Cognitive behavioral therapy, also referred to as CBT, is one of the most popular forms of therapy for the treatment of mental illnesses and one used at Crest View Recovery Center in Asheville, NC. In particular, it has been proven to be highly successful at treating addiction and substance abuse. Therapists frequently use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques when working one-on-one with rehab clients. It’s ideal for helping clients find a different perspective on their issues. But what exactly is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and what are some of the advantages of these services? More importantly, how can they help you during recovery?
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Someone with an alcohol problem might rationalize that a bad day at work merits a visit to the bar. There needs to be a change to avoid getting back into a situation where using will happen. The therapist can now appeal to a transformation of thought, feelings, or action. Perhaps the individual can reason that the day wasn’t as bad as others, and therefore, there’s no need to use.
Maybe a possible behavior change turns a trip to the bar into a visit to the juice bar. It depends on the client’s most controllable facet of the triangle. Of course, cognitive behavioral therapy is a lot more involved than this example. There are also issues of black and white thinking, faulty reasoning, fatalism, and similar patterns to undo.
CBT Can Counter Depression and Anxiety
CBT can be beneficial to clients for a number of reasons. For example, while it can help conquer substance abuse disorders, it can also be helpful against depression and anxiety. Often, those mental health disorders are worsened by experiencing negative emotions. Furthermore, since depression and anxiety are often underlying factors leading to substance abuse, this can fight addiction in multiple ways.
CBT Allows Clients to Spot Their Own Negative Mindset
One benefit of CBT is that it teaches clients how to recognize their way of thinking. Many people struggling with addiction have a very negative mindset, and they might think of themselves as victims. However, this can be dangerous, because it pushes responsibility away from the individual.
With CBT, clients learn to spot their negativity. They realize they have the potential to change this way of thinking. Therefore, just realizing that you control your own emotions and responses is a big piece of the recovery puzzle.
Identifying Triggers and Planning With CBT
Emotional triggers can be anything from feeling lonely to being hungry. Every client’s triggers are unique, but they are key moments that can lead to emotional upset or negative behavior. In fact, in addiction recovery, triggers are often the cause of relapse. In CBT, clients start identifying their triggers and how to appropriately respond when they occur.
What Makes CBT Effective for Addiction Treatment?
This form of psychotherapy acknowledges that feelings, thought patterns, and behaviors intertwine to form triggers and responses. It would be simple for someone else to tell you not to think in a certain way. Unfortunately, it would also be useless. A therapist recognizes that you need to examine your thoughts, feelings, and actions yourself to pinpoint problems.
As you become more aware of your patterns and their consequences for your choices, you make changes. Moreover, additional treatment approaches of addiction therapy reinforce your decisions. By integrating multiple therapy options, your treatment will be more effective. It helps to attack these issues Examples of these modalities include:
- Family therapy program
- Group therapy for addiction
- Reality based therapy
- Nutritional counseling
- Recreational therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Asheville, NC
At Crest View Recovery Center in Asheville, North Carolina, our CBT reality therapy model makes it possible to address many of these problems in the process of counseling. Examples of possible approaches include:
- Comprehensive clinical care that emphasizes avenues of healing
- 12-Step meetings that provide access to peer support and group cohesion
- Rehab treatment program and a subsequent intensive outpatient program that maintains treatment continuity
- Opportunities for real-life activities that program participants to help individuals develop post-treatment coping strategies
By intertwining the tenets of cognitive behavioral therapy with other treatments, clients get comfortable using the new tools they learn. Trying them out on a daily basis is an excellent way of achieving change.
CBT in Asheville, NC at Crest View Recovery Center
In the end, what is cognitive behavioral therapy? CBT therapy is an approach used at Crest View Recovery Center in Asheville, NC that could help you or a loved one overcome a substance abuse problem. If you or someone in your life has been struggling with self-defeating thoughts, negative feelings, or self-sabotaging behaviors, our therapists can help. Contact Crest View Recovery Center today at 866-327-2505 for more information.
