The psychological intervention of alcoholism usually includes therapy and support strategies.
The therapy focuses on helping people to identify and change their behavior and thought patterns and gradually transform them until they overcome alcoholism. The most recommended psychological therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Another common approach is motivational therapy, which focuses on helping people develop internal motivation to quit alcohol and make consistent decisions to leave.
Family intervention can also be beneficial, as alcoholism has a significant impact on relationships and the family system as such. Family therapy helps everyone better understand the disease and how to support a family member trying to quit alcohol.
In addition to therapy, the psychological treatment of alcoholism may include supportive strategies such as support from recovery groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and medication to treat the related physical and psychological symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
Remembering that each person is different, and alcoholism treatment must be tailored to their circumstances. Therefore, it is essential that the medicine is personalized and adapted to the patient’s needs (i.e., individual therapy is best).
What is the best therapy for alcoholism?
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective psychological approach to treating alcoholism. CBT focuses on changing negative convictions and behaviors associated with alcoholism and is one of the most widely used therapies in alcohol cessation treatments.
The theoretical basis of CBT for alcoholism centers on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interrelated. CBT holds that our negative thoughts can lead to negative emotions and behaviors, which, in turn, can perpetuate the cycle of alcohol dependence.
CBT for alcoholism focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns contributing to alcohol dependence.
For example, a person who suffers from alcoholism may have negative thoughts such as “I can’t handle stress without alcohol” or “I have no control over my drinking.” These negative convictions can lead to feelings of hopelessness and loss of control, which in turn can lead to behaviors related to alcoholism.
CBT works to replace these negative thoughts with more positive and realistic reviews.
For example, a person may learn to tell themselves, “I can handle stress in other ways” or “I can stop drinking alcohol if I avoid certain environments or get help.” These new thoughts can help reduce the anxiety and stress associated with alcoholism and help the person make healthier choices about drinking.
CBT also includes techniques to help people cope with and overcome challenges related to giving up alcohol. These techniques may include learning coping skills, relapse prevention planning, and strengthening your support network (family, partner, friends, etc.).
The theoretical basis for CBT for alcoholism centers on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interrelated and that negative thought patterns can contribute to alcohol dependence. CBT focuses on identifying and changing these negative thought patterns and offering new coping strategies for everyday use.…