Substance abuse treatment takes several forms. Therapists help people understand the issues that contributed to their addiction. They also provide effective skills and strategies to help their clients make better choices in the future. Many professionals consider behavioral therapy an essential part of a rehab program.
What Is Behavioral Therapy?
A lot of people fall into drug or alcohol abuse because they have a hard time dealing with negative thoughts and feelings. They may use to make themselves feel better. If they’ve buried some painful events from their history, they find it easier to drink or use instead of facing the past. This pain relief, however, is only temporary. They have to continue using to feel the same effects, and that’s where dependency starts.
Anyone who struggles with substance use disorder often makes poor choices. They’ll do this in spite of suffering negative consequences, which is actually a symptom of addiction.
Behavioral therapy teaches positive, productive behaviors or thoughts to replace negative ones. Naturally, this isn’t something that happens overnight. After all, addiction doesn’t happen that quickly.
Just as it takes time to develop a dependency on drugs or alcohol, it will take time to overcome it. Recovery is possible. Although it takes work, your future is worth it.
In rehab and recovery, you’ll attend regular counseling sessions. Common types of behavioral therapy include:
- Cognitive
- Dialectical
- Motivational
A qualified professional can determine which type, or types, will work best for you.
Some types of therapy include negative consequences for actions, which is rarely effective. It often doesn’t allow a person to fully explore their emotions. Many counselors are more interested in helping people practice self-honesty. This is almost always a more effective approach for long-term sobriety.