
Many treatment facilities offer reality therapy as part of a comprehensive continuum of care. Below, learn about what reality therapy is in detail, how it works and how it helps in addiction treatment.
Defining Reality Therapy
Reality-based therapy is a form of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. This type of therapy focuses on the client as a whole and aims to improve their current relationships or circumstances while staying grounded in the present. While we may not be in control of how we feel, we’re able to control how we think and behave. Reality therapy aims to fix avoidance behaviors that result in psychological problems that can influence addiction.
Reality therapy hinges on the idea that the most crucial need for any individual is a feeling of love and belonging. By fostering connections, individuals can fulfill all other basic needs. People can ultimately improve their lives by taking control and learning to make positive decisions.
Examples of Reality Therapy Techniques
The goal of reality therapy is to alter an individual’s behavior to inspire positive changes. When a person starts working with a therapist, they might experience various techniques, including:
Self-evaluation: As individuals work through therapy, they’ll work to identify current behaviors affecting their current situation. Identifying these behaviors helps establish where a person currently stands and what changes they can make. This technique will provide a benchmark of an individual’s progress on multiple occasions.
Planning: Once the evaluation is complete, a therapist will help an individual develop an action plan. The plan will detail new actions or behaviors to help the individual achieve their goals. The plan should be specific, attainable and focused on positive changes.
Reframing: A therapist will help reframe negative thoughts or concepts more positively, switching the focus from problem-focused to solution-focused. By remaining positive, the work becomes more about finding solutions than staying stuck on the challenges.
Behavioral practice: Reality therapy focuses on changing behaviors, and a therapist might have you practice new behaviors in a session. Some therapists will have a person talk about these behaviors and how they would react in certain situations or act out scenarios to ensure the individual is properly prepared when the situation occurs in reality.
Regardless of the technique, all forms of reality therapy focus on:
Staying grounded in the present.
Avoiding discussions about the past.
Improving current relationships and connections.
Eliminating negative thoughts that influence negative behaviors.
Focusing on positive behavioral alternatives.
Where Is Reality Therapy Used?
Reality therapy can be used in various situations, including individual therapy, family counseling, education, management and marriage counseling. Every person has experiences, relationships and beliefs that influence their behaviors. Reality therapy works by helping individuals focus on their current behaviors in their situation and how they can make changes to fulfill their basic needs for a happy and healthy life.
When people participate in reality therapy, they’ll meet with a therapist who will help individuals define what they want to change about their current situation. Once a person’s true desires are uncovered, current behaviors are examined to determine if they are helping or hurting a person’s chances of achieving their desires.
These behaviors are evaluated to create a realistic picture of how an individual works towards their desires and what changes can be made to inspire a positive outcome. Positive behaviors replace their negative alternatives. The final step is to create a plan using these positive alternatives to achieve the individual’s goals.
One of the most crucial steps of reality therapy is the individual’s commitment to the necessary behavioral changes. They must take responsibility for their actions and accept the consequences of their behaviors. It’s essential to remain encouraged during this process. A person’s thought patterns are undergoing changes, which may be challenging at first. However, persistence is necessary to sustain behavioral changes and see real improvement in their situation, whether they’re using reality therapy to improve themselves, their marriage or their family.
How Reality Therapy Is Used in Substance Abuse Rehabs
While reality therapy can be used in various circumstances, it is often used to treat substance use disorders. Reality therapy is focused on influencing positive behavioral changes to achieve the desired outcome. When a person enters a reality-based therapy program for addiction, they’ll analyze the thought patterns that influenced their addictive behaviors.
Some people started using substances because they felt a lack of control in their lives. Others may use substances to cope with uncomfortable emotions or feelings, such as grief, loneliness or pain. Reality therapy helps people accept what they cannot control and improves upon what they can. With reality therapy, people with substance use disorders have the option to take responsibility for their past behaviors and focus on moving forward.
Many people who struggle with substance abuse have lost their personal relationships or they’re strained and uncomfortable. Reality therapy will focus on rebuilding these connections to foster a sense of belonging, which is essential for the success of reality therapy. If a person feels loved or as if they belong, they’ll be able to meet their other basic needs and turn away from substance abuse.
Reality therapy is often used alongside other clinical treatment methods. Once a person has detoxed from a substance, they may require various levels of care to improve their symptoms and sustain sobriety. Rehab facilities often offer a continuum of care that includes various treatment programs that are personalized based on an individual’s needs.
Reality therapy can also be a part of a dual diagnosis treatment program. A therapist can help address the substance misuse or abuse and the underlying mental health condition that may have been a contributing factor to the addiction. Reality therapy is just one type of treatment offered at substance abuse rehabs to treat addiction and the underlying cause.
Contact Crest View Recovery Center to Learn More About Reality Therapy
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, you’re not alone. At Crest View Recovery Center, we offer various forms of treatment, including our reality-based therapy model, to help you overcome your struggles and improve your quality of life. We can meet you at any stage in the recovery process, whether you’re just starting out or looking for additional support.
Our goal is to facilitate change and improve your physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Our individualized treatment programs allow you to get the most from our services at the greatest benefit to you. Contact us today to learn more about our addiction recovery programs.
You’re here for a reason, right?
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Before you go…
You’re here for a reason, right?
Let’s talk it through.
Our COVID-19 Protocols
First and foremost, we want to maintain a safe recovery environment and encourage and/or adopt practices protecting the health of patients, employees, visitors and others. We also want to ensure the continuity of providing our addiction recovery services in the face of this global pandemic as we remain open. Note, our staff is fully vaccinated.
The world health community continues to monitor closely the emergence of COVID-19. We want everyone to understand the exact precautions we are taking to address these concerns.
Effective Until Further Notice
ALL incoming clients are pre-screened and Crest view is utilizing the COVID-19 Rapid Test for all newly admitted patients to ensure a safe treatment environment.
No non-essential visitors
ALL clients will need to have their temperature taken daily and recorded. Any client with a temperature higher than 100.4 will be taken to an Urgent Care facility.
ALL Crest View Staff are being routinely tested for COVID.
ALL BHT staff will need to have their temperature taken at the start of their assigned shift. Any BHT staff member with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will be sent home in accordance with this policy.
ALL administrative staff and essential visitors will be required to enter the building upstairs and have their temperature taken with a temple thermometer. Any staff or essential visitor with a temperature higher than 100.4 will be denied entry and be sent home in accordance with this policy.
In accordance with the North Carolina State mandate, all staff, clients and essential visitors will be asked to wear a mask when they can not attain proper social distance.
Some off-site activities may be canceled due to state mandates.
Crest View Recovery Center will provide hand sanitizers throughout the workplace and in common areas. Cleaning sprays and wipes will also be provided to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as telephones and keyboards.
We have required that employees experiencing any respiratory or flu like symptoms will stay home from work. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employees remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100.4 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
If you have any questions regarding our COVID-19 protocols or the admissions process during this time, please give us a call directly at (866) 327-2505.
