Cognitive-behavioral therapy could be an effective treatment option if you or someone you know is looking for help with opioid use disorder. Usually shortened to CBT, this is a specific type of treatment that is frequently combined with medication-assisted therapy (MAT) to help people take a well-rounded treatment approach to the recovery process. Because everyone who suffers from opioid use disorder has a slightly different set of needs, it is important to customize the treatment plan for each individual. Learn more about cognitive-behavioral therapy below, and do not hesitate to reach out to a professional therapist who can work with you or your loved one to not only get sober but also sober.
What Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a well-established, proven, and effective form of behavioral therapy for people who suffer from numerous mental health issues, including substance use and opioid use disorder. The goal of this treatment option is to focus on how your mood can influence your thoughts. During the treatment process, it is important to get to the root cause of why someone feels the urge to use opioids. By targeting your mood and emotions, CBT can help uncover some of the driving forces behind this behavioral pattern, helping people control and break them.
There are a number of problematic moods and thought patterns that CBT might be able to address. These include underlying core beliefs, cognitive distortions, maladaptive thinking, and dysfunctional automatic thoughts. All of these are potential issues in someone’s thought patterns that could play a role in why someone might feel the need to use opioid medications.
Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is Important for Addiction Treatment
There are several reasons why CBT has become such an effective treatment option for people who suffer from addiction. This is because CBT can help people:
- Learn how to recognize thoughts and actions that could lead to opioid use.
- Learn different methods to address and stop these thought patterns.
- Identify the root cause that led to their addiction patterns in the first place.
- Learn how to develop coping skills in therapy that they can use to avoid situations that might contribute to opioid use or deal with cravings that might develop in the future.
- Reach out for help when they feel like they need it.
- Make sure they understand how to apply the new skills they have learned in challenging situations.
CBT has been around for decades and has successfully played a role in helping people recover from substance use and addiction.
Co-Occurring Disorders
Cognitive-behavioral therapy also plays a major treatment role in addressing co-occurring disorders. What this means is that there are a lot of people with opioid use disorder who also suffer from mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used to help people address other mental health issues, which could make it easier for them to overcome opioid use disorder as well. It is not unusual for secondary mental health issues to precede or follow the development of substance use issues, such as opioid use disorder.
CBT for Addiction
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is incredibly beneficial for people suffering from addiction. When someone is addicted to alcohol, drugs, or any other substance, their brains have been wired to feel like they cannot survive without those substances. CBT for addiction will focus on someone’s thought patterns, helping their brains break the conviction that they need those substances to survive. This could make it easier for someone to resist their addiction down the road.
CBT for Use
CBT is also effective in treating substance use disorders because it helps people get to the root cause of why they felt the urge to use opioids in the first place. This means breaking behavioral patterns and thought patterns that would otherwise make it very difficult for someone to go an extended amount of time without using opioid medications. CBT is always customized to meet the needs of each individual patient.
How Does Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Work?
There are several guiding principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy. They include:
- Mental health issues, including substance use concerns, are based on problematic ways of thinking that need to be addressed.
- Behavioral disorders, such as addiction, are based on patterns of negative behavior that have been learned over time and need to be unlearned.
- Individuals who suffer from mental health issues and behavioral disorders can learn ways to cope with these negative thought patterns and beliefs. As a result, it is possible for them to address their symptoms and create positive changes that make it easier for them to stay sober and well.
Even though everyone may have different moods, thought patterns, and problematic behaviors, cognitive-behavioral therapy could still prove useful in helping someone overcome struggles with addiction or opioid use disorders.
Contact MATClinics To Learn More About CBT and Addiction Therapy
There are a number of treatment options that can be effective for people who suffer from opioid use disorder, and one of the most effective types of addiction therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy. CBT has a wide variety of benefits, and it can be combined with medication-assisted therapy to put people in the best position possible to recover.
At MATClinics, we will work with you personally to develop a treatment plan that has been customized to meet your needs. We understand that opioid use disorder can have a significant impact on your quality of life, but with a well-rounded treatment plan, we can help you address this concern. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.