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DBT Techniques and How They Help With Addiction

Emotional problems, such as borderline personality disorder, can often influence drug addiction. Issues like these need specific care to manage appropriately. Therefore, it is critical to understand DBT techniques and how they help with addiction. Doing so can give a person a better insight into their care and ensure that they recover in positive ways by reinforcing the lessons that they have learned.

Conventional DBT Techniques Used in Treatment

DBT – or dialectical behavioral therapy – is a unique offshoot of cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. Therapists and doctors have adjusted this care option to help those with a disease known as borderline personality disorder. The diverse range of care options uses the following methods:

  • Capability enhancement – Care specialists focus on enhancing a person’s life skills, including regulating their emotions
  • Generalizing capability skills – This technique takes the capability enhancements learned earlier and applies them to a person’s life t
  • Boosts motivation and decreases adverse behaviors – Works to enhance a person’s motives for improvement
  • Improve therapists skills – DBT techniques increase a person’s chances of recovery by bringing in multiple viewpoints on their concerns
  • Restructuring a person’s environment – Dialectical behavior therapy focuses on changing a person’s situation so they can focus on positive behaviors

In most cases, DBT therapy utilizes all of these methodologies to help a person with a borderline personality disorder. But why is this process such an important one for addiction therapy? Unfortunately, those with borderline personality disorder are often at a higher risk of substance abuse and may need DBT to manage the symptoms that trigger use.

Ways DBT Helps With Addiction

Borderline personality disorder causes many different problems. For example, it may trigger intense anger, anxiety, and depression. Some may even find it hard to maintain friendships and romantic relationships. Unfortunately, this condition also triggers unpredictable behaviors. Often, people with this disease take risks that others would not, such as abusing substances.

As a result, DBT techniques may be necessary for treatment. These methods will identify the root of a person’s borderline personality disorder. Then, they will manage them in productive ways. For example, a person will learn how to cope with their emotions and stay balanced every day. As a result, they should find it easier to stay away from addictive substances and can focus on general self-improvement.

That said, this method is not a singular care option for addiction. It must be combined with other types of care to be useful for treatment. Therefore, it is critical to know how rehab specialists utilize DBT. Doing so can streamline your recovery or that of someone you love. In this way, DBT can be lifesaving for those suffering from an addiction.

How DBT Integrates With Other Rehab Methods

Drug rehab specialists use DBT techniques only when necessary. For example, they may have a client who has an extreme borderline personality disorder. Once they have identified this individual, they can work with them to manage their emotions. Daily DBT treatments can help to minimize their adverse reactions. And they can also decrease a person’s addiction intensity.

Before DBT, most people have to go through detoxification procedures. These treatments remove harmful substances from the body without causing pain. As a result, it should be easier to focus on rehab and psychological care. Other treatment options include nutritional care and psychological analysis. When combined, they create a very potent whole for recovery. This type of treatment in outpatient and inpatient centers both provide many benefits.

Typically, these care options are known as dual-diagnosis. These methods are necessary when a person has an addiction and an underlying psychological concern. Dual-diagnosis care treats both problems at the same time. In this way, the symptoms of both rapidly decrease. And after treatment, a person can walk away free of borderline personality disorder and substances.

However, aftercare methods may also be necessary for lifelong sobriety. This care helps avoid relapse after a person finishes their addiction treatment. Those dealing with borderline personality disorder may need this care if their condition recurs later in life.

Reach Out to Us Today

Please call 1-866-824-5193 today if you want to try DBT techniques. At Atlantic Recovery Center, we provide many care options for you. We have designed our small and individualized approach to make your recovery simpler. Verify your insurance to begin.