How Does Psychotherapy Treat Substance Abuse?

Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from substance use disorder (SUD) involving alcohol, opioids, and other drugs. Psychotherapy can play a leading role in managing SUD, but for many patients, mental health treatment alone may not be sufficient.

At Revival Infusion Madison, Sarah Wilczewski, CRNA, APNP, offers ketamine therapy specifically tailored for substance abuse issues, working alongside psychotherapy to help break the cycle of addiction. In this post, learn more about psychotherapy and its role in treating substance use disorder — alone or alongside ketamine infusion.

Understanding SUD

For anyone not suffering from substance use disorder (or substance abuse), it’s tempting to think of the condition as nothing more than a matter of willpower: Simply stop using or abusing the substance, and your problems will go away. But for anyone with a history of SUD and their loved ones, the truth is obviously much more complex.

SUD involves both physical and psychological components, and the cycle it creates can be virtually impossible to break without medical intervention. Many people enter the cycle to cope with life’s struggles and challenges, becoming “hooked” before they even realize it.

Substance abuse creates psychological cravings that are frequently backed up by physical symptoms that make quitting extremely difficult. Fortunately, substance abuse treatment can be very effective, especially when it involves treatments focused on both the psychological and physical aspects of the disorder.

Psychotherapy for SUD treatment

Psychotherapy can play an important role in helping people overcome substance abuse with a variety of therapeutic techniques focused on replacing negative behaviors with more positive patterns. 

Therapy helps identify the underlying causes of abuse along with current triggers for abusive behaviors. Multiple therapy types are available and provided individually and in peer group and family settings.

A psychotherapist helps patients learn practical coping skills to prevent stress-related substance use. Stress management, problem-solving, and personal empowerment strategies build strong, healthy responses that help patients let go of the pattern of abuse they’ve developed to “numb” stressful and unpleasant situations.

Substance abuse can frequently lead to isolation, furthering the anxiety and depression that can trigger abuse and relapse. Psychotherapy helps people restore and rebuild healthy social patterns and communication with family members and peers.

How ketamine can help

Originally used as an anesthetic, today ketamine is recognized for its ability to help people manage chronic conditions, including substance abuse. What’s more, the underlying mechanism in ketamine therapy helps relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression that often go hand in hand with abuse issues.

Although not FDA-approved for substance abuse treatment, ketamine is widely used in abuse disorders, targeting brain chemicals responsible for mood and emotional regulation, helping patients “break” the psychological aspects that drive cravings and repeated use.

Performed alongside psychotherapy, ketamine infusion may help patients break that cycle more rapidly while developing healthy, positive thought and behavior patterns that support long-term success. 

Take control of your health and your future

Substance use disorder can have devastating effects on your physical health and your emotional wellness. To learn how ketamine therapy can help you break the cycle of abuse and enjoy a healthier, happier future, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Revival Infusion Madison in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, today.