7/31/2019 Alcoholism CBT

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ALCOHOLISM is the continued con-sumption of alcoholic beverages de-spite the health problems and negativesocial consequences it causes…

It is estimated that:

One in every TEN people who drinkare alcoholic

15.1 M of all alcoholics in the UnitedStates are WOMEN

Abused by 81% of the population ofthe United States

Alcoholism leads to:

49% of murders 21% of suicides 60% of child abuse 90% of ALL property crimes 90% of street muggings

The rapidly expanding problem ofalcoholism in the U.S. along with itsdevastating outcomes creates the needto find an immediate and at the sametime effective solution for alcoholism

 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

First alcoholism treatment approach to

demonstrate efficacy in reducingdrinking in randomized clinical trials.1 

Numerous studies and reviews have

ranked CBT among the most effectiveapproaches for treating alcoholicpatients.2 

JOURNAL SOURCES:

1. Chaney, E.F., et al. (1978). .Skill training with alcoholics. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 46:1092–1104, 1978

2. Longabaugh, R. and Morgenstern, J. (1999). Cognitive-BehavioralCoping-Skills Therapy for Alcohol Dependence: Current Status andFuture Directions. Alcohol Research & Health . 23 (2); 78 - 85

3. Abrams, D., & Niaura, R. (1987). Social learning theory . In: Blanke,H.T., and Leonard, K.E., eds. Psychological Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism . New York: Guilford Press, pp. 131–178

4. Jaffe, A., Rounsaville, B., Chang G., Schottenfield, R., Meyer, R.; &O’malley, S. (1996). Naltrexone, relapse prevention, and supportivetherapy with alcoholics: An analysis of patient treatment matching.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 64:1044–1053.

5. McCarthy, P. and O’Sullivan, D (2010). Efficacy of a brief cognitivebehavioral therapy program to reduce excessive drinking behavioramong new recruits entering the Irish Navy: a pilot evalua-tion.Military Medicine. 175(11):841-6.

OTHER SOURCES:1. Kadden, R. (2002). Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Substance De-

pendence: Coping Skills Training. http://www.bhrm.org/guidelines/ CBT-Kadden.pdf accessed March 1, 2012.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORALTHERAPY

An alcoholism treatment approachaimed at improving the patients’cognitive and behavioral skills forchanging their drinking behaviour

1. CBT is guided by the Bandura’s Social

Cognitive Theory  that an individual’s

inability to cope with life stress permeates

the drinking behavior.3 

2. CBT finds ways to help the individual

cope with life’s stressors in a manner that

is PRODUCTIVE and HEALTHY. 2 

CBT views alcoholism as a learned

behavior that is acquired through ex-

perience. If drinking alcohol gives an

individual pleasure repeatedly, it may

become the preferred way of achiev-

ing those results, especially if the in-

dividual cannot find any other way of

achieving such ends, and

 —treatment for such cannot be 

achieved by drugs alone... 

(Kadden, 2002)

CBT effectively helps patients in: Managing their cravings

Controlling anger (as anger is consid-ered an antecedent for alcohol use)

Restraining negative thoughts

Making good decisions

Refusing requests (to drink)

Handling criticism

Attaining better social skills

Patients who receive CBT as a componentof a more comprehensive ongoing treat-

ment are likely to have better drinking-related outcomes than patients who donot receive CBT.4 

A study conducted on Irish Navy recruitsundergoing a 16-week basic trainingcourse revealed that participants whoreceived CBT were more prepared tochange drinking behaviors, and hadlower incidence of binge drinking.5

(Kadden, 2002)

(Longabaugh & Morgenstern, 1999) 

Pharmacologic Treatment

NALTREXONE - blocks effects of

alcohol in the brain and reducesalcohol cravings

DISULFIRAM (Antabuse) - makes the

individual sick when s/he consumesalcohol

ACAMPROSATE (Campral) - relievesdiscomfort that accompany alcoholwithdrawal

SSRI (Selective - Serotonin Reuptake

Inhibitors) - to treat depression, whichis a common cause of alcoholism

These studies reveal that CognitiveBehavioral Therapy is:

effective in reducing and managingunhealthy drinking behaviors.

prevent relapses from treatment

effective as a stand-along or an adjuncttreatment to existing pharmacologicmeasures in managing alcoholism.

The potentials of Cognitive Behavior

Therapy is a fertile ground for futureresearch directions.

Broaden the scope of CBT to includeself-help groups andpharmacotherapeutic modalities

Make CBT more available and accessi-ble to alcoholics through advocaciesand other means of raising awareness.