Treating addiction - 3

Question 1

CBT in treating addiction

Answer 1

1. Cognitive Behavioural therapy was originally developed through the work of Ellis and Beck in understanding and treating depression
2. The use of CBT for treating addiction began as a way of stopping alcoholics from drinking. This developed into a therapy that can be applied to treating many different forms of addiction
3. It aims to help people understand the triggers for their addictive behaviours and then learn how to control and manage these behaviours
4. When treating addicts, CBT occurs in two key stages; Functional analysis followed by skills training
5. In between CBT sessions, the patient will be asked to keep a diary of important events to record their progress as a form of homework (times they felt tempted, what they did, how they felt)
6. This treatment can be combined with other therapies that help addicts deal with the physical effects of withdrawal

Question 2

Functional analysis

Answer 2

1. involves looking closely at the addict’s behaviour and working out what makes them turn to their addiction.
2. The therapist and the addict might look at what emotions make the addict turn to the substance or behaviour they are addicted to
3. By understanding the sources of the addiction, the addict, with the help of the therapist can learn what places, people, and feelings to avoid in order to stop doing the thing they are addicted to
4. 1st stage of CBT for addiction which identifies triggers

Question 3

Skills training

Answer 3

1. 2nd stage of CBT for addiction which involves learning to control behaviour e.g. being assertive if experiencing peer pressure
2. After functional analysis, the therapist will help the patient to learn skills they can use to avoid engaging in the addictive behaviour. There are a wide variety of skills that can benefit each addict, but the skills will be developed individually depending on the specific addiction and things that trigger it

Question 4

Examples of skills training

Answer 4

1. How to cope with cravings
2. assertiveness training (especially for people who are around people encouraging them to participate in the thing they are addicted to
3. improving motivation (helping to commit to stopping the behaviour)

Question 5

Strengths of using CBT to treat addiction

Answer 5

1. aims to give patients control to stop their own addictive behaviour. This means that they are building up the skills to help stop their addiction and stay away from it in the future - has a more long term effect
2. It is supported by research evidence - Young’s research found the therapy was successful for alleviating internet addiction.

Question 6

Weaknesses of using CBT to treat addiction

Answer 6

1. the addict has to be motivated to change their behaviour however one of the symptoms of addiction is that they find it hard to stop and refuse to face evidence that it is harmful. This means, it is hard to commit to treating their addiction. The therapy will only work if the patient wants to
2. Some research shows that even though addict can learn better coping skills from CBT, it does not always mean that they will reduce the problem behaviour. They may learn how to stop, but choose not to put the skills into practice and actually stop
3. The treatments can be time-consuming and expensive.

Question 7

Drug therapy as a treatment for addiction

Answer 7

1. Patients with drug addictions can often benefit from taking a form of medication to help them cope with the effects of detoxification
2. Many substances can cause unpleasant side effects when patients stop using them. Medication can help to reduce these effects and help the patient to control their addiction

Question 8

Detoxification

Answer 8

when an addict tries to stop taking the substance they are addicted to

Question 9

Reducing cravings

Answer 9

1. Many patients who have addictions to substances will find that they crave the substance when they stop using it
2. This can be because their nervous system has become used to the effects of the of the substance and when they stop using it their body feels the need of the substance to feel normal again
3. Medication can be given to control these symptoms
4. e.g. nicotine-replacement therapy such as chewing gum and patches to reduce the craving of smoking or methadone to reduce the cravings of opiates such as heroin

Question 10

Treating the underlying mental health problems

Answer 10

1. Some patients with substance addiction also have other mental health problems such as depression
2. Drugs such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication can be offered to those with substance addictions
3. These drugs reduce the symptoms of problems that could cause relapse in substance misuse

Question 11

Using drugs to treat behavioural addiction

Answer 11

1. although behavioural addictions are not typically treated using drug therapy, there is evidence it can be effective for some patients
2. SSRIs have been prescribed which increase the amount of serotonin available in the brain. These seem to help patients control their urge to participate in the behaviour they are addicted to, although it is unclear exactly ho or why they are effective in treating behavioural addiction
3. Doctors are sometimes prescribing naltrexone to patients with severe gambling addiction

Question 12

Reliance

Answer 12

The individual needs the addiction to function normally.

Question 13

Strengths of drug therapy as a treatment for addiction

Answer 13

1. There is research evidence supporting the effectiveness of drug therapies to treat addiction and showing that drugs can successfully reduce the likelihood of relapse.
2. It can help the patient access other types of therapy that could help them learn how to control their addiction in the long term by dealing with the short-term symptoms associated with stopping the addiction

Question 14

Weaknesses of drug therapy as a treatment for addiction

Answer 14

1. The evidence supporting its effectiveness is very mixed. There is also evidence that drugs do not provide effective treatment to addiction
2. Giving medication to patients who are already addicted to something, could make their problems worse in the long-term as they may become dependent on the medication. They may have a hard time stopping to take the prescribed drug - lead to the addict abusing the drug used in therapy.
3. Drug therapy has bad side effects

Question 15

Side effects of drugs used in treating addiction

Answer 15

They can include: 
1. Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
2. Drowsiness.
3. Dry mouth.
4. Insomnia.
5. Nervousness, agitation or restlessness.
Dizziness.
6. Sexual problems, such as reduced sexual desire