Various Types of Drug Addiction Therapy

Drug addiction therapy is an important part of drug addiction treatment. It is geared towards helping addicts understand their triggers and how to manage them. Without this therapy, relapse would potentially be more common in recovering addicts. 

There are numerous types of therapy for drug addiction, each one having its core strengths. The type of therapy you receive during addiction treatment is dependent on your individual needs and an assessment of your addiction. 

Regardless of the type of addiction therapy you partake in, the end goal is the same – to learn the correct coping skills that help you get and stay sober.

What Is Addiction?

According to the American Society Addiction Medicine (ASAM), “Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry.”

In other words, addiction is a brain disease characterized by an uncontrollable substance use despite its harmful effects. Addiction inevitably leads to behavioral, psychological, and physical degeneration. 

Different Types of Drug Addiction Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy that works on the premise that negative emotions (depression and anxiety), and maladaptive behaviors, are linked to a person’s thoughts. 

This drug addiction therapy focuses on helping addicts recognize how their thought processes affect them. They also learn to control negative emotions and situations that could trigger a relapse. 

There are two major aspects of CBT – functional analysis and skills training. Functional analysis specifically teaches the person to recognize risky situations and emotions that could trigger a relapse. 

Skills training equips them with the skills to manage harmful situations and emotions. Almost all other types of therapy for drug addiction build on the foundation of CBT. 

• Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Motivational interviewing is a patient-focused therapy based on the idea of individuals being able to make choices for themselves. It is especially used when working with a patient who isn’t responding properly to external motivation. 

In other words, the therapist guides the patient through a process that helps them develop their motivation. It is a very effective drug addiction therapy for two reasons. First, intrinsic motivation is more effective in keeping a patient consistent. Second, it gives the patient a semblance of control over their lives. 

• Contingency Management (CM)

Contingency management therapy is a drug addiction therapy premised on a reward system, and it is used to nurture sobriety. People receive rewards when they adopt good behaviors or hit certain milestones in their sobriety journey. The rewards in contingency management could be money, gift cards, or vouchers. 

Amazingly, the human brain is wired to repeat any positively reinforced behaviors. For example, kids often repeat actions that earn them rewards. 

Repeated positive reinforcement helps addicts relearn new habits, making them less likely to relapse. That is why CM is particularly effective in preventing relapses and incomplete treatment. 

• Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)

All types of therapy for drug addiction teach coping skills. However, REBT helps addicts understand their addictions better. It uses a simple pathway linking situations to negative thoughts to negative actions. 

It also teaches a person to control their thoughts, even when they find themselves in risky situations. The idea behind REBT is to control negative behavior by checking how a person views the situation they find themselves in.

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

DBT attacks potential relapse by equipping a person with healthy coping skills. Re-integrating into society after treatment can be overwhelming. Without the cushion effect of a controlled environment, a recovering addict can find it difficult to deal with their triggers. DBT teaches them skills to help them cope with these feelings. 

• Matrix Model

The matrix model is more like a combination of all the therapies listed above. Here, a person learns how to react to situations, cope, and motivate themselves to stay sober. 

Types of Therapy for Drug Addiction After Rehab

• Post Rehab Programs

Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART, and Narcotics Anonymous are post-rehab programs that help recovering addicts stay true to their goals and find motivation. 

• The Matrix Model 

The matrix model can also be used post-rehab to reinforce coping skills for recovering addicts. It is a mixture of other types of therapies, and it focuses on teaching good behavior, rewarding it, and motivating it. 

Getting Help With Addiction at Grace Recovery

Grace Recovery is a rehab facility located in Los Angeles, California. We specialize in substance abuse treatment and offer several programs, including drug addiction therapy. Contact us today; let us help you with your addiction!