Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) For Addiction Treatment
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective therapies used in rehab treatment today. First developed in the 1960s by Dr Aaron Beck, CBT focuses on the connection between your thoughts, feelings and actions. In practice, it helps you identify the negative thinking patterns that drive addictive behaviours and then gives you the tools to challenge and change them.
Unlike therapies that dwell heavily on the past, CBT is rooted in the here and now. Its strength lies in offering practical, everyday strategies you can use immediately, making it especially powerful during rehab and for long-term relapse prevention.
How does cognitive behavioural therapy work?
CBT works by breaking down the patterns that keep addiction going, be it an alcohol addiction, a drug addiction or a gambling addiction. Most of the time, it is not just the drug, drink or behaviour itself that keeps you hooked but the momentum of the thoughts and feelings around it. For example, you might feel stressed and think “I can’t cope on my own” and so use a substance or behaviour to escape. That short-term relief then reinforces the belief that you need it, trapping you in the loop.
In CBT sessions, you will work with a trained therapist to:
Identify unhelpful thoughts
This means noticing the negative inner voice that tells you things like “I need drugs to handle this difficult time” or “I’ve messed up already, so I might as well keep drinking.”
Challenge those thoughts
Once you know which thoughts are harming you, the next step is to question whether they are actually true or just old patterns your brain has fallen into.
Build healthier responses
This step means replacing destructive behaviours with practical, positive actions that genuinely deal with the underlying issue, so you don’t need drugs, alcohol or anything else to help you cope.
One of the most important things about CBT is that it is an active, hands-on therapy. This means that you won’t just sit and talk but will be practising new ways of thinking and behaving in real-life situations. As you improve over the course of your stay in rehab, this practice retrains your brain to respond differently to cravings, pressure or difficult emotions. Even when treatment ends, the strategies will then stay with you, helping you face post-rehab challenges with confidence rather than falling back into old habits.
Why is CBT used in addiction treatment?
In the context of addiction, CBT has long been shown to be highly effective both in initial recovery and in providing enduring skills to prevent relapse. It is a cornerstone of rehab treatment at Providence Projects..
CBT is also very effective for treating a range of co-occurring disorders, including:
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Eating disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
When a person is affected by both addiction and a co-occurring mental health condition, it is called a dual diagnosis. The ability of CBT to help treat both simultaneously is very important because up to 20-37% of people with a mental health disorder also struggle with addiction.
Start your recovery journey today.
Finding the best rehab treatment for you is the first vital step in achieving life-long recovery from your addiction. Whether it is for you, or for a loved one, do not hesitate to find out how we at Providence Projects can help you.
How is CBT used in addiction treatment?
Cognitive behavioural therapists use various methods to assist in addiction recovery. Some of the most effective methods include:
Thought recordings
This is where you write down a negative thought when it pops up and then ask yourself: “What evidence do I really have that this is true?” and “What evidence do I have that it might not be?” By comparing the two sides, you can often see that your thoughts are harsher or more unforgiving than reality. With practice, this can help your thoughts become kinder and more balanced.
Behavioural experiments
These are little “tests” you set up in real life to see if your negative thoughts are actually true. For example, if you believe “People will think I’m weak if I ask for help,” you might try asking someone you trust for support and notice their response. You will often find that the outcome challenges your negative assumption. This approach is about finding out what really works for you, rather than just believing the worst-case scenario in your head.
Activity scheduling
This is about planning small, enjoyable or meaningful activities into your day, especially when you aren’t feeling too great. It could be as simple as going for a walk, cooking a meal you like or phoning a friend. These activities break up the cycle of withdrawal or post-addiction life, lift your mood and remind you that you can feel good without substances.
Imagery-based exposure
This involves carefully revisiting a difficult memory in your imagination, step by step. Instead of avoiding it, you picture the sights, sounds, feelings and urges connected to it. Eventually, tough memories lose some of their power over you so you can start facing them without needing drugs or alcohol.
How does CBT therapy work at Providence Projects?
At Providence Projects, CBT is a core part of all our treatment programmes, including:
In primary care (your first 28 days), CBT sessions are woven into your weekly schedule alongside other therapies. The focus is on stabilising you mentally and emotionally through the work of identifying and replacing unhelpful thoughts with helpful ones.
If you choose to continue on our recovery pathway, and stay on for secondary care, CBT therapy can go a lot deeper. By this stage, you will have cleared the fog from detox and early recovery so you can tackle bigger, more ingrained patterns. This may mean working on how you react to stress, how you see yourself or how you deal with setbacks without turning back to old behaviours.
We believe in a holistic strategy to recovery so we integrate CBT with other therapeutic modalities, including:
- Mindfulness-based therapies
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- Family therapy
- Dialectical behaviour therapy
- Individual and group counselling
Continuing CBT after leaving Providence Projects
CBT doesn’t stop when you complete rehab, in fact, it often becomes even more valuable once you return to everyday life. Old patterns of negative thoughts, urges and self-doubt don’t disappear overnight, but ongoing CBT gives you a toolkit to recognise these triggers, interrupt them, and replace them with healthier responses.
Picture a stressful week: work piles up, or you fall out with someone close. Without support, it’s easy to slip into “I can’t cope” or “One won’t hurt.” CBT teaches you to pause, challenge those thoughts, and lean on your relapse prevention plan instead.
Many people continue CBT through private therapy, group work or digital tools. However you choose to do it, the key is consistency. Every time you practise these techniques, you strengthen new habits and build resilience. Over time, CBT helps rewire your thinking so that staying steady and substance-free becomes second nature.
The team of counsellors here at The Providence Projects are always available.
If you would like to find out more about how you can best set healthy boundaries, how you can hopefully encourage your loved one to seek help, find out more about intervention or the treatment process, please call anytime.
Reach out to Providence Projects today
A fresh start is possible, and CBT can help you get there. At Providence Projects, we use CBT for addiction every day to help our clients untangle their thoughts, manage cravings and rebuild their lives. No matter how long you’ve struggled, you don’t have to keep going the way things are. Contact us today and begin CBT with us.
Going in, I had no life…the Providence Projects has given my life back to me. I couldn’t have done it on my own. I found instantly how warm and welcoming everyone was.
LEO HAYDEN, FORMER CLIENT
Watch Leo's Story
Start your recovery journey today.
Finding the best rehab treatment for you is the first vital step in achieving life-long recovery from your addiction. Whether it is for you, or for a loved one, do not hesitate to find out how we at Providence Projects can help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can CBT be done in a group setting?
Yes, while CBT is often done one-to-one, it can also be very effective in a group setting. Group CBT for addiction brings people together who are facing similar struggles with a therapist leading the session. Everyone in the group can share their experiences and practise skills together.
How does CBT differ from DBT?
Both CBT and DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy) focus on changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, but DBT places more emphasis on managing intense emotions. CBT teaches you to spot negative thought patterns and replace them with healthier ones. DBT includes these tools but also adds skills for regulating emotions and improving relationships. At Providence Projects, we employ both approaches because they offer significant benefits for recovery.
What is high-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy?
High-intensity CBT is a more in-depth form of therapy, usually for people with complex or long-standing problems such as severe addiction, depression or anxiety. It involves longer, more frequent sessions than standard CBT and often goes into greater detail about the patterns behind your behaviour.
(Click here to see works cited)
- McHugh, R. Kathryn, et al. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders, 2010, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2897895/ Accessed 26 August 2025.
- UK Addiction Treatment Centres. “Dual-Diagnosis | Mental Health and Addiction | UKAT.” UK Addiction Treatment Centres, 26 March 2025, https://www.ukat.co.uk/mental-health/dual-diagnosis/ Accessed 26 August 2025.