Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-

CBT

 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT is a form of individual psychotherapy, with the aim to analyse thoughts and emotional reactions in order to identify how they have negatively affected behaviours (e.g. by taking illicit drugs). Strategies are then implimented to change the behaviour and thinking patterns.

 

CBT can contribute to long term recovery by giving the patient skills to use even after the pharmacological treatment is complete. It consists of several concepts, such as:

• psychoeducation-where behavioural reactions are normalised to enhance the patient’s sense of control

• in vivo exposure- where the patient is exposed to scenarios where the drug taking would normally have occurred

• desensitization- where there is gradual habituation to the stimuli

• relaxation techniques- to improve self-control

• exposure- where a traumatic memory is recollected and reconstructed to change the outcomes via the use of several cards

 

It is not recommended for the early treatment of misuse as the reactivation of painful memories can trigger relapse. It is only used for those with stable abstinence, on long term opioid maintenance or with concurrent mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.