Addiction is more than a physical dependence on substances. It often stems from emotional pain, trauma, and difficulties managing distressing thoughts and feelings. That’s why effective addiction treatment must address both the psychological and behavioral components of substance use.
One therapy in particular that is popular for addiction treatment is dialectical behavior therapy, also known as DBT. At Magnolia City Detox, we provide DBT for Addiction as part of an evidence-based approach to recovery. We help individuals learn to manage emotions, navigate stress, and stay on the path to sustainable sobriety.
Whether you’re seeking treatment for yourself or a loved one, understanding how DBT works and how it supports addiction recovery can be a game-changer. It’s just one of many modalities of therapy considered effective for addiction treatment that assists in creating a life of sustainable recovery.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that was developed in the late 1980s. Originally created for people with Borderline Personality Disorder, DBT has been proven to be highly effective for people who struggle with self-harming behaviors, emotional regulation, impulsivity, and substance use disorders.
The term “dialectical” reflects the therapy’s core philosophy: balancing acceptance with change. DBT helps people accept themselves and their emotional experiences while also working toward positive behavioral changes that lead to a more fulfilling life. It helps teach individuals how to balance opposing ideas in their heads and how to tolerate distress in healthy ways.
DBT consists of four primary components:
- Individual therapy to address personal challenges and tailor DBT skills to the client’s life.
- Group skills training to teach and practice essential life skills.
- Phone coaching to provide real-time support in crisis situations.
- Consultation teams to help therapists stay effective and grounded.
When applied in a structured and supportive treatment environment like Magnolia City Detox, DBT can be a powerful tool in recovery from addiction.
Goals of DBT
Some goals that DBT can help accomplish include:
- Reducing life-threatening behaviors, such as substance abuse.
- Decreasing therapy-interfering behaviors, including self-sabotage and avoidance.
- Improving quality of life through skillful behavior change in areas like relationships, emotional regulation, and self-care.
- Supporting long-term recovery through structured routines, skill mastery, and emotional stability.
These goals help to teach lifesaving strategies for individuals caught in the destructive cycle of addiction. By focusing on these areas, DBT helps people who feel overwhelmed, emotionally reactive, or “out of control” find a sense of stability and purpose.
What Can DBT Help to Treat?
- Substance use disorders and addiction
- Co-occurring mental health conditions (dual diagnosis)
- Depression disorders and different forms of anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorders
Since many people struggling with addiction also often suffer from underlying mental health issues, DBT is often considered a valuable part of dual diagnosis treatment. It can help teach those in treatment how to manage the feelings and emotions associated with their mental health conditions in healthy, productive ways.
Skills Taught in DBT
Distress tolerance skills help individuals address their emotional crises without resorting to self-destructive behaviors (such as using drugs or drinking alcohol). These skills are essential, particularly during detox and early stages of recovery when cravings and emotional discomfort can be at their most intense.
Some distress tolerance techniques used in dialectical behavioral therapy include:
- Distraction strategies
- Self-soothing methods
- Crisis survival techniques
- Radical acceptance of pain or discomfort
It’s not uncommon during treatment to feel emotionally overwhelmed. After all, addiction treatment and recovery is a life-altering event. Emotional regulation skills can be used to help identify, understand, and respond to these emotions in a healthy way. This helps reduce the likelihood of a relapse.
Emotional regulation skills taught during DBT may include:
- Identifying emotional triggers
- Understanding the function of emotions
- Changing emotional responses
- Building positive emotional experiences
Substance use and abuse don’t just affect the person suffering from, but also those closest to the person. Unfortunately, substance abuse and addiction severely damage or even destroy relationships far too often. Interpersonal effectiveness helps address those issues by focusing on improving communication, setting healthy boundaries, and getting needs met. The goal is to do all of this without relying on aggression, withdrawal, or manipulation.
Examples of skills taught to reach this goal include:
- Asserting needs respectfully
- Saying no without guilt
- Maintaining self-respect in relationships
- Managing conflict in a constructive way
Mindfulness is the foundation of dialectical behavioral therapy. It teaches individuals to stay grounded in the present moment without judgment. This skill is vital for recognizing cravings, processing emotions, and responding thoughtfully instead of reactively.
Mindfulness practices taught in DBT may include:
- Body scans
- Focused breathing
- Observing thoughts and feelings without attachment
- Staying grounded during emotional storms
A more advanced DBT skill, behavioral chain analysis involves identifying the sequence of thoughts, feelings, and actions that lead to a certain behavior (such as substance abuse). By understanding the chain of events, people in treatment can intervene in their own personal patterns and change the outcome.
This process includes:
- Mapping out the full chain of triggers and consequences
- Recognizing vulnerabilities and decision points
- Applying skills to disrupt negative patterns
- Learning from setbacks without shame
Benefits of DBT for Addiction Treatment
Some of the biggest benefits of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for addiction recovery include:
Many people turn to substances during moments of impulsive decision-making. DBT can help reduce impulsivity by promoting self-awareness and alternative coping strategies.
Addiction often develops as a way to cope with stress, emotional pain, and difficult emotions. DBT helps to replace harmful coping mechanisms with constructive skills for handling stress and emotions.
When emotions feel out of control, relapse is more likely. DBT helps with regulating mood swings, including sadness, anger, or anxiety. It can help equip individuals to respond to emotional triggers while avoiding relapse.
DBT can repair and strengthen relationships that have been strained or broken due to substance use. By reducing the strength and impact of emotional triggers, individuals can work constructively toward repairing these essential relationships with new strength.
DBT is a structured therapy with clear goals and expectations. It fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership over the recovery journey. It’s an approach to emotion-centered therapy that may feel more “solid” and results-oriented than other modalities.
By teaching those in treatment how to handle high-risk situations, urges, and emotional crises, DBT can reduce the likelihood of returning to substance use. The individual can learn helpful skills for emotional management and not immediately separate themselves from their emotions with addictive substances.
Can DBT Work With Other Therapies?
Some of the therapies that DBT can be combined with include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on identifying and reframing negative thought patterns.
- Motivational Interviewing (MI): Helps build internal motivation for change.
- Trauma-Informed Therapy: An approach that contextualizes recovery treatment that takes trauma into account.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Prescribed medications ease withdrawal symptoms during treatment, lowering the risk of relapse.
- Holistic Practices: This may include art therapy, yoga, nutrition counseling, and meditation to help heal the entire person from addiction.
Receive DBT for Addiction at Magnolia City Detox
We understand the emotional challenges that come with substance use and early recovery. That’s why our team is dedicated to helping clients build the skills necessary for a lifetime of sobriety.
Contact us today to learn more about our addiction treatment programs. Our compassionate team is here to answer your questions, verify insurance coverage, and help you begin a recovery journey rooted in emotional wellness and long-term success.
