Distorted thinking plays an important role in the emotions and behaviors of people with substance abuse and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, among other disorders. CBT is especially helpful for people with co-occurring disorders, which is a combination of drug or alcohol addiction combined with depression or anxiety.
It's difficult to say if a mental health issue drives addiction, or the other way around. Because each person is different, treating all patients the same usually doesn't offer for the best outcomes, which is why it's always advised to use therapies that work in both group and individual settings.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy differs from other forms of psychotherapy because it takes a more active approach that allows the therapist and patient to work together to address problems and symptoms of the underlying issues.
A typical session using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques might examine thoughts of worthlessness and how they contribute to behaviors and emotions. By focusing on the root causes of distorted thinking, skills can be learned to overcome the destructive thoughts.
Scientific research has proven the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for disorders involving mood, eating, substance abuse, and psychiatric disorders. Research has also shown it to be effective for depression - both by itself and when used together with medication.
Because an individual's thoughts are the most important factor for controlling emotions and behaviors, CBT's effectiveness is now on the rise across a wide spectrum of treatment areas.
When a person learns to engage in adaptive thinking, behavior follows, resulting in healthier outcomes. While a person may practice these techniques in a treatment center, once learned, they can be used long after treatment ends, indefinitely for the rest of their life.
Because Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works well with or without medication and can be learned to counteract relapse and live in a healthier state of mind, it is quickly becoming an important part of evidence-based treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues.
