Trauma can take many different forms. However, no matter what type of event occurs, the repercussions can be severe. In many cases, cognitive behavioral therapy is used to address trauma and related addictions. It’s necessary to understand the essential facts about trauma focused CBT. You should also know the benefits of enrolling in a trauma focused CBT program.
Defining Traumatic Events
Traumatic events can differ significantly between different individuals. Some common forms of trauma include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional trauma, neglect, natural disasters, and war experiences. No matter what type of traumatic event occurs, trauma focused CBT can be a helpful part of the healing journey.
How is Trauma Related to Addiction Risk?
For individuals to understand the importance of trauma focused CBT, it can be helpful to learn how surviving a traumatic event increases the risk of developing an addiction. In a lot of cases, a person who goes through trauma experiences various mental and physical discomforts. In addition to painful memories of what happened, there can even be residual physical damage from the event itself. To control physical or emotional pain, a person may turn to an addictive substance. If this pattern continues, they can develop a life-altering addiction.
What is Trauma Focused CBT?
A trauma focused CBT program can often provide immediate and long-lasting relief from the effects of enduring life-threatening events. Rather than trying to forget that the incident ever happened, trauma-centered cognitive-behavioral therapy allows a person to identify negative thoughts regarding what happened. In time, they can learn to change these negative thoughts into more positive ones. In turn, their behaviors will become more favorable.
Benefits of a Trauma Focused CBT Program
A proper trauma focused CBT program can provide many benefits that spill out into all aspects of life. Consider the advantages of such a treatment program in the list below:
Better Relationships
Relationships within the household can suffer significantly due to traumatic events and addiction-related illnesses. Proper treatment using CBT can help a person restore the health of these relationships.
Reduction in Anxiety and Depression
Cognitive-behavioral therapies can also help target thoughts that lead to depression and anxiety. As a result of changing these thought patterns, a person can experience a reduction in these devastating symptoms.
Victory Over Accompanying Addictions
When a severe addiction accompanies a trauma, a person can experience devastating effects in their personal and professional life. Getting professional treatment with the help of CBT can assist these individuals with gaining the upper hand on an addiction problem.
Development of Excellent Coping Skills
We all need coping skills to endure the stresses that life can bring about. These skills are even more critical when a person faces a trauma that leads to an addiction. Coping skills can help these people learn how to handle memories of the event without turning to addictive substances.
Understanding How to Find Quality Professional Help
There are various forms of addiction recovery services that are possible. Many people express confusion at finding the right type of therapy for their needs. As a general rule, most treatment plans include a wide array of interventions. Individual therapy, group therapy, family sessions, exposure therapy, CBT, and other forms of treatment may be combined to have the highest effect.
Steps to Recovery is a rehab treatment center in Levittown, PA. The qualified treatment team behind Steps to Recovery provide a variety of addiction therapy services in a warm and compassionate setting.
Don’t let the adverse effects of an addiction prevent you from living a fulfilling life. You can learn to overcome addiction with a trauma focused CBT program. Call 267.719.8528 to get proper healing with the help of the Steps to Recovery team.