Write 7 pages thesis on the topic cognitive behavior therapy in treating substance addictions.

Write 7 pages thesis on the topic cognitive behavior therapy in treating substance addictions. There are several types of cognitive behavior therapy acclaimed by the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists, such as ‘dialectic behavior therapy, rational living, and rational behavior therapy, or rational emotive behavior therapy’. The essence of these approaches is to make a patient be aware of the triggers of his addiction. It is relevant to help patients to develop new strategies for dealing with stressful situations and coping with addictions, respectfully.

During the process of functional analysis, therapists make the addict persons define their inner thoughts and ideas that occur inside of them during the process of drugs/alcohol consumption or after it. There is another option for therapists to develop a behavioral model relevant to addicted individuals.

Counselors should be able to identify risky situations when relapse may occur. In this case, it is relevant to develop skills that may help a patient to overcome this risk. With this regard, it is possible to make group sessions and teach clients skill elements by means of “roleplaying and real-life practice exercises that will enable them to apply these skills to meet their own needs” (Marlatt 2007, p. 32). Clients should be ensured in receiving constructive feedback from counselors. A long-lasting behavioral change may occur when self-efficacy expectations are modified.

CBT is efficient for clients who are actively involved in the treatment process and are willing to be responsible for their future abuse prevention. In this case, during CBT a client obtains healthy behaviors instead of maladaptive habits: “As the individual undergoes a process of deconditioning, cognitive restructuring, and skills acquisition, he or she can begin to accept greater responsibility for changing the behavior. This is the essence of the self-control or self-management approach: one can learn how to escape from the clutches of the vicious cycle of addiction, regardless of how the habit pattern was originally acquired” (Rasmussen 2000, p. 116).