CBT FOR ADDICTION

Question 1

CBT aim for addiction

Answer 1

Identify and challenge maladaptive thinking causing addiction

Replace with adaptive ways of thinking and coping behaviours

To deal with high risk situations which might trigger relapse

Question 2

Identification first stage functional analysis

Answer 2

Client identify high risk situations in which client is likely to engage in addictive behaviours

Ask to report what they would be thinking before, during and after situation

Therapist identify any cognitive biases and then works with client to challenge faulty thinking

Question 3

Cognitive stragergy - cognitive restructuring

Answer 3

Disputing used to change irrational maladaptive thoughts to rational one’s

via empirical disputing e.g therapist could ask ‘where is evidence you win more than you loser’

Question 4

Behavioural strategy - learning avoidance strategies and improving skills

Answer 4

Skills straining

Taught social skills , teaching client to refuse addictive behaviour

Therapist teaches client these skills and client practices though role play before implementing in real life situations

Question 5

Avoidance strategies

Answer 5

Client learns to avoid situations that are likely to produce addcitive behaviour

Question 6

Homework

Answer 6

Patient practices these social skills in real work on own and reports back to therapist until they feel confident

Lead to relapse prevention

Question 7

RTS effectiveness of CBT reducing gambling addiction Perry et al

Answer 7

Randomly allocated gamblers to a control group who recieve meetings and eight session CBT programme

Found patient in treatment condition were gambling significantly less than control group

Shows identifying and challenging cognitive thoughts reduces addictive behaviour

Increasing validity of CBT as away of reducing addiction

Question 8

Reducing addiction CBT Ao3 limitation

Answer 8

Requires motivation and commitment

Patients must commit to number of sessions over months

Also set homework to complete outside of sessions such as avoidance stragergies

Unlike drug therapy where person just has to take tablet

Thus CBT may be seen as less appropriate treatment for reducing addiction as parents may drop out and relapse

Question 9

Reducing addiction CBT Ao3

Answer 9

Avoid chemical dependence

Patient taught skills to identify and challenge cognitive distortions e.g feeling they can’t cope without substance so are taking control of own addiction

Unlike during therapy where patient is dependent on drugs

Could be argued CBT is more appropriate way to reduce addiction as patients do not become dependent on drugs

So is a better long term treatment