Behavioral therapy is one of the most commonly used types of treatment for addiction, and is often used during substance rehabilitation. It has been adapted into a variety of effective techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and contingency management. Substance use disorder is a complex condition, so it requires a complex treatment strategy. For this reason, no two treatment plans are the same.
However, the best treatment plans use multiple approaches to support recovery. Counseling is a mainstay of substance use disorder treatment for many people. Psychotherapy can also treat other mental health conditions that often play a role in substance abuse. Although the type of treatment depends on the client and counselor, there are popular methods that have been proven over the years to work for clients with addiction problems.
Often, many of the types of therapies listed above are used in conjunction to provide a comprehensive approach to addiction treatment. Nanci Stockwell of Advanced Recovery Systems talks about the types of therapy used during addiction treatment. Different approaches are more appropriate and effective for different people, depending on their age, the type of addiction, and the factors that contributed to their addiction. There are no other evidence-based substitutes for these traditional therapies, but studies support a variety of complementary treatments for addiction.
These include residential rehabilitation, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), and aftercare programs. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most popular therapies in addiction medicine, and counselors use it to treat a variety of addictions. Decades of scientific research on addiction treatment have found behavioral, motivational, and family-based therapies to be effective in treating substance use disorders.
