Have you asked the question, CBT vs DBT, and found yourself wondering which option is really right for your needs? Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, is one of the most common types of treatment for substance abuse and mental health disorders. Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is also used in this manner. Many people will find that drug and alcohol treatment centers, like Atlanta Recovery Center, offer and recommend both options. What’s the difference, and what should you know before choosing a location for care?
So, What’s the CBT vs DBT Difference?
Both programs are used in many drug additional facilities. However, they were designed to address different needs. Traditionally, CBT has long been used as a way of changing the focus of a person’s thought patterns with the goal of helping the individual to stop thinking about drug use. When a person is exposed to CBT, they will spend time learning how to spot an unhealthy thought or one that’s distorted outside of what would be considered normal for other people. Then, they are taught how to replace those negative thoughts with more positive ones, therefore restructuring the thought patterns to achieve different goals.
DBT, on the other hand, was developed and used as a way to help people who had borderline personality disorders that often included very strong emotions and interpersonal conflicts. In this method, then, the goal is to validate emotions when they are occurring, accept them, and then regulate them properly to avoid negative outcomes.
When you consider CBT vs DBT, it is important to look at how it is done. For example, when a person comes to a therapist with a problem or a very specific concern, DBT tends to work very well. That is because it is very structured and requires a very specific set of steps. For example, if a person visits a therapist because he or she is experiencing self-hate related to past trauma, they will work through the specific set of steps to accept what has happened and to validate those emotions.
CBT, on the other hand, requires more thinking and more actual work. In this case, a person must really be vigilant to notice the negative thought patterns they are having. They then need to change that way of thinking. It is done in the moment and with a specific focus. That puts more of the pressure of the success of this treatment on the patient themselves.
What Type of Care Is Best for You?
When you think about addiction and mental health disorders, the CBT vs DBT difference is important to note, but it doesn’t define the specific treatment right for any given person. When you visit us at Atlantic Recovery Center, our goal is to create a treatment plan that is designed for your needs. If you are coming to us for addiction treatment solutions, we want to create a customized treatment plan that fits your needs. Sometimes this will also include co-occurring disorder treatment in which both addiction and mental health care are addressed at the same time.
Most of our clients also need to consider the level of care they need beyond just these types of therapy. We may recommend:
- Residential treatment programs
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Partial hospitalization treatment
- Detox (available through a third-party location)
- Outpatient counseling and aftercare later
At Atlantic Recovery Center, a key component of our focus is to provide you with information you need to make the right decisions for yourself. The CBT vs DBT debate is one you can have with our team to determine which is the best type of change of thought patterns for your needs. Our team is here to offer guidance to create a comprehensive treatment plan, no matter what you are up against within your addiction. Most often, both of these methods are a part of that treatment.
Are You Seeking Help for Addiction? Let Us Help You
Is CBT vs DBT the right option for you? Every person’s needs are different. At Atlanta Recovery Center, we work closely with you to understand what all of your needs are, creating an effective, comprehensive care plan that’s designed just for your needs. Call our compassionate counselors today at 1-866-824-5193 to learn more.