Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Alcoholism

Recovering from alcoholism involves much more than simply cutting back on alcohol. It takes work and effort, and it is recommended that you access some form of therapy during this process.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism is a thoroughly researched and scientifically-backed form of therapy that has helped many people to recover from an alcohol addiction.

This article will explore both cognitive behavioural therapy and alcoholism, allowing you to make an informed decision on the type of treatment that you choose to receive.

What is alcoholism?

Also known as alcohol addiction or alcohol use disorder, alcoholism is a physical and/or psychological addiction to alcohol.

An alcohol use disorder can be mild, moderate or severe. No matter how mild the disorder is to begin with, it can quickly spiral into a severe and even deadly addiction. [1]

If you are addicted to alcohol, you are unable to manage your behaviour around this substance.

You may drink at inappropriate times, feel unable to function without alcohol and drink past the point of intoxication.

You may have even attempted to cut down or stop drinking alcohol entirely, but have been unable to give up this substance for long.

An alcohol addiction can have severe consequences for your life. It can lead to strained and damaged relationships, loss of employment, financial and legal troubles and health issues.

It can also cause you to be placed in dangerous situations, such as having unprotected sex or driving while intoxicated.

In some cases, people lose their lives to alcohol.

There are many ways to treat this disorder, with one of the most effective being cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with alcohol.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

What are the signs and symptoms of alcoholism?

Drinking alcohol is so common these days, so how can you tell if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction?

Most people will try to hide the signs of their alcoholism, but as the disorder progresses it can become more difficult to keep friends and family members in the dark.

Some of the signs and symptoms of alcoholism include:

• Needing to drink higher amounts of alcohol to feel drunk or relaxed
• Experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you do not drink alcohol
• Continuing to drink alcohol despite any negative consequences to your life
• Living a chaotic lifestyle due to your alcohol use
• Withdrawing from other people and spending more time alone
• Stealing and/or being dishonest
• Appearing dishevelled and poorly groomed
• Lack of personal hygiene
• Frequent mood swings and bouts of anger
• Trouble sleeping and/or experiencing nightmares
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol alone
• Letting responsibilities slide
• Withdrawing from hobbies and activities
• Being written up at work for drinking or being hungover

Struggling with an addiction to alcohol is not a personal failure. It can happen to anyone at any time in their life.

The most important thing to focus on is seeking help as quickly as possible.

Speak to your family, your friends, your doctor or the Rehab 4 Alcoholism team and you will find the support and bravery to recover from alcohol addiction.

What causes alcoholism?

Although alcohol addiction has been extensively studied, we still don’t know the true cause of this disorder.

Excessive alcohol consumption can actually change the way your brain works.

The enjoyable feelings that you get from drinking alcohol can make you crave this substance even more, and cause you to feel as though you are unable to function without it.

In the long term, you will not get much pleasure from drinking alcohol and will instead be simply maintaining your alcohol use to avoid experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

It is likely that several factors contribute to the development of alcoholism, and these are explained in more detail below.

Some of the risk factors for developing alcoholism include:

• Drinking more than the recommended limits
• Binge drinking on a regular basis
• Having a family member with an addiction
• Growing up in an environment in which alcohol use was common
• A co-occurring physical or mental health disorder
• Drinking alcohol from a young age
• Experiencing peer pressure to drink alcohol
• Living a stressful lifestyle or experiencing a stressful life event
• Having low self-esteem
• Experiencing trauma, particularly in childhood

It’s important to remember that developing an alcohol addiction is not your fault and that you don’t have to go through it alone.

What is cognitive behavioural therapy?

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that focuses on our mind, our thoughts and our behaviours and how they are all intrinsically connected. [2]

It can help us to identify negative and self-destructive thoughts that may be influencing our actions, and teach us how to challenge them and change our behaviours.

Many of these thoughts are automatic, so CBT also focuses on mindfulness and teaching us how to take a step back from the current situation.

Due to the above reasons, cognitive behavioural therapy can be extremely effective as part of the treatment of alcoholism.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with alcohol.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

What are the different types of cognitive behavioural therapy?

One of the aspects that make cognitive behavioural therapy so effective is the various types of treatment that this umbrella term involves.

There are various types of CBT to choose from, so it’s important to understand each one and how they can help you to recover from alcoholism.

1. Cognitive therapy

Cognitive therapy focuses on the belief that changing your thoughts can change your life.

You will learn that the events in your life are not the sole cause of your stress and unhappiness – instead, it is the way that you think about these events.

This form of therapy can help you to feel calmer and more mindful, and you will begin to feel a sense of control over your emotions and your own life.

2. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)

DBT is a useful form of CBT for treating addiction, as it is specifically targeted toward people who struggle with self-destructive behaviours and controlling their emotions.

This form of therapy can teach you how to live in the moment and cope with stress in a healthy way. It can improve your relationships with others as well as yourself, and heavily focuses on mindfulness as a way to induce behaviour change.

3. Rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)

If you hold unhappy and irrational beliefs about yourself and the world, it can be very difficult to function effectively in daily life.

REBT can teach you how to look at these thoughts from a different perspective and in turn alter them to form a more realistic viewpoint. It can reduce stress and anxiety while helping you to see things in a more positive light.

4. Multimodal therapy

Multimodal therapy focuses on treating the whole person instead of their specific affliction and symptoms.

This may involve your physical body, your mental health, your emotions and your spirit.

As multiple areas are being treated at once, you may very quickly begin to see an improvement in your mindset and feel more motivated to continue the treatment.

How is cognitive behavioural therapy different from other types of therapy?

CBT is in part so effective because it differs from other forms of addiction treatment and therapy.

The main difference between cognitive behavioural therapy and other types of therapy is the focus on the individual taking responsibility for their own thoughts and therefore their emotions.

CBT teaches that the event itself is not the problem – instead, it’s how we react to the event.

This is not forced positivity but instead involves taking a rational look at the problem or event and exploring various ways of looking at it.

CBT does not focus on past events or seek to explore your childhood. It is firmly rooted in the present and emphasises mindfulness and emotion management.

Additionally, cognitive behavioural therapy differs from other forms of therapy because it does not typically involve group work and instead focuses on the individual during each session.

How long does cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism take?

As cognitive behavioural therapy is usually a short-term form of treatment, you may be curious as to how much time you should put aside to attend.

It is usually recommended that you attend between 6 and 24 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism depending on how severe your addiction is.

Each session will last between 45 minutes and two hours, although 50-60 minutes is the most common length.

You will usually attend these sessions weekly, although those who access CBT through their rehab treatment programme may attend more frequently than this.

This may be beneficial if you only have a limited time before your programme ends.

If you attend cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism as part of a rehab treatment programme, you will need to set aside a minimum of 30 days while you complete the programme.

This will include detox, counselling and relapse prevention.

Most clinics offer 30, 60 and 90-day programmes depending on your budget and personal needs.

It is recommended that each patient spends at least three weeks of rehab attending counselling sessions, so this aspect of rehab will be devoted to cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism.

How many sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy will it take before I start seeing the benefits?

The answer to this question depends on the severity of your addiction as well as any other factors that may be contributing, such as underlying physical or mental health issues.

The initial sessions will mainly focus on getting to know your counsellor and vice versa, which will help you to feel more comfortable opening up to them in the future.

Therefore, you may not feel as though this form of treatment is helping you at first.

After 3 or 4 sessions, you may begin to notice a change in the way you speak to yourself and view the world.

As the treatment progresses, it’s common to begin taking positive actions to change your behaviours and your life.

However, cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism is not a race or a competition.

Each person will progress at their own rate, and it is not helpful to compare yourself with others.

Be patient and trust in the process, and you will soon begin to reap the benefits of cognitive behavioural therapy for addiction.

How much does cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism cost?

The potential cost of CBT may be preventing you from seeking treatment, but it may be cheaper than you think.

In many cases, cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism will be free as this form of treatment is often covered by the NHS.

If you are attending NHS-funded rehab, you will receive CBT for free as part of your treatment programme.

You can also access cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism privately, and this can be beneficial if you are looking for more flexible timings or wish to access this service online.

Private cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism can cost between £40 to £100 per session depending on the type of counsellor you choose and where you are located in the UK.

If you are planning to attend private rehab and wish to access addiction-focused CBT, the overall cost will be more expensive.

However, this will include all the amenities of a private rehab clinic as well as a full detox and relapse prevention.

• A 30-day treatment programme costs an average of £15,000 in the UK
• A 60-day treatment programme costs an average of £30,000 in the UK
• A 90-day treatment programme costs an average of £45,000 in the UK

We recommend carefully looking at all your options and deciding which would work best for you.

The Rehab 4 Alcoholism team is here to help – give us a call and let us talk you through your options for cognitive behavioural therapy for addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Will my insurance cover cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism?

As addiction counselling and rehab can be expensive, you may wish to take advantage of your private health or employee insurance.

In many cases, you will be able to access cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism through your insurance.

Your first step will be to read through the terms and conditions of your insurance to ensure that you will be covered and to contact your insurance provider if you have any questions or concerns.

If you are planning to claim through your private health insurance, be aware that you will need to disclose the reason for your claim.

This is likely to increase the cost of your future payments and premiums, so you will need to ensure that you will be able to afford this.

You will also need to disclose the reason for your claim if you are claiming through your employee insurance.

This may mean that your employer will be notified that you are struggling with addiction.

If you choose this route, you will need to be comfortable with your employer knowing this information.

Claiming a course of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism through your health or employee insurance can make this form of treatment more accessible for you.

This will help you to recover from an alcohol addiction and potentially change your life.

What are the benefits of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism?

You will experience both short-term and long-term benefits through cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism.

This scientifically-backed and evidence-based therapy has helped many people to come to terms with their addiction and find new and healthy ways of living. [3]

Some of the main benefits of this form of treatment are listed below:

• Allows you to identify your triggers and learn how to manage them effectively
• Helps you to feel more comfortable about expressing your thoughts and emotions
• Allows you to confront negative and harmful beliefs, challenging them and finding healthier and more positive ways to see the world
• Teaches new and healthy coping skills to use in stressful situations
• Gives you another perspective on your issues, thoughts and behaviours
• Gives you an opportunity to put your new skills into practice with regular homework outside of sessions
• Helps you to see problems before they occur and take steps to prevent them
• Assists you in developing a plan to stay sober, manage cravings and avoid risky situations
• Helps you to acknowledge and accept the past while working toward a brighter future
• Teaches you how to take a step back from a challenging, stressful or risky situation in order to make a sensible and informed decision

Of course, you will need to commit to recovery and put the work in to really reap the above benefits of CBT for alcoholism.

How effective is cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism?

Based on the benefits listed above, it’s safe to say that CBT for alcoholism is extremely effective.

In fact, one study found that 60% of people who completed a course in cognitive behavioural therapy for addiction were able to stay sober and continue to maintain their recovery for at least one year following treatment. [4]

Cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism has been found to be an effective form of addiction treatment on its own, even without being combined with any other types of treatment.

CBT has been extensively studied as a form of therapy, and the effectiveness of this type of treatment on alcoholism has been proven through multiple studies.

Of course, not everyone will benefit from cognitive behavioural therapy. Each person is different and will respond to various forms of treatment.

If you are ready to put in the work and feel that it may be helpful to you, we recommend finding a reputable practitioner or rehab clinic and giving CBT for alcoholism a try.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with alcohol.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Can I access cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism online?

We understand that it can be difficult for some people to attend cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism in person.

This may be due to petrol costs or other transport issues, trouble finding childcare or simply living in a rural area with no access to a therapy clinic.

In these cases, it may be possible to attend CBT sessions online from the privacy of your own home.

All you will need is a stable internet connection, a phone, laptop or computer and access to Zoom, Skype or any other video calling platform.

Since the emergence of COVID-19, it has become easier to access various addiction treatments from home, and CBT is no exception.

We can refer you to a rehab or treatment programme to suit your needs, including online cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism.

It’s important to us that everyone is able to access addiction treatment, no matter their personal circumstances.

Don’t give up on your recovery journey – let us help you find a treatment programme that involves online cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism.

How will I know if cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism is right for me?

Committing to a course of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism may feel intimidating, particularly if you have little experience with counselling.

So how will you know if cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism is right for you?

If you are prepared to spend time outside of CBT sessions working on exercises, you will likely get more out of this form of therapy than someone who has little spare time to devote to counselling.

You will also need to feel (or become) comfortable with thinking about your feelings and past experiences, as well as expressing them to your counsellor.

This can be difficult, but over time you will likely find that it becomes easier as you get to know yourself and your therapist.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is also most effective when there is a clear problem to solve. In this case, it will be alcoholism.

In many cases, the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism is down to the therapist and the connection that you form with them.

If you trust your therapist and feel comfortable speaking to them, you will generally make more progress than someone who dislikes their therapist or feels uncomfortable with them.

This is why it is so important to find a good therapist – don’t be afraid to try a few different ones until you find that connection.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with alcohol.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

How can I access cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism?

If you have read this article and would like to try cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism for yourself, continue reading to learn how to access this treatment.

Many people will access cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism through their rehab treatment programme, as this form of addiction treatment is commonly offered at rehabs across the UK.

If you are interested in trying CBT for alcoholism, make sure to choose a rehab clinic that specialises in this type of treatment.

You can check their website, read reviews or simply give them a call to enquire about their therapy options.

You can also do this if you are accessing addiction treatment privately.

To access rehab, particularly if you plan to secure NHS funding, you may need to be referred by your doctor.

Book an appointment and be completely honest about your alcohol use – your doctor is there to help.

Make sure to let them know that you are interested in cognitive behavioural therapy for alcoholism.

If you have any questions or would like us to refer you to a rehab clinic, call the Rehab 4 Alcoholism team on 0800 111 4108 and let us know your preferences.

References

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307043/

[2] https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/overview/

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5714654/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2897895/