Recovering from an alcohol or substance addiction is not a process that can be completed in a week or even a month; it requires long-term adjustments to lifestyle, thought patterns, and support structures. One of the most potent tools available to those struggling with addiction is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. CBT has been shown to reduce the chances of relapse substantially, sometimes by as much as 60%.
However, many patients are unclear as to why CBT is so valuable for relapse prevention. If you are not convinced that cognitive behavioral therapy is right for you, be sure to learn about its many mechanisms that make it a great option for relapse prevention.
What Contributes to Relapse?
It is important to first understand why relapse happens at all in order to see why CBT is effective for stopping relapses in patients struggling with addiction and substance abuse. There are many potential contributors to relapse, but in general, it comes down to two primary drivers: coping skills and awareness.
Coping skills
Many people become addicted to substances or alcohol as a means of coping with challenges in their lives. Stress, pain, anxiety, and more can all be reasons that a person may seek these substances.
Without developing other ways to cope with these situations when they arise, someone in recovery may be tempted to return to their old habits as soon as they once again become stressed, anxious, or affected by the situation that led to their initial use.
Awareness
The other primary reason relapses happen is patients may not be aware of their own thought processes. For instance, someone may feel that their body craves alcohol for no reason; however, if they had the tools for further inspection, they may become aware that this craving is arising from a sense of lost purpose in their lives. Without being aware of the underlying driver of addiction, it can be difficult to interrupt the process.
How CBT Helps With Relapse Prevention
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective means of encouraging long-term sobriety because it targets both of the main drivers of relapse. Some of the reasons CBT helps with relapse prevention include:
Removing the stigma
One significant reason why people do not seek help when they feel the urge to use after they have achieved sobriety is stigma. They may feel that they have failed to maintain their sobriety or that they will be judged for being unable to resist the urge.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people adjust their self-perceptions and inspires people to pursue choices that serve them, including seeking help whenever necessary. Thus, a person is more likely to reach out before they use, stopping the relapse before it starts.
Changing self-management strategies
Another primary reason that cognitive behavioral therapy reduces relapse is it retrains the brain’s neural patterns. In other words, participants learn to think differently and take on new perspectives, which can inform the way they manage their lives going forward.
For instance, if a person was previously drawn to substance use in order to cope with a stressful work life, CBT can help them find productive, useful ways to manage or mitigate that stress. Thus, the drive to return to a substance decreases as well.
Managing a support network
Cognitive behavioral therapy not only equips someone with better coping skills but also promotes the development of a strong support network. The attitudes and abilities learned in therapy allow participants to better manage friendships and other relationships due to increased mindfulness and fewer habits that interfere with those relationships, such as time spent with the substance.
Choosing favorable lifestyle habits
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses much of its efforts on adjusting how a person copes with stressors and learns new skills. While many of these skills are focused internally on adjusting one’s worldview and responses to triggers and compulsions to use, CBT also encourages more favorable lifestyle habits that can reduce the urge to return to a substance or, better yet, to replace the appeal of the substance with another habit that serves the patient.
Potential favorable lifestyle habits include eating healthy, finding an exercise routine the patient enjoys, spending time in nature, or even volunteering with a charitable organization.
Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Relapse Prevention
Relapse is common after substance abuse treatment, but it is far from a guarantee. Those struggling with relapse or who have already faced the relapse and sobriety cycle multiple times may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy from a compassionate, professional team.
The therapists at Aquila Recovery Clinic in Washington D.C. want to see you succeed and offer cognitive behavioral therapy that is informed by your specific interests, struggles, and needs. Contact Aquila Recovery Clinic to schedule therapy.