Cognitive Therapy As Treatment Of Drug Addiction

Cognitive Therapy is a widely utilized form of treatment in a variety of mental and emotional conditions, including anxiety and depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, panic attacks, and drug and alcohol addiction. The theory behind cognitive therapy postulates that the human brain's thinking patterns create feelings that, in turn, lead to behaviors. The resulting behaviors can be positive or negative, but the Cognitive Therapy philosophy maintains that negative behavioral patterns can be changed into constructive actions by primarily changing thinking patterns. Cognitive Therapy maintains that distorted thought patterns cause undesirable reactions, such as anxiety and depression, and, in some cases, drug and alcohol addiction.

How It Works

Therapists who specialize in cognitive treatment of drug addiction aid the patient in changing the messages he or she sends him or herself that lead to destructive behavior.

  • Once these thought patterns are identified and analyzed, the patient can alter his or her perception of situations and subsequently operate in a constructive manner.

  • Patients who suffer from drug or alcohol addiction maintain that they need the drug or alcohol, confusing the reality that they simply want it in order to cope with problems or life situations. The cognitive treatment of drug addiction includes a therapist who teaches the patient to create new messages that are opposite of the destructive thoughts already in place.

For example, an alcoholic who is struggling with a relationship issue might tell him or herself that the only method of coping with the pain is to drink. His or her thought pattern may be, "I feel so sad and alone. I need a drink." The cognitive therapist would help the patient come up with a new, positive message to replace the old, negative one. In this case, the patient might try using the following message to replace the older one: "I feel sad right now, and I can cope with this by going for a run." The new thoughts are a tool for the patient to change his or her destructive behavior patterns. In essence, novel thoughts can create novel behaviors.

Does It Work?

Cognitive treatment of drug addiction is a very powerful method in coping with addiction and other mental health issues.

  • It requires work and concentration on the part of the patient in order to be effective, but has been shown to be a powerful antidote to poor thought and behavior patterns.

  • By changing the messages in the brain, destructive thinking patterns are weakened by the brand-new, constructive ones. After undergoing this type of psychotherapy for some amount of time, the neural pathways that perpetuated the undesirable activity are replaced by the stronger, new thinking patterns.

Many drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers offer Cognitive Therapy as part of a complete recovery program, since it has been shown to be such an effective form of psychotherapy.

Numerous psychology programs at colleges and universities around the United States, including Arizona State University, offer Cognitive Therapy training as part of preparation for substance abuse counseling, as well as for private, one-on-one therapy. When employed correctly, this form of psychotherapy can be extremely effective and have a lasting effect on patients' lives far beyond their acute symptoms that led them to therapy in the first place.