CBT is a psychotherapy that helps people identify and change harmful and negative behaviors, attitudes, and thoughts that may be threatening their well-being. A therapist or mental health counselor gives this therapy that takes place individually or in groups with people who have similar issues. During CBT sessions, therapists encourage their patients to talk about their thoughts and feelings and work with them to develop goals that focus on resolving a specific problem. CBT is typically a short-term therapy that lasts for between five and twenty sessions or for as long as needed to help patients address and overcome their problems.

CBT can potentially help patients change and improve any behaviors, thoughts, and attitudes that may negatively affect their health and reduce their quality of life. Many also believe that CBT can teach people how to effectively cope with profound life events and situations, including divorce, break-ups, retirement, and the death of a spouse or child. CBT may also help people cope with stress, low self-esteem, low confidence, and chronic illnesses that cannot be fully treated or resolved. Behavioral health and treatment centers commonly use CBT to treat addiction, substance use disorders, eating disorders, anger management problems, personality disorders, and various other mental health and mood disorders.

CBT can be used in an addiction treatment setting to help people identify and change harmful attitudes and behaviors related to substance abuse. It can also help these individuals develop coping strategies for triggers such as stress, anxiety, and depression that don’t involve using drugs and alcohol. For example, CBT can provide a patient with insight into how they became addicted to alcohol, in the first place, by encouraging them to examine the behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that led to their drinking. The patient can then replace these harmful behaviors with healthier ones, such as exercising to relieve stress instead of drinking high amounts of alcohol.