Dialectical behavior therapy is an evidence-based, non-invasive treatment. Derived from cognitive behavioral therapy, it is used to help people with a variety of mental health concerns. These include addiction and trauma disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One of the most powerful things about the treatment is the set of tools and skills it gives you, which you can use on your own, long after your therapy program is over. So, what are the benefits of dialectical behavioral therapy for PTSD and substance abuse?
Benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for PTSD and Substance Abuse
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is often conducted in a group setting. The benefits of dialectical behavior therapy for PTSD and substance abuse people participating in therapy sessions experience can include, but are not limited to, the following.
Reduced Impulsivity
DBT skills can help you control impulses, behaviors, and urges to use substances. Research on DBT for alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorders shows that it can lead to reduced impulsivity. This can support relapse prevention because it means that you can pause before acting on urges to use drugs or engage in other maladaptive behaviors.
Emotion Regulation
The emotions that come with PTSD can be particularly hard to live with. The same is true for substance use disorders. Self-medication theory suggests that people with substance use disorders use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate mental health symptoms associated with concerns like PTSD. For example, feelings of depression or guilt and negative thoughts about yourself, others, and the world. The emotion regulation skills taught in DBT can help you cope with and manage these symptoms, but anyone can benefit from them.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
People rebuilding their lives and interpersonal relationships after substance abuse often benefit from learning new interpersonal skills. The same is true for people with PTSD, which can impact the way you connect with others. DBT teaches interpersonal effectiveness, which can help you in familial relationships, work relationships, friendships, romantic relationships, and any other parts of your life that involve interactions with others.
Better Quality of Life
DBT can improve daily functioning in people with conditions like PTSD and substance abuse. This can lead to a better quality of life overall.
DBT Therapy
We provide DBT therapy in Lexington, KY. As a mental health and addiction treatment center, Roaring Brook Recovery offers multiple levels of care for people healing from concerns such as PTSD and substance abuse.
Partial Hospitalization Program
Clients in our partial hospitalization program (PHP) in Kentucky for PTSD and substance abuse come to treatment five days per week for a total of about four hours each day. This treatment schedule provides optimal structure and support in an outpatient environment, giving you the chance to get the benefits of DBT groups and other treatments. For example, once-weekly individual and family therapy sessions.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Our intensive outpatient program (IOP) in Lexington, KY, is the next step down from PHP. Clients in our IOP participate in therapy four days per week for around three hours each day. However, the same effective treatments, such as DBT for PTSD and substance abuse, are used.
Call Roaring Brook Recovery to Learn More About the Benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for PTSD and Substance Abuse
Roaring Brook Recovery is an addiction and mental health treatment center in Lexington, Kentucky. Passionate about the quality of care we provide, our multidisciplinary team uses a trauma-informed, goal-oriented treatment process, which combines therapies like DBT with other approaches. Call Roaring Brook Recovery today to learn more about the benefits of dialectical behavior therapy for PTSD and substance abuse today at (866) 824-9389.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is radical acceptance in DBT?
Radical acceptance is a skill taught in DBT sessions. It involves accepting reality without judgment. This acknowledgement does not mean that you approve of or are complacent with something that has happened. Instead, it is about freeing your energy so that you can put it toward things you can control. That way, you can make choices you are proud of, even if there are life circumstances or past events you are not glad for.
How many people with PTSD also have a substance use disorder?
It is very common to live with both PTSD and a substance use disorder. According to the National Center for PTSD, 44.6 percent of people with PTSD also met the criteria for alcohol use disorder or another type of substance use disorder.
Having PTSD at any point in your life raises your risk of developing a substance use disorder. However, both conditions are highly treatable.
Is dialectical behavior therapy effective for PTSD?
Yes. DBT is an effective treatment for PTSD. It can be helpful in symptom management and remission. For example, a clinical trial on DBT for complex presentations of PTSD in women child abuse survivors found that 58 percent of participants achieved symptomatic remission.
What is complex PTSD?
Complex PTSD occurs in people who have experienced complex trauma, which refers to repeated or prolonged exposure to traumatic events. People with Complex PTSD, often called C-PTSD, can experience a wider range of symptoms in addition to the “core” symptoms of PTSD. DBT, as well as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and other treatment approaches, are effective in helping people with complex presentations of PTSD.
Is dialectical behavior therapy for PTSD and substance abuse covered by health insurance?
Yes. Health insurance companies cover the majority of evidence-based therapies for PTSD and substance abuse, such as DBT. Roaring Brook Recovery accepts most insurances. Call our admissions line to verify your health insurance coverage for PTSD and substance abuse treatment at our center in a few minutes or less.