Treatments for alcohol and substance use disorders often use methods originally developed for other mental health concerns. Research shows promising results for the treatments in question, which provide therapists the essential tools and resources to help clients.
So which ones help?? We’ve written about how no single substance abuse treatment appears to be effective for everyone. However, some approaches do appear to be more effective than others.
Among effective treatments, which ones work depends on the individual. This is why researchers now recommend a menu of evidence-based options for substance use treatment. So, clients can rely on a multitude of options to guide their treatment.
For training purposes, here are a couple menu items:
Motivational interviewing (MI) has become a force. It uses affirmations, reflections, and other techniques to help clients clarify how motivated they are to change. Motivational interviewing emphasizes meeting clients where they are at.
The therapist avoids trying to convince the client of a need to change. Interestingly, clients often end up deciding they want to change. MI can be used in many psychosocial difficulties, but there is a great training for MI specifically targeting addiction.
Another option for training is, of course, CBT. Yes, again (research just finds it works for so many things). CBT may be an especially viable option once clients are ready for change.
CBT for substance use helps clients understand and explore distressing thoughts, beliefs, and environmental factors that contribute to ongoing abuse. They then learn skills to challenge those thoughts and beliefs, improve emotion regulation, and intentionally modify their environment to promote change.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has shown increasing research support in recent years. ACT for substance use helps clients clarify their values, while exploring how their abuse can impact their ability to attain them. It also provides skills for psychological flexibility and distress tolerance, which improves emotion regulation.
It is rare for therapists to train in 12-step programs, but those programs can be found across communities all over the world. Sometimes clients find this is a good referral option on its own, or along with another structured therapy.
A number of substance use treatment books and workbooks are available for therapists and clients. Finding dependable, evidence-based books is not always easy. Check out our list of well-established resources and books to help.
It kinda reads like menu items, huh? Ingredients and all…. Luckily for therapists, these resources and other approaches are pretty dang effective. Readiness, empathy, and helpful tools can all be attained with these options.
