Addiction Therapy: Types and Techniques

Addiction, medically referred to as substance use disorder (SUD), is a health crisis. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that 46 million+ Americans misused alcohol, drugs, or both in 2021.

Fortunately, different types of addiction therapy are now widely available. You only need to find a suitable treatment plan for your unique circumstances—your condition, co-occurring health issues, budget, and lifestyle.

If you or a loved one is looking for therapeutic interventions, read on to find a therapy that speaks to your heart.

What Is Addiction Therapy?

Addiction therapy is a type of treatment that targets alcohol and drug abuse, as well as different types of behavioral addictions like sex and Internet addiction. Usually, it’s customized to meet each person’s needs and can take in various settings, including:

Outpatient clinics
Residential treatment centers
Sober living homes
Telehealth

Treatment can last from a few months to several years of ongoing support.

Types of Addiction Therapy

Below are evidence-based therapies commonly used by mental health professionals in treating addiction.

1. Medication-Assisted Therapy

Detoxification is typically the first step in substance abuse treatment. It involves removing all traces of alcohol or drugs from your body and managing withdrawal symptoms, either in an inpatient or outpatient program.

For substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines, heroin, and synthetic opioids, withdrawal symptoms can sometimes be severe or fatal. In such cases, you’ll likely require inpatient treatment, where you’ll receive medically assisted detox in a strict setting.

If your symptoms are milder, you might be eligible for outpatient treatment. However, you still need to visit a healthcare facility or addiction treatment center for regular checkups.

A fact sheet from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) identifies the following prescription medications for reducing opioid use and cravings:

Buprenorphine
Methadone
Naltrexone
Buprenorphine/naloxone

Additionally, lofexidine is given to treat withdrawal symptoms, while naloxone and nalmefene, both available as nasal sprays or injections, can reverse overdose and save lives.

For alcohol addiction, these drugs are used:

Disulfiram
Naloxone
Acamprosate

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT follows the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. In addiction treatment, therapy sessions revolve around changing negative thought patterns that lead to alcohol or drug use and developing healthier coping skills.

The best thing about CBT is that it gives you practical tools you can use long after your formal treatment is over. It’s especially helpful for those with co-occurring conditions like PTSD since it helps manage both addiction and mental health conditions.

Some popular CBT techniques that can be useful for alcohol and drug addiction treatment include:

Thought Journaling: Writing down your thoughts to identify negative patterns that trigger your substance use.
Self-Talk: Replacing negative self-talk withencouraging messages to yourself.
Self-Instructional Training: Giving yourself clear and positive spoken instructions when you feel the urge to “use.”
Guided Discovery: Working with a therapist to explore and question your beliefs and find healthier ways to cope with addiction.

3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

The “dialectical” part means balancing two seemingly opposite concepts. It’s equivalent to saying, “I accept that I’m struggling with addiction, AND I’m going to work on getting better.” In short, the balance is between self-acceptance and change.

DBT teaches you practical skills in four areas:

Mindfulness: Instead of getting lost in cravings or regrets, you learn to notice your thoughts and feelings without getting swept away by them.
Distress Tolerance: Life can be tough, and sometimes you use substances to cope. DBT teaches you healthier ways to ride out those tough situations without reaching for drugs or alcohol.
Emotion Regulation: You’ll learn to identify what you’re feeling and why, and how to handle intense emotions without letting them control you.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Addiction can mess with your relationships. This part helps you communicate better, set boundaries, and build healthier connections with others.

4. Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Change is hard, and sometimes you’re unsure if you’re ready for it. Your therapist gets that, so it’s their job to help you sort out your mixed feelings about quitting drugs or alcohol. They’ll ask you questions about how your addiction is getting in the way and make you rethink your goals.

However, don’t think the therapist is there to judge or lecture but to help uncover your motivation to change.

5. Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)

You shouldn’t confuse MET with motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing is a technique of talking to people about change. It can be used in all sorts of situations, not just addiction.

MET, on the other hand, is a specific, structured treatment program that uses motivational interviewing techniques but also includes assessment, personalized feedback, and clear goal-setting. In other words, MI is a tool while MET is a whole workshop.

6. Holistic Therapy

Holistic therapy isn’t strictly therapy but a concept of treating the body, mind, and spirit as a whole using non-medical methods. The whole idea is to develop healthy habits to fill your days and steer you away from drug or alcohol use.

While it’s often seen as separate from traditional talk therapies, there’s actually a form of counseling called “holistic psychotherapy.” This combines traditional methods like CBT with non-traditional approaches like hypnotherapy and breathwork.

Many addiction treatment centers now incorporate some holistic elements into their programs, whether inpatient or outpatient. Be sure to check out what they’re offering before you commit.

Here are some alternative methods used in holistic healing:

Yoga
Mindfulness and meditation
Acupuncture
Massage and relaxation exercises
Nutritional therapy
Creative therapies (art, music, or writing)
Animal-assisted therapy
Spiritual therapy

Other Forms of Addiction Therapy

Below are common modes of psychotherapy:

1. Individual Therapy

Individual therapy is a one-on-one session with a therapist. You meet regularly, usually weekly, to work on your specific issues about addiction and recovery.

The main advantage is the focused, personalized attention. You can discuss sensitive topics you might not feel comfortable sharing in a group.

2. Group Therapy

In group therapy, you meet with other people who are also dealing with addiction. One or more therapists lead the sessions, which usually involve psychoeducation, skills development, and social interactions.

Learning to open up, listen, and give and receive feedback are skills that will serve you well in recovery.

3. Family Therapy

The hard truth is that addiction doesn’t spare your family from its ugliness. But therapy with all the family members can be incredibly healing.

It’s a chance to rebuild trust, nurture understanding, and create a home environment that supports your recovery.

Therapy for Relapse Prevention

Getting sober is tough, but staying sober? That’s the tricky part. Recovery can be lonely, and eventually, when you’re out there on your own, it’s easy to talk yourself into “just one drink” or “one hit.” That’s why you need people who can help you stay on the path.

Support groups like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or NA (Narcotics Anonymous) are an essential piece of a broader recovery plan that might include medications, therapy, and lifestyle changes.

Life doesn’t stop being messy just because you’ve stopped “using.” Support groups give you a place to vent or admit when you’re struggling, without fear of judgment. They remind you that you’ve got people in your corner to support and celebrate small wins with you.

Visit the AA website to find an AA location near you. For virtual NA meetings, click here.

Final Thoughts

Quitting is just the beginning of a long, complicated addiction recovery process. By the time people seek treatment, addiction may already have significant problems in their health, relationships, work, or studies.

Since addiction impacts many areas of one’s life, a good treatment program needs to focus on the person as a sum of their parts. As such, treatment providers use different types of addiction therapy to support the patient physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and even spiritually.

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