Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Addiction

According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over 43 million Americans suffer from a form of mental illness. In fact, of that number, 7.9 million also had a substance abuse disorder.

Both of these conditions can be debilitating, but professional treatment can counter that. Furthermore, you can learn how to recover and live healthier. Dialectical behavior therapy accomplishes this by using two fundamental principles to treat substance abuse and addiction: acceptance and change.

These two building blocks promote abstinence. However, stopping drug or alcohol use for a lifetime may seem daunting to someone battling an addiction. As a result, therapists encourage people to take it one day at a time.

Stopping for five minutes, one day, or a week is a possibility. These short, achievable goals are pieced together to look at achievements differently.

Primary Therapy Components of DBT

There are five main focus points of dialectical behavior therapy. First, skills training focus on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal communication, and mindfulness. Behavioral training is the second focus point that helps people increase their motivation to live soberly. They simultaneously reduce behaviors that can disrupt a better life.

DBT takes skills learned during sessions and applies them to real-life situations. Specifically, goals of environmental structuring are to create an environment that reinforces better behaviors.

The fifth focus point, therapy enhancement, is a continuation of motivating people battling addiction to address individual challenges. These five focus points are applied to two main therapy components.

Benefits and Goals of DBT

DBT offers several important goals for those overcoming substance abuse addiction. A primary goal is creating long-term abstinence through positive moment-to-moment choices. Moreover, you’ll learn skills for relapse prevention. Instead of surrendering to failure, you’ll relapse as a problem to solve.

The consistent message of replacing harmful and destructive choices with healthy, positive ones comes through several practices, which include:

• Accepting change
• Benefiting from emotions
• Finding peace with oneself
• Living in the moment>
• Living peacefully with others

Getting Started in a DBT Program

Silver Pines Treatment Center, near Hazleton, Pennsylvania, has a dialectical behavior therapy program for men and women struggling to overcome addiction. Our addiction treatment programs include recovery strategies with a holistic approach to healing the mind, body, and spirit.

We understand the need to form a trusting partnership for having a successful recovery. Staying at our new residential facility gives you a safe, home-like atmosphere to learn a new way to live.

Drug and alcohol addiction can be overwhelming. The addition of a mental disorder makes it more difficult to recover. However, understanding professionals at Silver Pines can guide you to a new path through addiction treatment. Call us today at 267.719.8689 to find your path on this journey to sobriety.