Psychiatria pre prax 1/2019

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Addiction to Alcohol – Experience from Practice

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective psychotherapeutic approach for clients addicted to alcohol. CBT focuses on personal history and furthers client´s problems (e.g. lack of assertiveness skills, dual diagnosis). CBT maps so called vicious circle started by situation-conditioned antecedents. This circle is created by the following components: cravings, thoughts, body reactions and visible behaviors. These components influence each other and the behavior has consequences that continues a visious circle. Many therapeutic methods and strategies can be used for change of each component.

Keywords: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), addiction to alcohol, outpatient and residential therapeutic programme