Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a relatively new and very effective form of treatment in Arizona that may offer you the best possible results for addiction recovery.
This therapy style helps to create a life that you or your loved one will feel is worth living.
To do this, you and your therapist will work together to identify your important personal goals. These goals usually incorporate actions and attitudes that are helpful, effective, and enhance your life.
By enhancing the quality of your life overall, your needs and desires for drugs or alcohol will be decreased.
What is DBT?
Dialectical behavior therapy is a type of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) that focuses primarily on teaching people how to achieve the life they truly would like to live. DBT therapy teaches healthy coping skills for issues that you may face and also how to think about those problems and issues in new ways that will promote more positive mindsets.
The word “dialectic” means to investigate opposing opinions in order to find out what is true. This includes ideas such as everything is connected, change is constant, and opposite sides of an issue can be argued until a common, balanced solution can be found.
There are four main sets of skills that people learn which include mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation.
Mindfulness
It is important for a person undergoing this type of therapy to be very mindful of the present moment as opposed to being stuck in the past. This is because painful and emotional memories or thoughts about our past may often contribute to negative choices. The same is true of people who are addicted to drugs who may regret the choices they have made in the past that led them to a period of substance use. It is also imperative for people to stay focused on the present to avoid fears of the future and the unknown that lies ahead.
Distress Tolerance
Regardless of who you are or what path you have chosen, there are bound to be some moments in life that are painful or difficult. Patients will learn to be tolerant of these moments, giving them the skills they need to get through them rather than running away from their problems or turning to substance use or other harmful activities.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Oftentimes, a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol has somehow lost their sense of self-respect along the way. Patients will learn to develop confidence in themselves and regain their self-respect, better manage relationships, and communicate effectively with others in an assertive manner which ultimately strengthens those relationships.
Emotion Regulation
Emotion regulation teaches a person how to change intense emotional reactions that negatively impact their life and celebrate the emotions that lead to a more positive outcome.
Dialectical behavior therapy was originally developed to treat people who were chronically suicidal and it has since been recognized as an effective treatment model for many other issues. These include people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, eating disorders, substance use, and more.
What types of treatment styles are available using DBT?
Dialectical behavior therapy treatment utilizes a multifaceted approach. You will work one-on-one with a therapist to identify and work through your own personal issues. During these sessions, you may discuss any urgent or pressing issues along with any progress that has been made, quality of life issues, and current goals.
Each session will also help reinforce the perception of self-worth, self-esteem, and self-confidence. These items will be discussed while keeping the four main sets of skills (mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation) at the core of the discussion.
Another part of therapy is done in a group setting. Classes are designed to teach new skills to groups of people who are sharing similar struggles and challenges. These group sessions will also reinforce the four main sets of skills mentioned in the section above.
Depending on your specific situation, there are varied treatment levels. Many people benefit from inpatient treatment, especially if this is your first time receiving treatment. In an inpatient program, the person undergoing treatment resides at the facility and spends 24 hours a day in that environment for a period of time. This is a wonderful setting to receive the proper care to enable healing to occur. It allows you to have around the clock access to counselors and therapists, as well as reside with other people who are going through similar experiences.
Another option is partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient treatment. In this situation, people undergoing treatment live off-site from the program, usually at a sober living home. During treatment, you’ll spend the majority of your days at the facility where you will attend classes, meetings and therapy sessions, but leave the campus at night to go home. This option provides a little bit more freedom than inpatient treatment and may not be right for everyone at the beginning of the healing process. It is a good option for people who are ready to step down from inpatient treatment.
Outpatient treatment is similar. However, it is not as intensive as the other types of treatment. With traditional outpatient rehab, you live off-site of the program facility and attend meetings and classes regularly throughout the week. Depending on your specific situation and needs, you may attend classes five days a week or perhaps just once or twice.
Finding the right treatment model for you and your unique situation is important. When you call our facility, you will be able to speak with a counselor who can help you decide which option is the best for you and your family, and more importantly, which option will most likely lead to a successful recovery.
What is the rehab process for addiction therapy?
Oftentimes coming to a rehab facility is a last-ditch effort made by someone who is sick and tired of life as they know it. When someone reaches the point where they feel they can no longer continue on the way they have been, dialectical behavior therapy is often a good choice to help them turn things around.
DBT is based on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which is built upon the foundation that human beings learn how to behave throughout their lives and therefore can “unlearn” those behaviors while establishing new healthy patterns. These new actions create positive change in the person’s life. Many aspects of addiction come from a person’s way of thinking and how they perceive certain situations. These perceptions may be completely different than those of others around them. This therapy helps to retrain the brain to see things in a new context and react to situations in a calmer and less extreme manner.
How does therapy help people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol?
Substance abuse and addiction are usually the symptoms of an underlying condition. It is important to get to the core of the underlying issues to effectively treat those symptoms as well as the substance use in order to be truly effective. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 adults, or roughly 43.8 million people, in the US experience mental illness each year. Of the 20.2 million adults who have a substance use disorder, roughly half of them have an additional mental illness. When this dual diagnosis occurs, it is imperative to treat both at the same time. DBT can help with the actions and ways of thinking that often lead to abusing drugs or alcohol. When only one half of the issue is treated it can often lead to a relapse, which makes the combination of substance use and mental health treatment together vital for success.
Because many people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol have become used to their negative thought patterns and practices, therapy can help them create new ways of thinking, feeling, and living. This can ultimately lead to making more positive choices and turning your life around to be as healthy and happy as you’ve always imagined.
People who are addicted to drugs may have a fixed way of thinking about certain life issues and can become set in their ways. By using DBT, the idea that there are other possible viewpoints is introduced, which can cause you to see another solution. When this is added to a new positive self-image and increased self-confidence, a true change in you behave and your ways of thinking can occur.
How long does Dialectical Behavior Therapy take?
Every person is different with their own unique needs and issues they struggle with. That is why every individual responds differently to treatment and the length of time required before therapy can be deemed successful varies from person to person. The good news is that it all starts and gets closer to completion with a phone call and quick assessment with one of our staff members.
As soon as you begin treatment, you may notice slight changes in your mood or the way you feel about things. Over time and with continued therapy, you may more frequently notice that your behaviors and the way you think have changed for the better.
Every struggle with addiction is a lifelong battle. It is important to remember that addiction does not go away. With proper therapy, you can learn the tools and skills you need to keep that addiction under control and continue to live a life that is healthy and positive.
Is there DBT therapy near me in Scottsdale, Arizona?
Fortunately, Pinnacle Peak Recovery offers DBT near you in our Scottsdale, Arizona facility. Here you can rest assured that you will receive comprehensive treatment from licensed and trained professionals. When you call our facility, you will speak with a counselor who will evaluate your individual needs and create a treatment plan that is customized for you and your situation. We offer many other different types of treatment that may be used as part of your overall therapy plan, including:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Individual counseling
- DBT group therapy
- Family therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- EMDR treatment
- Experiential therapy
This therapy is still relatively new. Although it was created in the last 3 or 4 decades, it has been used for less time to effectively help treat alcohol and drug addiction. Because of this, not all rehab facilities offer this advanced method of therapy to their patients.
Call our 24/7 hotline today and get the help you need
If you feel as though a dialectical behavior therapy treatment center could benefit you or a loved one, call our hotline today at 866-377-4761 and speak with one of our therapists. They can provide you with more detailed information about how we can help you recover from your specific situation.
Why wait another day living with the struggles you are facing? Pinnacle Peak Recovery is here to get you started on the path to an addiction free life. Call today, fill out our contact form online, or start by verifying that we accept your insurance.
