Many different approaches are used to treat those recovering from alcohol use disorders. In contingency management therapy, you receive a reward for refraining from drinking. It’s based on how your brain processes rewards. By reinforcing sober behavior with contingency management (CM), our experienced therapists at Pines Recovery Life Detox in South Florida begin the process of rewiring your brain. Learn more about our contingency management therapy program by calling 800.263.3869 or completing our online form.
What Is Contingency Management?
Contingency management incentivizes treatment for those with substance use disorders. It’s particularly effective when medication-assisted therapy doesn’t work. CM enhances other talk therapy treatments, including individual and group counseling received at Pines Recovery Life Detox. It’s often used in conjunction with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Additionally, CBT helps you retrain your brain to deal with negative thoughts and emotions in healthier ways.
Contingency management directly rewards you for attending treatment. However, you have to prove that you have refrained from using drugs or alcohol. This approach is customizable. You can work with your therapist to choose effective incentives. Additionally, you can develop your own form of incentivization once you transition back to everyday life.
What Forms of Treatment Pair Well with CM?
Contingency management works well with a wide range of substance-specific therapies, including:
- Alcohol detox
- Heroin detox
- Opiate detox
- Prescription drug detox
- Cocaine detox
Reinforcing sober behavior with contingency management has proven successful in many recovery programs, including those available at Pines Recovery Life Detox.
How Contingency Management Therapy Works
Contingency management facilitates the process of sober living. For example, let’s say a client receives negative results on a drug test. Under contingency management therapy, they would receive an appropriate reward. This could include a special treat, tickets to the movie theater, or anything that motivates the client to choose social, educational, and other activities over drinking or using drugs. Therefore, contingency management therapy works well in a variety of treatment settings, including inpatient and outpatient programs.
CM interventions include rewards for meeting your sobriety goal. Sometimes, a therapist may introduce a negative consequence for a poor result. For example, if you fail a urinalysis, you wouldn’t get the reward. Typically, you will receive a voucher, cash, or some other prize for achieving good drug screen results. In some programs, the prizes become progressively more valuable as you achieve multiple negative screenings.
Contingency management does not require a licensed therapist to implement. Parents already use CM in the normal course of raising children. They can apply contingency management techniques to help adolescents and teens recover from drug or alcohol use disorders. For example, parents can tie rewards to the use of the family car or receiving an allowance.
Contingency Management Rewards
The rewards used in contingency management therapy depend on the approach taken. Your therapist may use vouchers to reinforce behavior. You would use your accumulated vouchers to receive available rewards. Under this system, each voucher has a specific amount of points or value. You might exchange vouchers for rewards such as:
- Food
- Gift certificates
- Movie tickets
- Electronics
- Clothing
If you continue to maintain sobriety, you accumulate additional vouchers to earn more prizes.
Alternatively, some programs reward desired behavior directly. For example, you could receive a cash prize, T-shirt, or other rewards for staying sober and proving it.
Explore Contingency Management Therapy at Pines Recovery Life Detox
If you are looking for a unique recovery experience, Pines Recovery Life Detox in South Florida delivers. We have programs specializing in adolescent and teen recovery, treatment for first responders, and many other specialty areas. Reinforcing sober behavior with contingency management has a proven track record when combined with evidence-based therapies. If you are ready to treat your brain to a healthier reward system, contingency management can help. Contact us by completing our online form or calling 800.263.3869 today for more information on our substance addiction treatment programs.
