HBO Addiction: Cognitive Behavioral Training for Stimulant Addiction

" Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered the most effective treatment for stimulant addiction. No medical treatment currently exists for stimulant addiction, which include methamphetamine and cocaine. At the MATRIX Institute on Addictions in San Bernardino, CA, methamphetamine and cocaine addicts attend evidence-based (proven effective) behavioral therapy groups. The program includes participation in weekly recovery skills groups, individual and family counseling, drug testing and 12-step or other mutual support groups."

Read the review by clicking on the “Read More” below…

You can see the whole interview on the HBO: Addiction website by clicking here. Next to the video, you will see three chapters that are clickable links and these will give you access to the whole interview in roughly 10 minute segments.

The lead-in of “No medical treatment currently exists for stimulant addiction” would seemingly set the stage for the HBO documentary to take on the mother of all addictions. While it’s a true statement and certainly great theatre, it is very misleading. The facts are that really no medical treatment exists out there to cure any addiction and the treatments that do exist are more maintenance programs that have just as miserable failure rates as any other method. It has been my experience that the severity of the addiction and the potential for recovery is dependent upon a person’s health, environment, and available support structure much more than the type of addiction they have. So lets get back to the review, knowing that all addictions are chronic by definition and that any substance or habit can be deadly when taken to the extreme.

This segment of the documentary centers on a group meeting attended by four people addicted to stimulants. They have a counselor leading the session, but once again I am impressed with the way HBO has presented the material because it is not the group leader who explains the occurring events. Instead, it is the Director of the Matrix Institute that explains the ongoing events of the meeting and how they relate to cognitive behavioral training (CBT). The reinforcement of information given in small, easy to grasp segments has been a recurring method of this documentary and it plays a major factor in my ability to grok the message. Kudos HBO.

Excessive use of stimulants causes the decision making portions of the brain to become almost nonfunctional. A stimulant addict must be trained to both think and react differently. “CBT is a set of techniques that helps you learn day to day how to get sober and how to stay sober.” Basically, CBT is training to recognize the “triggers” of stimulant use and developing behavior patterns to not only stay away from these situations but to ultimately change the way in which one reacts.

CBT is teaching and coaching as opposed to therapy which is more of a long term approach to why you became addicted and how you can stay sober. Behavioral changes are made to immediately help you get out of the rut of addiction and stay away from those things that may cause you to relapse. Anehedonia, the inability of emotional gratification caused by damage to the neurochemical system of the brain, mentioned earlier in the Brady interview is discussed once again as a major factor of relapse. The Matrix Institute uses brain imaging to explain this process and as an aid in helping those in the first few months of recovery understand why they feel so unhappy. Prolonged use of stimulants has stunted the production of dopamine, the brain’s natural reward system, and it can take 4, 6, and even 12 months before the brain reprograms itself to start producing dopamine again.

Compulsory treatment is thought of as successful by the Matrix Institute, and in the manner they explained this I had to agree. I know, I know… many of you here know that I usually cast a jaded eye toward compulsory treatment. However, it seems that the Matrix Institute is likening those in mandatory treatment that would like and are eager to get help with those in the program that care little about entering recovery and only in staying out of jail. It is the latter that I am adamant that treatment is a waste of resources.

My eyes are growing heavy so I am going to have to bring this review to a close.

CBT seems to be an effective manner of helping those with addictions enter and stay in recovery. This method can be reinforced with 12 step and group therapy to be more effective, but a recurring theme through all these types of treatment is the establishment of routines. Routines make us feel safe and stable, good routines keep us active and away from trouble, and best of all long term routines lead to success in life.

Any step toward recovery is a good one whether it be CBT, AA, NA, or cold turkey, but the ones that work best are usually the ones that have the most support. Good night all.