Cognitive Rehab for Any Addiction
At a cognitive rehab, the cognitive approach to addiction treatment teaches us that thoughts cause us to feel the way we do, not outside forces such as people, places, and things. In fact, most treatment models try to teach us that when we have a problem with somebody or something we need to look at ourselves. Cognitive addiction treatment centers are helpful because they give the addict or alcoholic the ability to change the way they think problems through and how to apply solutions. Learning how to ignore and eliminate negative thinking is the ultimate goal with cognitive drug treatment. Coping with life’s problems and learning how to develop rational and logical thinking skills are at the root of cognitive therapy in regards to treating substance abuse.
Finding the best cognitive rehab can be difficult. First, it is important to understand a little bit of how cognitive rehab works. One of the most important tools of Cognitive addiction treatment centers is learning to identify potentially dangerous habits of thought, which could lead to relapse or continued substance abuse; otherwise known as relapse prevention. A cognitive rehab teaches the recovering person to identify and anticipate the problems that they are likely to encounter in sober living and to help them utilize effective coping skills and behaviors. Cognitive addiction treatment is especially helpful at this level because at the time an addict or alcoholic is moving on to the next level of addiction treatment they will be in a better position to think clearly.
The longer the person stays in inpatient addiction treatment centers the more likely they will succeed and then be able to apply the cognitive drug treatment approach. The cognitive approach to drug treatment has far greater results when used as a relapse prevention tool upon completion of a long-term residential treatment center.
Cognitive addiction treatment centers make an addict or alcoholic think through all scenarios before acting. For example, a recovering heroin addict who has been sober for 8 months may tell themselves that they just want to stop by an old drug friend’s house to see how they are. The addict, still fresh in recovery, may have the best of intentions, however, this is probably not a safe option. Cognitive drug treatment would help the addict identify that it would not be a good idea and that the potential for relapse is high. Even with the best of intentions to see an old buddy, the cognitive approach would identify that potentially negative situation.
Another example of cognitive treatment is addicts and alcoholics being told to “play the tape.” In other words, think the whole idea through logically. This is also why long term residential addiction treatment centers are often beneficial because it takes such a long time for the addicted person to be able to make rational choices. It is important to understand that the longer the addicted person stays abstinent from the drugs or alcohol, the more rational and logically they can think which allows cognitive addiction treatment to be most effective. We also have more information about other types of Addiction Treatment Centers.
As with any addiction treatment center, it is often a better outcome when an addict or alcoholic attends a 90-day residential treatment center longer instead of a short term rehab or outpatient. In addition, the longer you stay the clearer you think, making it easier to apply the cognitive drug treatment centers’ approach and making relapse prevention easier to handle.
