Most individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD) or dual diagnosis have multiple underlying issues contributing to their addictive behaviors and maladaptive coping mechanisms. Addressing underlying problems reduces the risk of relapse and allows you to heal from the effects of chronic substance abuse. Bright Mission Recovery uses psychotherapy and other therapeutic modalities to help clients identify the root causes of addiction and move forward in their healing journey.

Common Root Causes of Addiction

The causes of addiction vary significantly from person to person and may include learned behaviors for individuals living in households with multigenerational substance use. Clinicians at Bright Mission Recovery use psychotherapy to help clients gain deeper insights into thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors related to substance abuse. Your underlying motivations for abusing substances must be addressed before you can fully heal. 

Some common risk factors that may cause SUD include: 

• Genetics 
• A family history of substance use or mental health disorders 
• Chronic stress 
• Trauma or abuse, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
• Living or working in a warzone 
• Peer pressure and other social influences 
• Lack of a support network 
• Low self-esteem and self-worth 
• Early exposure to substance abuse
• Chronic pain and other health conditions 
• Unstable living conditions 
• Working in a high-stress environment 

Most people have multiple elements contributing to the development of addictive behaviors. The combination of various factors may interfere with a person’s ability to manage everyday stressors. How you cope with stress impacts your ability to function. Treatment programs provide you with the tools and resources to establish healthy coping skills and manage stress effectively. 

3 Ways Psychotherapy Addresses the Root Causes of Addictive Behaviors

Psychotherapy is one of the cornerstones of addiction treatment. Therapy sessions are easily tailored to meet the diverse needs of individual clients. Studies have shown that “[o]ptimal treatment of addiction requires the incorporation of addiction psychotherapy.” Clinicians use individual and group therapy to help clients identify and address the root causes of addiction and other maladaptive behaviors. Below are three ways psychotherapy facilitates healing from SUD. 

#1. Increasing Self-Awareness

Self-awareness allows you to recognize underlying issues affecting your sobriety and mental health. Identifying the cause of problematic behaviors gives you a starting point for addressing maladaptive coping mechanisms and behaviors. According to Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports, “Individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) display a wide spectrum of behavioral deficits that suggest problems with insight and self-awareness linked to their addiction.” 

You can increase self-awareness using psychotherapy by doing the following: 

• Reflecting on past experiences 
• Identifying patterns of thought and behavior affecting mental health 
• Learning emotion regulation techniques
• Examining automatic thought processes 
• Uncovering and exploring core beliefs, values, and goals 
• Challenging negative self-perceptions 
• Acknowledging personal roles in various past and current situations
• Setting personal boundaries 
• Using therapeutic feedback to gain a more objective perspective 

Increasing self-awareness reduces the symptoms and side effects of SUD, including cravings and the potential for relapse. 

#2. Identifying Negative Thought Patterns

Psychotherapy involves breaking down motivations for behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs. Identifying negative thought patterns allows you to replace them with positive alternatives. Psychotherapy introduces new ways to approach various treatment challenges, including how to adjust thinking patterns to fit the new reality of sobriety. 

You may struggle with negative self-talk during the initial stages of treatment. Using affirmations, self-care, positive self-talk, and other tools allows you to build a healthier self-image and develop more helpful ways of thinking about your condition. Talk therapy offers you a safe and nonjudgmental space to express yourself and create healthier patterns of thought and behavior. 

#3. Providing Positive Coping Skills

Positive coping skills prepare you for long-lasting sobriety by ensuring you have healthy behaviors, routines, thoughts, and actions to fall back on during stressful moments. Many individuals begin abusing alcohol or drugs as a way to cope with emotional or physical distress. Replacing addiction and other unhealthy coping mechanisms with positive alternatives improves your overall health and allows you to begin healing more effectively from the effects of SUD. 

Some examples of positive coping skills you can learn in individual or group psychotherapy include: 

• Mindfulness-based techniques 
• Relaxation exercises 
• Meditation 
• Conflict resolution and more effective communication 
• Creating and relying on a support network 
• Identifying and addressing specific triggers 

Clients often report better outcomes when they use psychotherapy to manage symptoms and side effects of SUD or dual diagnosis. 

How Does Bright Mission Recovery Help Clients Address the Root Causes of Addiction?

Psychotherapy provides a more objective perspective on many aspects of addiction and treatment. Bright Mission Recovery helps clients address the root causes of addiction using an integrative and compassionate approach to care. Clinicians can guide you through replacing unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors with new ways of looking at your circumstances and the world. You can collaborate with clinicians to address underlying or active conditions and factors affecting your mental health. 

Psychotherapy is essential to treating addiction. Individuals struggling with addictive behaviors or mental health disorders often have underlying issues affecting their ability to move forward and avoid past routines and habits. Psychotherapy creates a foundation for healing by showing you how to develop practical coping skills, replace negative thoughts and behaviors, build healthier relationships, and manage stress more effectively. Bright Mission Recovery uses various forms of psychotherapy and other evidence-based methods to help clients find healthy ways to manage their emotions and avoid relapse. To learn more about how our programs and services can help you heal from the effects of chronic substance abuse, call our office today at (747) 444-3284.