Reducing Addiction - CBT

Question 1

What are the three ways to reducing addictions?

Answer 1

Drug therapy
Behavioural interventions such as aversion therapy and covert sensitisation
CBT

Question 2

What is the aim of CBT?

Answer 2

to identify and challenge maladaptive thinking that are causing an add and replace with more rational/adaptive ways of thinking and coping bhvs to deal with high risk situations which might trigger relapse

Question 3

What are the two cognitive stages of CBT?

Answer 3

Functional analysis and cognitive restructuring

Question 4

How does functional analysis work?

Answer 4

• therapist will ask client to identify high risk situations relevant to their add where they are likely to engage in add bhv e.g. walking past betting shop
• theyre asked to report thoughts before, during and after situation
• this helps therapist identify any cog biases to work with client to challenge the faulty thinking

Question 5

How does cognitive restructuring work?

Answer 5

• after analysis, cog restructuring is used to change irrational/maladaptive thoughts and turn them into rational/adaptive ones via disputing
• e.g. indv with gambling add may have irrational beliefs that if they wear their lucky top they will win
• this is challenged via empirical disputing by therapist asking client ‘where is the evidence that if you wear this top, you will win?’

Question 6

What are the two behavioural stages of CBT?

Answer 6

Skills training and homework

Question 7

How does skills training work?

Answer 7

• addicted person will be taught social skills during role play w therapist to help them cope with high risk situations in rl that lead to add bhv e.g. teaching client to refuse add bhv w out feeling embarrassed
• client is also taught avoidance strategies where they learn to avoid these high risk situations that are likely to produce add bhvs e.g. driving a diff way home to avoid going past betting shop

Question 8

How does homework work?

Answer 8

• client practices these social skills within the real world on their own and reports back to their therapist until they feel confident within social situations where add substance/bhv is available
• this leads to clients preventing relapse

Question 9

What are the three AO3 PEELS to evaluate CBT as a way of reducing addiction?

Answer 9

RTS - gamblers anonymous vs CBT
Weakness - requires motivation
Strngth - avoid chemical dependence