Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on a core belief that actions begin as a thought, and therefore making adjustments to behavioral patterns starts in the mind. When used in addiction rehab, under the guidance of accredited mental health specialists, CBT has been proven effective in helping people who are battling substance abuse learn effective new coping methods.
At Harbor Village recovery center in Miami, we understand that drug and alcohol abuse is often a symptom of deep-rooted issues such as co-occurring mental health disorders or emotional traumas. Child abuse and neglect, domestic abuse, sexual assault, and other negative life experiences can trigger anxiety or depression, which may lead you to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs.
CBT plays an important part in the addiction recovery process because it allows you to address those underlying issues. The prospect of discussing such intimate details of your life in therapy can be daunting or intimidating – but it doesn’t have to be. Through evidence-based, trauma-informed CBT at our safe, clinically supervised facility, we can help you begin the journey to a life free of substance abuse.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most effective means of alcohol or drug addiction treatment for anyone dealing with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. Negative thought patterns and poor self-image contribute to dangerous coping mechanisms like substance abuse and self-harm. Because of this, it’s essential to identify the correlation between your thoughts and actions. Being able to recognize thought patterns that trigger your addiction – and correct them – is key to helping you to break the psychological cycle of substance abuse.
At Harbor Village, CBT begins with an assessment of your pattern of addictive behavior. By determining the common factors surrounding your drug and alcohol abuse, we help you identify your most prominent triggers. Many emotions or events – depression, stress, anxiety, even celebratory occasions – can be the root cause of your addiction and can become detrimental to the recovery process if not addressed in therapy. Learning to recognize these sources of your triggers is an important step in breaking the cycle so you can begin reclaiming control of your actions.
Beyond simply identifying the mental roots of addictive behavior, CBT also begins the process of replacing harmful behaviors with better habits. Making the right decisions to keep you on the path of sobriety is the overarching goal of addiction recovery. Practicing mindfulness creates accountability and puts the choice back into your hands. It’s a mistake to expect perfection, but CBT heightens your self-awareness and enhances your overall recovery experience.
You also gain a greater sense of control of your life through CBT; the self-help skills you learn in rehab will stick with you long after you’ve completed your recovery program. With cognitive behavioral therapy available in our inpatient, outpatient and aftercare treatment programs, Harbor Village can help you learn how to control your addictive behaviors.