Drug addiction and substance use disorders affect far more than just a person’s habits; they impact the brain, behavior, and overall quality of life. Recovery requires more than detox alone. True healing often means addressing the underlying patterns that fuel substance abuse and building new, healthier ways to cope with stress, cravings, and life’s challenges.
At Luxe Treatment Center, we understand that lasting recovery is built on both science and compassion. Our behavioral therapy programs are designed to help patients recognize maladaptive patterns, strengthen coping skills, and create meaningful changes that support long-term sobriety. By blending evidence-based approaches with individualized care, we give each patient the tools they need to rebuild confidence, restore relationships, and move forward with a healthier life.
How Substance Use Impacts the Brain in Recovery Efforts
Long-term substance use changes the brain in ways that make recovery more difficult. It affects areas that control motivation, learning, and impulse control. Each time drugs are used, dopamine surges in the brain, reinforcing the behavior. Over time, stress pathways also become more reactive, making a person more vulnerable to relapse. These changes can cause problems with memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation.
Behavioral therapy programs, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), help patients address these challenges directly. Cognitive behavioral therapy, mental health experts, therapists, and other clinical specialists teach new coping strategies, help reframe harmful thought patterns, and guide patients in building healthier responses to stress and cravings.
Common Therapies Used in Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment is most effective when it combines medical support with evidence-based therapies that target thoughts, behaviors, and life skills.
At Luxe Treatment Center, we provide comprehensive mental health services, including evidence-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, and SUD treatment that blend behavioral therapy, group setting support, and individualized care. Whether you are struggling with cocaine dependence, alcohol abuse, or other forms of substance use, our programs are designed to help you treat addiction and achieve lasting recovery.
Our approach includes evidence-based behavioral therapy derived from:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
One of the most widely researched approaches, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered a gold standard for addiction treatment, and a cornerstone of addiction treatment at Luxe. Studies published in Arch Gen Psychiatry and other journals show that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) addresses both substance abuse and co-occurring disorders such as anxiety disorders, alcohol use disorder, or depression.
Cognitive behavioral therapy-trained therapists work with patients to:
- Identify cognitive distortions that fuel addictive behaviors in cognitive behavioral therapy sessions
- Learn new coping skills for managing cravings and withdrawal symptoms
- Practice behavioral experiments that test healthier responses in stressful situations
- Develop strategies to avoid triggers and maintain abstinence
The cognitive behavioral therapy approach emphasizes replacing maladaptive behaviors with effective strategies for long-term success. While cognitive behavioral therapy can be used for many disorders, it is especially effective with substance use disorders and addiction treatment due to the direct impact on practical behavior adjustments.
Contingency Management (CM)
This therapy uses positive reinforcement to encourage recovery behaviors. Patients receive rewards or incentives for maintaining abstinence, attending sessions, or engaging in healthy habits.
Over time, contingency management reshapes behavioral patterns, helping patients build motivation and confidence in their ability to treat addiction successfully.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)
Many patients enter treatment feeling ambivalent about change. Motivational interviewing and motivational enhancement therapy help patients explore their personal goals, increase self-awareness, and enhance motivation for recovery.
In this therapy style, clinicians use effective communication skills to encourage patients to recognize the gap between their current substance use and the life they want to live. This process empowers individuals to commit to recovery on their own terms.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is especially effective for patients struggling with intense emotions, self-destructive behaviors, or co-occurring disorders alongside substance use. By focusing on mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, DBT helps patients build stability and reduce the urge to return to substance use. In addiction treatment, DBT gives patients the tools to manage stress, navigate relationships, and create healthier long-term behaviors.
Mental Health Therapy
Because addiction and mental illness often occur together, our treatment also emphasizes therapy that addresses co-occurring conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, or trauma. Patients work with clinicians to strengthen emotional resilience, improve communication, and rebuild relationships with family members and peers. By addressing both substance use and mental health, our programs create a holistic pathway to recovery.
Group Therapy
Group therapy provides patients with a community of peers who understand the challenges of substance use disorders. In this setting, individuals share strategies, practice life skills, and learn to navigate recovery together. The shared accountability and encouragement make group therapy a cornerstone of addiction treatment.
At Luxe, treatment is designed not just to stop substance use but to help patients create meaningful, lasting change. By addressing the underlying disorders, supporting families, and building healthier behaviors, we empower patients to reclaim their lives and thrive in recovery.
Family Therapy
Addiction impacts the entire family, not just the individual. Family therapy brings loved ones into the healing process, helping repair trust, improve communication, and create supportive environments. By addressing both relational patterns and substance use behaviors, family therapy strengthens long-term recovery.
Relapse Prevention Therapy
One of the most important goals of behavioral therapy for drug addiction is relapse prevention. Patients learn to:
- Recognize high-risk situations and avoid triggers
- Practice skills training for handling cravings
- Apply cognitive behavioral therapy techniques in real-life scenarios
- Maintain healthy relationships and social supports
- Find healthier ways to cope with stress, anxiety, or mental illness
Evidence-based research confirms that behavioral therapy improves long-term outcomes and supports patients in maintaining abstinence years after treatment.
Drug Abuse, the Brain, and Co-Occurring Conditions
Drug addiction and substance use disorders are not just behavioral choices; they are complex medical conditions that affect the brain, mental health, and overall functioning. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, repeated drug use alters the brain’s reward system, decision-making pathways, and stress responses. These changes fuel maladaptive behavioral patterns that make it difficult for patients to stop using substances without structured treatment.
Beyond the neurobiological changes, substance use disorders often exist alongside other mental health concerns. Understanding the interaction between drug abuse, mental illness, and addictive behaviors helps explain why behavioral therapy is such a critical part of effective treatment.
Common Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
Research and meta-analyses confirm that substance use disorders frequently occur alongside other forms of mental illness.
Patients may struggle with:
- Anxiety Disorders: Including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, or social anxiety, which can intensify cravings or avoidance behaviors.
- Depression and Mood Disorders: Depressive symptoms are common triggers for substance abuse and relapse.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD involving trauma can contribute to both initial drug use and ongoing difficulties with abstinence.
- Bipolar Disorder: Characterized by mood instability may heighten impulsivity and increase the risk of substance misuse.
These co-occurring conditions create a cycle in which mental illness worsens substance use, and substance abuse intensifies psychiatric symptoms. Effective treatment requires addressing both simultaneously, which is why therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are widely used.
Why Behavioral Therapy Works
The National Institute on Drug Abuse highlights that evidence-based therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), contingency management, and motivational interviewing are effective in treating substance abuse, opioid use disorder, cocaine addiction, and alcohol use disorder.
Behavioral therapy works because it doesn’t just focus on stopping drug use. But rather, BT addresses the underlying mental disorders, maladaptive behavioral patterns, and co-occurring disorders that contribute to addiction. By combining psychotherapy effects with real-world behavioral strategies, patients can rebuild self-esteem, improve relationships, and sustain recovery.
A Healthier Future Starts Here
Addiction can disrupt every part of life, but recovery is always possible with the right support. Evidence-based therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and other proven approaches give patients the tools to break free from destructive patterns, strengthen mental health, and build the skills needed for long-term recovery.
At Luxe Treatment Center, we combine compassionate care with trusted science to help patients and families heal. Whether you’re navigating substance use for the first time or seeking renewed stability after relapse, our team is here to guide you every step of the way.
If you or someone you love is struggling with drug addiction or a substance use disorder, don’t wait. Contact Luxe Treatment Center in Las Vegas today to learn more about our behavioral health programs and begin your journey toward lasting recovery.
Sources
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, July 6). Drugs and the brain. In Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction. NIDA. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, April). Common comorbidities with substance use disorders research report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571451/
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2024, September 12). Sober-curious young Americans may be changing the conversation around alcohol. Spectrum, 16(3). https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/spectrum/volume-16-issue-3-fall-2024/sober-curious-young-americans-may-be-changing-conversation-around-alcohol
McHugh, R. K., Hearon, B. A., & Otto, M. W. (2010). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance use disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 33(3), 511–525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.012
