Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective as a non-pharmacological intervention for people with substance addictions. Research has shown that CBT can sufficiently reduce the severity of substance addiction when used alone or in conjunction with other therapeutic alternatives ( David et al., 2018 ; McHugh et al., 2010) . CBT can be leveraged for both individual patients and in group settings without any notable changes in its effectiveness.
As an intervention, CBT works by combining behavioral and cognitive theories to rectify any maladaptive thought patterns inherent in drug users . The therapist achieves the rectification of thought patterns by instilling sets of skills that are bespoke to each patient based on their worldview and belief system ( Cully & Teten, 2008) . Take, for instance, the case of alcohol abuse. The aim of a CBT treatment of alcoholism would be to eliminate the thoughts that increase alcoholic patterns and replace them with those for healthy alternative behaviors (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014) . In this example, the therapist will collaborate with the patient group to identify trigger situations, coin mechanisms of avoiding these triggers and suggest or learn about healthier ways to deal with situations and emotions that predispose the patient group to alcoholism.
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T he treatment process often entails a range of steps, including i) goal-setting- therapist and patient group highlight the specific desired outcomes, ii) agenda-setting- therapist and patient group devise the work plan and prioritize the specifics therein, iii) relaxation- employing techniques to decrease anxiety and thus reduce chances of alcoholic impulses, iv)problem-solution - come up with coping strategies to deal with addiction triggers, v) behavioral activation- leveraging strategies that regulate the mood and emotions of the patient group, and vi) assignments- providing the patient groups with activities to engage in as an effort to monitor the progression of addiction treatment ( Cully & Teten, 2008) .
The overall goal of CBT is to prevent relapse by helping them to ‘cognitively’ identify high-risk triggers and to develop ‘behavioral’ aptitude to cope with or evade these high-risk triggers. The ethics of counseling also apply to using CBT for a drug abuse patient group. It is appropriate for the therapist to consider the issues of harm, informed consent, and privacy as they apply to the circumstances of the counseling sessions ( National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Any challenges that arise in the process of this counseling should be resolved in strict observance of these ethical considerations.
References
Cully, J. A., & Teten, A. L. (2008). A therapist's guide to brief cognitive-behavioral therapy. Houston: Department of Veterans Affairs South Central MIRECC .
David, D., Cristea, I., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy. Frontiers in psychiatry , 9 , 4.
McHugh, R. K., Hearon, B. A., & Otto, M. W. (2010). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance use disorders. Psychiatric Clinics , 33 (3), 511-525.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2014). Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction . https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery
