Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
for Addiction in Orange County
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- What CBT is
- How CBT can treat addiction
- Conditions that can be treated with CBT
- How our CBT program works
- Answers to FAQs about CBT for addiction
What Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a goal-oriented, evidence-based type of psychotherapy that addresses the inherent connections between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.2 CBT operates on a very straightforward principle: how we think about a situation impacts how we feel, which in turn affects the actions we take. Changing unhelpful thought patterns, therefore, can shift our emotional responses and behavioral choices.3 CBT for substance misuse focuses on identifying the automatic, unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that underlie addiction. For example, you might think that you can’t handle stress without drinking, or that another instance of substance use won’t hurt. These thoughts can feel true in the moment, even when they’re objectively false. CBT teaches you to recognize these cognitive distortions of addiction and to challenge them with evidence and other alternative perspectives. Participants learn new strategies for managing triggers and cravings and new problem-solving approaches for maintaining sobriety.The Research Around CBT
As one of the most widely studied modalities in the world, CBT has been validated as one of the most effective therapies for treating addiction and dual diagnosis concerns.4 Standard CBT rehab programs usually involve around 12 to 16 sessions, though treatment can continue for longer to address complex needs or long-term support.
How CBT Helps Treat Addiction
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction works by helping dismantle the mental and behavioral patterns that keep people engaged in drug or alcohol use. It tackles addiction from several angles, addressing immediate triggers to use while working to build long-term skills for sustained recovery. It does so through the following protocols.
Recognizing Your Triggers and Distorted Thinking Patterns
CBT for addiction helps you identify specific situations, emotions, and thought patterns addiction creates that can lead to further substance use. For example, this could be feeling lonely or experiencing criticism, driving past a former associate’s house, or getting into an argument. Common thinking distortions include all-or-nothing thinking (If I’ve had one drink, I may as well have more), catastrophizing (If I don’t use drugs, I’ll never feel normal again), and rationalization (Everyone gets to drink to relax, what’s the big deal?).5 CBT for dual diagnosis treatment can help you to better catch these thoughts as they occur, along with challenging and replacing them with more reality-based alternatives.Building Practical Coping Skills
Instead of just identifying problems, CBT coping skills give you actionable alternatives to substance use. You’ll learn techniques for managing difficult feelings and triggers as they arise, such as urge surfing, distraction methods, building support systems, and engaging in other activities. What’s more, CBT for anxiety and depression also works to address your mental health needs with stress management techniques and new frameworks for decision-making, increasing your resilience and overall outlook.Creating Long-Term Change
CBT-based planning prepares you for the high-risk situations that inevitably come up after treatment is done. Clients develop detailed strategies for handling challenging scenarios, along with how to handle the emotions that arise around them. You’ll also work on structuring your day in a way you feel good and building up healthy relationships, making continued sobriety even more appealing as recovery goes on.Conditions We Treat With CBT
Inpatient care with CBT at A Better Life Recovery helps you heal from substance use and mental health issues. Our dual diagnosis CBT approach recognizes that treating addiction means taking care of every aspect of your personhood – including any co-occurring issues. The following are overviews of the conditions we can treat with CBT.
Substance Use Disorders
- Alcohol addiction: CBT for alcohol issues challenges the beliefs that normalize drinking patterns and teaches you to manage social pressures and emotional triggers to drink, as well as addresses cravings as they arise.
- Benzodiazepine addiction: Anxiety can often be heavily involved in benzo misuse, and CBT helps you better manage it with new techniques to center and ground yourself.
- Opioid addiction: Addiction to heroin, fentanyl, or prescription painkillers is often a result of trying to mask the main emotions – physical or emotional – you’ve been feeling. CBT works collaboratively to develop new management strategies, alongside any medical support you may need.
- Prescription drug addiction: CBT examines how prescription medications transitioned from medical treatments to dependency, addressing the rationalizations that helped to justify continued misuse.
- Stimulant addiction: Treatment for stimulant use disorder (which can include meth and cocaine) focuses on building new sources of energy and motivation, along with a better understanding of how your use developed and healthier alternatives.
Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
- Anxiety disorders: CBT is one of the gold standards for treating generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorder, helping you evaluate the accuracy of your thoughts. It also works with you to develop better ways to respond to anxiety-based symptoms and avoidance.
- Bipolar disorder: CBT helps people to recognize early warning signs of depression and manic symptoms, working to develop new routines for improved mood stability.
- Depressive disorders: CBT for depression (including major depressive disorder) challenges the negative thought patterns that can maintain periods of low mood while helping increase your capacity for engaging in activities you enjoy.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder: OCD can be difficult to deal with, but CBT is adaptable to incorporate elements of exposure and response prevention to help you better tolerate the anxiety that obsessive thoughts and compulsions can create.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: People with PTSD can benefit from processing their traumatic memories in a safe place, along with addressing the avoidance behaviors and hypervigilance that work to maintain trauma-based symptoms.
Our CBT Program in Orange County
CBT principles inform several aspects of A Better Life Recovery‘s inpatient and recovery support services, from individual sessions to daily programming and activities.
Experienced clinicians, including licensed clinical social workers and licensed marriage and family therapists, work with you to identify your triggers and challenge unhelpful thought patterns. These approaches are always adapted to your unique circumstances.
Likewise, CBT-based group therapy allows you to practice new skills with peers while hearing how others recognize and challenge their cognitive distortions. Further, skill-based recovery groups teach practical techniques for managing future cravings and handling stress.
Our board-certified psychiatrist will evaluate whether medication might support your treatment, coordinating with the treatment team to ensure any prescribed meds and therapeutic interventions work in harmony for your healing.
ABLR also provides discharge planning and ongoing support. Our team is invested in helping you translate CBT concepts into daily, applicable tools to support your sobriety and recovery in the long-term.
What to Expect in CBT Sessions
CBT for addiction follows a structured but flexible format that adapts to your needs. The work is active, focused, and oriented toward being practical and problem-solving.
Initial sessions involve you and your therapist mapping out the thought patterns addiction has created and being curious about your experiences. You’ll work together to set concrete goals and measurable targets, ensuring your cognitive-behavioral therapy addiction treatment addresses what’s most important to you.
Sessions can teach you to catch distorted thinking as it occurs. For instance, you might be asked to keep a thought journal between sessions to help you recognize patterns of catastrophizing or using all-or-nothing thinking.
You and your therapist will regularly evaluate what’s working and what isn’t, adapting new approaches when necessary.
Insurance & Admissions
A Better Life Recovery accepts most major insurance plans, and our admissions team provides free and confidential verifications to help determine your coverage. We also handle the insurance process so you can focus on what’s most important – getting help.
We proudly serve communities throughout Orange County, including Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Santa Ana, and San Juan Capistrano.
Call us at 866-278-8804 to speak with an admissions specialist about admission. We’ll help you understand your options, even without insurance. Everyone deserves access to high-quality mental health and addiction treatment, and we’re here to help.
Start Your Recovery Journey Today
If you’re ready to break free from substance use addiction, reach out to us today to arrange a free, confidential consultation. Our 24/7 admissions helpline can answer any questions you may have. Let us support you on your journey to recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions About CBT For Addiction
If you’re curious as to how CBT could work for your needs, the team at A Better Life Recovery will be more than happy to discuss how it could benefit you. We’ve also provided some answers to FAQs on CBT to provide a little more clarity.
How Effective Is CBT for Addiction?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for addiction treatment is one of the most thoroughly researched approaches in mental health care. Decades of study confirm that CBT for substance misuse can reduce both active substance use and relapse rates after treatment ends.
CBT skills are also useful throughout life and into active recovery, along with being helpful for different substance addictions for alcohol, opioids, stimulants, and other drugs.
How Long Does CBT Treatment Last?
CBT-based work typically lasts for around 12 to 16 sessions – but ABLR ensures you’ll receive CBT principles throughout your treatment stay. For instance, you’ll practice CBT coping skills during individual and group therapy, building competency as your treatment steps down. Many clients also continue CBT-based work in outpatient programs after inpatient care, extending the benefits as they reintegrate into day-to-day life.
What’s the Difference Between CBT and DBT?
While both approaches examine how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect, CBT treatment focuses on noting and challenging distorted thinking patterns that help to maintain substance use.
DBT also utilizes CBT principles but adds mindfulness and acceptance strategies that target strong emotions and interpersonal instability. A Better Life Recovery incorporates both these modalities, selecting and adapting approaches based on your needs.
Can CBT Help With Anxiety and Depression?
CBT for anxiety or depression can definitely help the recovery process. Our dual diagnosis programming addresses each of your needs at once, rather than attempting to treat them separately.
Many people experiencing addiction also have co-occurring mental health concerns, making CBT and other evidence-based therapies a cornerstone of quality treatment.
Is CBT Covered By Insurance?
Yes, CBT-based treatment is typically included in insurance coverage. Let our admissions team help you better understand your benefits free of charge.
References
- Magill, M., Kiluk, B. D., & Ray, L. A. (2023). Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol and other drug use disorders: Is a one-size-fits-all approach appropriate? Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 14(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.2147/sar.s362864
- American Psychological Association. (2017). What is cognitive behavioral therapy? https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral
- Chand, S. P., Kuckel, D. P., & Huecker, M. R. (2023, May 23). Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470241/
- Magill, M., Kiluk, B. D., & Ray, L. A. (2023). Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol and other drug use disorders: Is a one-size-fits-all approach appropriate? Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 14(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.2147/sar.s362864
- Grinspoon, P. (2022, May 4). How to recognize and tame your cognitive distortions. Harvard Health; Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-recognize-and-tame-your-cognitive-distortions-202205042738n
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