There is evidence that says that addiction can change the chemistry of the brain. If that is the case, wanting to stop is not enough to want to live a sober life. While going cold turkey or joining a detox program can help you, it is not always for the long term. That is where psychotherapy comes in which is the interaction between a trained professional and a patient with addiction. Those who engage with the patients can be mental health counselors, occupational therapists, clinical social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, and drug counselors.
Psychotherapy can come in many different forms such as behavior modification, group therapy, expressive therapy, and hypnotherapy. This method of therapy increases self awareness and helps resolve psychological issues as well as improving mental health. Psychotherapy started as far back as Ancient Greece but was brought to modern times by Sigmund Freud. He came up with psychoanalysis in which you freely share your thoughts, trauma, urges, dreams and memories.
One reason why you can trust psychotherapy will help you is to find the root to your addiction. While some say genetics, it can be much more serious than that such as a mental illness or recovering from trauma. When you learn about the root of your addiction, you can understand your choices, behaviors, and start making changes.
A second reason is that you can choose whether you want to be helped one-on-one or with a group. When it is between you and the therapist, you can feel safe to confide in your therapist and feel free to vent about anything. If you decide to work together with a group, you can feel comfortable knowing that there are people that share the same struggles.
A third reason is that psychotherapy can help repair broken relationships that were a terrible consequence to your addiction. A therapist can talk to the people you love such as your spouse, a family member, or your children.
A fourth reason is that psychotherapy will make you examine the decisions made in regards to your addiction. You will be able to think critically about the problems you have encountered and to come up with solutions that do not involve relapsing.
A fifth reason is learning about different coping strategies with the temptations that made you relapse in the first place. By following through with psychotherapy, the chances of recovery from addiction will be greatly increased.
