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Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Addiction recovery can feel like an uphill battle. This is especially true when negative thoughts and cravings continue to impede your recovery process. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you better understand the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors driving your addiction—and, ultimately, help you regain control. With CBT, you build healthier coping strategies and take meaningful steps toward recovery.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy. It’s been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and substance abuse disorders. CBT for substance abuse can help you break free from addiction by helping you understand what drives it. By untangling your thoughts and feelings, you can learn healthier coping strategies that pave the way toward lasting recovery.

Essentially, CBT focuses on the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors—and how you can change them to make meaningful and lasting changes in your life. This type of therapy also addresses co-existing conditions. For example, it can be particularly beneficial for someone suffering from both anxiety and addiction.

At Freedom Recovery Centers (FRC), our team is here to meet you where you’re at. With our expert and compassionate care, we’re committed to your success and helping you discover useful resources and tools—like CBT—that propel your recovery process forward.

Your Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) sessions may include:

  • Identifying and challenging negative thought patterns
  • Managing cravings and/or triggers
  • Building healthier coping strategies
  • Practicing problem-solving skills

While CBT can work as a standalone treatment, at FRC, we believe in taking a holistic approach to addiction care. Your treatment plan may include CBT and other treatments, such as our 12-step facilitation therapies, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, medically assisted treatments, group therapy, and more. Each treatment program is tailored to the individual, ensuring your unique needs are met every step of the way.

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Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Addiction Recovery

When you understand why you feel or behave a certain way, you can actively work toward overcoming the barriers preventing you from lasting recovery. Through CBT, we address automatic negative thoughts, helping you reframe them and take control of your addiction once and for all. CBT for addiction gives way to various benefits, including:

Improved Emotional Regulation

CBT teaches healthy coping strategies to manage your emotions and avoid triggers. This can prevent the risk of relapse, improve relationships, and alleviate overall emotional distress.

Development of Healthy Coping Strategies

With regular CBT sessions, you learn new tools, such as cognitive reframing, problem-solving, and more, to manage stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions—without turning to any substance. These tools can also be useful post-recovery in various life situations.

Craving & Trigger Management

Through CBT, you identify your triggers, such as people, places, or specific situations, and learn ways to eliminate or avoid them. In turn, this empowers you to take control of your recovery. It also reduces cravings and prevents relapse.

Addressing Co-Occurring Conditions

Many individuals with addiction also face other mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. CBT can help address these underlying conditions, supporting your recovery from multiple angles.

Increased Self-Confidence

Regaining control over your life, thoughts, and feelings can increase confidence and self-esteem. This sense of control provides you with the confidence you need to not only succeed with your recovery process but also maintain your recovery down the road.

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Why Choose Freedom Recovery Centers

At FRC, we welcome everyone. In our center, you won’t feel as though you’re in just another “treatment facility.” For addiction recovery in Richmond, Virginia, we offer good food, comfortable beds, a massage clinic, a nail studio, basketball courts, a gym, and more.

Our compassionate team is dedicated to addressing both the physical and mental aspects of addiction. At FRC, we understand there’s more to recovery than breaking free from addiction. It’s also about rebuilding your life and rediscovering joy, purpose, and connection.

What to Expect

The FRC team is with you every step of the way. When you’re ready to make the call, our team is there for you 24/7. We help verify your insurance and even provide transportation in Richmond, Virginia to bring you to our treatment center.

From the initial detox stage and beyond, we use various treatments to guide your recovery process. Throughout this process, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers a transformative approach to help address your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and pave the way toward success. Ultimately, your specific treatment plan depends on your unique needs. Everyone’s recovery journey is different—and at FRC, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

Discover How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Can Transform Your Life

Together, we can create an individualized recovery plan unique to you. Your recovery starts here and now. Reach out to us today to take the first step toward a better tomorrow.

FAQs

How does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treat addiction?

CBT increases awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, helping you adjust recurring patterns and develop healthy coping skills. These can be profound in addiction treatment when it comes to reducing cravings and identifying and eliminating triggers.

What is CBT in addiction?

CBT in addiction is a treatment that helps address underlying beliefs, thought patterns, and feelings that impact your behavior. Working with a cognitive behavioral specialist, you’ll understand the intricate layers behind your addiction, as well as learn how to overcome them in a healthy way.

Is CBT a coping mechanism?

Yes, CBT is a coping mechanism. This type of talk therapy helps individuals solve problems by addressing the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. CBT can teach you how to challenge negative thoughts, preventing increased stress and various mental health conditions.

Is CBT or DBT better for addiction?

This often depends on the individual. Both can be helpful in the realm of addiction recovery and can complement one another. They can also both be used alongside any medication assisted treatment (MAT).

Who is not suitable for CBT?

Like any therapy, CBT has limitations. In some cases, it may not be the right choice. For instance, individuals with complex trauma, personality disorders, and learning disabilities may not find CBT works for them. However, it’s worth noting that CBT is very individual-specific.

Reviewed

Medically and professionally reviewed by Freedom Recovery Center

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