CBT Treatment For Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Yes, studies by Castle Craig show that 60% of people that used CBT therapy to treat addictions were able to stay clean for at least one year, whilst 66% of people saw better outcomes.

Cognitive therapy targets the thoughts and behaviours that contribute to addiction for drugs and alcohol. For example, most of those struggling with addiction often have automatic negative thoughts—such as “I can’t cope without using,” or “I’ll never be able to quit.” These words trigger emotional distress.

CBT addresses these destructive thought patterns. The therapists then teach patients to challenge and reframe them into more positive perspectives. So instead of saying, “I can’t,” it will be more like, “I have the strength to overcome this,” or “I can find healthier ways to cope.”

Another key element of CBT for addiction is cognitive restructuring. This involves challenging those negative, automatic thoughts such as “I need to drink to cope with stress,” and replacing them with more constructive thoughts like, “I’ve handled stress before without drinking, I can do it again.”

Relapse prevention is another critical part of CBT. Planning for high-risk situations and knowing how to manage them helps individuals be more prepared.

What Happens During a CBT Session?

In a typical CBT session, the therapist works closely with the patient to discover thought patterns that may be contributing to emotional or behavioural problems. For instance, someone might regularly think, “I’m always messing up at work.” This may lead to feelings of inadequacy and poor performance.

CBT encourages patients to challenge and replace these thoughts with healthier alternatives. So instead of always thinking about how they messed up, the individual can reframe their thought to something like, “I’ve faced challenges before and succeeded, so I can handle this.”

One of CBT’s key strengths is its focus on the present. Unlike other therapies that delve deeply into the past, cognitive talking therapy keeps the attention on current issues. CBT therapists emphasise actionable strategies to address present-day challenges—whether it’s for anxiety disorders, eating disorders or mental health problems.

The ABC model is an essential tool in CBT. It provides insight into how thoughts directly impact emotions and behaviours.

• The “A” stands for an activating event.
• “B” represents beliefs about that event.
• “C” signifies the consequences of those beliefs.

For instance, if someone experiences an activating event like missing a deadline. They might convince themselves that “I am a failure,” resulting in feelings of frustration or guilt. The CBT therapist then helps challenge the “B” (belief) to produce more constructive consequences.

CBT’s practical approach is not limited to specific conditions. This treatment has been very effective in addressing various mental health disorders. It’s particularly helpful for those experiencing anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use.

Moreover, CBT is highly goal-oriented. This means progress can often be measured in a relatively short time typically over 12 to 16 sessions.