Introduction
Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to treat and rehabilitate alcohol dependence and depression. It involves correcting existing attitudes, conclusions, and beliefs, that is, the mental part. In addition to developing skills to control and manage behavior and actions performed, there is also a behavioral component.
Such therapy is carried out in short courses of 10 to 20 visits to the doctor. It has proven effectiveness, makes it easier to quit alcohol, and reduces the risk of relapse. When using cognitive behavioral therapy methods, patients work closely with the doctor, which improves treatment results. To help the patient, it is necessary to determine the duration of therapy, the interventions to be used, the type of relationship to be established with the client, and the goals of the sessions.
The First Session
The introductory session will be an interview, during which the doctor collects information about the patient’s condition, helps them form motivation for treatment, and provides psychological support. In the following sessions, the psychotherapist uses cognitive and behavioral correction methods (Kazantzis et al., 2018). Additionally, during the first appointment, it is essential to establish a connection with the patient and attempt to get to know them better. For the effective use of the method, finding common interests with the patient is an excellent way to build friendly relations.
Methods of Cognitive Psychotherapy
During the sessions, the doctor uses several techniques to change the obsessive thoughts that prompt the patient to drink alcohol. To achieve this, the psychotherapist analyzes their rationale with the patient and helps them draw the correct conclusions (Breuninger et al., 2020). It is assumed that alcohol addiction is provoked by logical errors – wrong thinking, the wrong focus of attention, and false ideas. The therapist identifies and analyzes such beliefs with the patient, proving their inconsistency. This forms the correct perception of alcohol dependence, to realize the influence of alcohol on a person’s life and to get rid of the illusions associated with its use.
Behavior Therapy Technique
Behavioral monitoring and modification are essential to simplify the treatment of alcohol dependence and to avoid relapses during and after rehabilitation. One of the main techniques of the behavioral approach is relaxation. The most common relaxation techniques are based on breathing exercises and involve deep, slow breathing that can be used along with mental counting (Kazantzis et al., 2018).
The relaxation method relieves physical tension while stabilizing the emotional state. In other cases, strokes, a change in posture, slow walking, sorting out coins in a pocket, and other actions may be used (Breuninger et al., 2020). Concentrating on them distracts the patient from thoughts of alcohol or depression.
Goals and Timelines
The goal of any therapy is to treat the disease. However, one of the main advantages of cognitive behavioral therapy is its efficiency, as the course of treatment typically requires only 10-20 appointments (Kazantzis et al., 2018). Diseases such as alcoholism and depression are notorious for their slow healing, as some people spend their entire lives trying to recover. In addition, one of the advantages of such therapy is the absence of drug treatment.
Conclusion
Using all the methods and techniques described above, it will be possible to help a patient struggling with depression and alcohol addiction. In conclusion, it is worth noting that alcohol dependence and depression are sometimes interdependent. This means that by fixing one problem, the second can often be solved on its own. Despite this, specific training and experience may be required to treat each unique patient with CBT.
References
Kazantzis, N., Luong, H. K., Usatoff, A. S., Impala, T., Yew, R. Y., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). The processes of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 42(4), 349–357. Web.
Breuninger, M. M., Grosso, J. A., Hunter, W., & Dolan, S. L. (2020). Treatment of alcohol use disorder: Integration of Alcoholics Anonymous and cognitive behavioral therapy. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 14(1), 19–26. Web.