Substance Abuse and Mental Health:
Treatment access for co-occurring issues is lacking:
Integrated Treatment for dual diagnoses is paramount:
CBT focuses on the activities in an individual’s life, rather than the events that lead up to their difficulties. It is based on the following:
With CBT we identify and change thought patterns that have a negative influence on behavior or emotions.
Raising awareness of negative and often unrealistic thoughts can be effective to help patients overcome a wide variety of maladaptive behaviors.
CBT is problem-oriented, short-term and requires less time investment than other forms of therapy.
CBT is one of the most utilized and studied forms of therapy. Research suggests that CBIT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life – and has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than other psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.
MI is non-confrontational. It is used to strengthen personal motivation and foster a commitment to a specific goal. It is a goal-oriented and collaborative style of counseling.
MI encourages an empathetic and open discussion about an individual’s life, as well as their substance use. The goal is to explore the individual’s interest to change, any potential roadblocks and the path to improve motivation.
Motivational Interviewing values individual autonomy. It does not require the individual to admit to anything before considering behavioral changes.
Important exercises to encounter with Motivational Interviewing:
Motivational Interviewing meets the American Psychological Association’s criteria for promising treatments of adolescent substance abuse. Individuals with co-occurring mental health & substance abuse issues can benefit from MI techniques to improve psychiatric outcomes.
Trauma is an external event with long-lasting effects on mental well-being - and is highly correlated with mental health outcomes.
Trauma can negatively affect your well-being, including your physical and mental health.
Trauma is widespread across society. Many people who seek help for mental health have histories of trauma, but often don’t recognize the effects of trauma in their lives.
Trauma-informed care is a holistic approach, a change in perspective: the focus shifts from “what is wrong with you?” to “what happened to you?”.