Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Key Ideas
★ CBT focuses on how thoughts influence behaviour
★ Cognitive explanations suggest irrational thinking leads people to use substances
or behaviours (drugs, gambling, shopping) to cope with stress. This leads to
addiction
★ Irrational thinking ➡ Coping (substance/behaviour usage) ➡ Addiction
★ Learning/behavioural approach focuses on how addictions are learned
CBT treating addiction (Cognitive element & Behavioural element)
★ 1 - Cognitive element
↳ Aims to change irrational or faulty thinking patterns that underlie addiction.
This process is called cognitive restructuring.
★ 2 - Behavioural element
↳ Helps the client learn new coping skills and strategies.
Teaches how to avoid high-risk situations or manage them better if they cannot
be avoided.
Functional analysis
★ Starting point of CBT
★ Therapist and client work together to identify high-risk situations that trigger
addictive behaviour
★ Both the therapist and client examine distorted thought and irrational beliefs
that drive cravings and addictive actions
★ Client may also keep a “thought diary”
Cognitive restructuring
★ Therapist challenges the clients irrational/distorted thoughts
★ Clients learn to recognise faulty thinking and develop more rational beliefs
★ The therapist asks for evidence of these thoughts, helping the clients reassess
them
★ Important that clients take ownership of recognising their own distortions
Behaviour change
★ Client learns new, healthier ways to cope
Key Ideas
★ CBT focuses on how thoughts influence behaviour
★ Cognitive explanations suggest irrational thinking leads people to use substances
or behaviours (drugs, gambling, shopping) to cope with stress. This leads to
addiction
★ Irrational thinking ➡ Coping (substance/behaviour usage) ➡ Addiction
★ Learning/behavioural approach focuses on how addictions are learned
CBT treating addiction (Cognitive element & Behavioural element)
★ 1 - Cognitive element
↳ Aims to change irrational or faulty thinking patterns that underlie addiction.
This process is called cognitive restructuring.
★ 2 - Behavioural element
↳ Helps the client learn new coping skills and strategies.
Teaches how to avoid high-risk situations or manage them better if they cannot
be avoided.
Functional analysis
★ Starting point of CBT
★ Therapist and client work together to identify high-risk situations that trigger
addictive behaviour
★ Both the therapist and client examine distorted thought and irrational beliefs
that drive cravings and addictive actions
★ Client may also keep a “thought diary”
Cognitive restructuring
★ Therapist challenges the clients irrational/distorted thoughts
★ Clients learn to recognise faulty thinking and develop more rational beliefs
★ The therapist asks for evidence of these thoughts, helping the clients reassess
them
★ Important that clients take ownership of recognising their own distortions
Behaviour change
★ Client learns new, healthier ways to cope
