Behavioral Therapy in Miami plays an important role in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction for those in the South Florida area. It’s a treatment option used to redirect negative thinking and behaviors. Many people who struggle with substance use disorder have suffered trauma in the past. As a result, they experience frequent feelings of fear, panic, or dread. Behavioral therapy helps people talk through their problems with a licensed therapist. Their therapist, in return, helps them redirect dark thoughts into ones of positivity and hope. This treatment option offers multiple benefits to those who battle substance use disorder.

Behavioral Therapy Treats Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a branch of mental health treatment that helps heal cognitive distortions. Those who suffer from cognitive distortions view the world much differently than most. For example, even a minor setback, such as a fender-bender, may feel catastrophic.

Many drivers involved in a fender-bender exchange information with the other driver, call their insurance company and have their car repaired. But for the driver who struggles with cognitive distortions, fear may be the first reaction. They may rationalize that they’ll lose their license, be arrested, or even serve jail time as a result. They may castigate themselves for even venturing out that morning and conclude that nothing ever goes right for them.

To someone who suffers cognitive distortions, the world is only black-and-white. Things are either very good or terrible. As a result, when even the most insignificant thing goes wrong, life feels hopeless. Subsequently, this is when many begin self-medicating with drugs or alcohol.

Behavioral therapy is used to treat cognitive distortions. By talking one-on-one with a psychiatric professional, patients learn techniques that enable them to redirect instances of all-or-nothing thinking. In general, they learn to envision different outcomes and to entertain more positive outlooks.

Behavioral Therapy Treats Cognitive Distortions florida

Learning Healthy Coping Skills

Those who attend a behavioral therapy program learn healthy coping skills that can transform their lives. Often, someone in the throes of a substance use disorder has problems with judgment. They may have a history of making decisions that are less than beneficial. Usually, this is because they had few healthy role models in childhood. Their home may have been marked by addiction or neglect, and unhealthy behaviors may be the only ones they’ve ever observed.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy provides patients with healthy alternatives to self-medicating. Through behavioral therapy, clients learn valuable skills, including:

Acceptable methods of managing stress
How to recognize and avoid triggers
Why it’s necessary to cut ties with friends who still use drugs or alcohol
How to entertain positivity
Ways to avoid isolation and loneliness
The importance of self-care

Patients learn to turn negatives into positives. They discover healthy alternatives to handling a crisis, and they gain a brighter, more hopeful outlook that aids in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Heals More Than Substance Use Disorder

Though CBT is a valuable tool for treating substance use disorder, it has also proven beneficial in treating depression, anxiety, stress, anger management, trauma, and much more. Because it helps patients reframe the way they think and how they interact with the world, cognitive-behavioral therapy promotes general mental wellness.

Behavioral Therapy Empowers Patients

Perhaps the biggest benefit of cognitive-behavioral therapy is that it gives patients the tools and mindsets to help themselves. By learning how to discard a lifetime of negative thinking and how to reframe cognitive distortions, clients in CBT can rebuild a life that’s free from fear and self-castigation.

Reach Out to Pines Recovery Life Detox Today

If you or someone you love may benefit from a behavioral therapy program in Miami, contact Pines Recovery Life Detox today at 800.263.3869, or visit us online for more information.

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