Recovering from an addiction is a process that requires active engagement and effort — but sometimes, even with willpower, you might not know how to go about taking your life in a new direction.
Some people who are excited to make a full recovery still do not have the skills they need for long-term success, but the good news is that these skills can be learned!
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is one effective method of equipping you with the life skills to help you build a foundation for change.
Northern Virginia and DC residents who are or know a loved one struggling with alcohol or substance abuse should consider cognitive behavioral therapy and its potential benefits for their lives in both the short and long term.
Here’s what you need to know about building a foundation for change using CBT, especially in the early parts of recovery.
What Is CBT and How Does It Work?
CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is a type of psychological intervention that equips people with tangible skills they can use to alter the behaviors that lead to or contribute to their addiction.
Cognitive behavioral therapy effectively addresses the underlying causes of a person’s behavior, such as emotions, worldview, coping mechanisms, and sources of pleasure and discomfort.
It can also approach sensitive issues that may be underpinning addictive behavior, including grief, trauma, stress, relationship challenges, and mental health struggles. Cognitive behavioral therapy can take many forms because the approach is tailored to the participant.
A therapist will not make a blanket recommendation for activities such as journaling for all patients; while one person may find journaling relaxing and useful, you may feel that it is cumbersome and be disinclined to do it.
What works best for you should be a primary target for CBT, especially because cognitive behavioral therapy is meant to be a short-term commitment — that is, you will not be attending therapy sessions multiple times per week for the rest of your life.
Instead, CBT aims to equip people with the necessary skills and knowledge to make choices that serve them, even long after they have stopped seeing their therapist regularly. Cognitive behavioral therapy sets people up for long-term success by using functional approaches rather than just talk therapy.
Why CBT Matters Early in Recovery
Cognitive behavioral therapy can be especially important early in the recovery process because it sets a patient up for success. Many challenges associated with addiction and relapse stem from negative feedback loops.
For instance, have you ever been doing well with avoiding your substance, then made a small mistake and ended up worse off than before? In such a situation, it is simple to slip into a defeating cycle in which the patient’s feelings of failure, inadequacy, and futility lead to self-fulfilling prophecies.
CBT can target these feelings and halt those feedback loops so that if a person makes a mistake, they can still move on with success. CBT will teach you how to recognize patterns in your behavior that lead to challenges.
These might be spending time with friends who will tempt you, failing to fill your time with hobbies and other sources of fulfillment and joy, or becoming defeatist and closed-off to the help of others. Each person is unique, and reshaping their negative thought processes will require a unique journey.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is made of two separate prongs that work together. The first prong is addressing (and changing) negative thought patterns that are contributing to the addiction.
The second prong is developing skills, habits, and routines that foster a healthy lifestyle reflective of the way you want to live.
To succeed, those who participate in CBT should be prepared to be honest, mindful, and introspective; their therapist can help them interpret and understand the many events, emotions, and worldviews they have experienced and developed over time.
Addressing these issues early in recovery can set you up for success by preventing you from developing more deeply entrenched negative habits.
Learn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Set Yourself Up for Success
Recovery from addiction requires effort, but it is not something that you have to attempt on your own. In fact, with the help of a professional cognitive behavioral therapist, you can learn coping skills and new ways of thinking about your situation that will set you up for success over the long term. Your therapist is your partner, ready to assist you in getting back on your feet.
The experts at Aquila Recovery Clinic are always eager to help patients develop skills and techniques that will serve them for years to come as they recover from and eventually overcome their addiction. Contact Aquila Recovery Clinic to schedule a therapy appointment.