There was a time when substance addiction treatment seemed like such an impossible feat to achieve. Although there were therapy sessions and detoxification processes put in place, the most that it seemed to be able to do was to make the symptoms of withdrawal and craving a bit more manageable.
However, there was as much as 90% chance that the patient will inevitably fall back into a relapse once they went back outside to the real world. Medical professionals, for a moment, therefore, believed that the only way to keep an addict sober was to have the person kept under lock and key.
How an Addict’s Mind Works
Despite knowing the fact that there are serious consequences to their actions, substance dependents, for some reason, just can’t seem to help themselves from succumbing to their craving. How can treatments help them, therefore, when the cravings are often triggered by their very environment, too?
Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Helps
One of the most commonly used forms of treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy. This is based on repetition in an effort to retrain the addicts mind. An addict’s first instinct is to give in to the craving in a variety of different situations, so they will learn to replace that behavior with a new healthy one. Over time, their brain will begin to make new connections, and the cravings as well as the idea to use will fade away.
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