A recent case study from a rehabilitation centre explains how a young adult with drug addiction recovered with a combination of counselling methods like CBT, motivational therapy, group therapy, and more. The results? The individual regained control over substance cravings. Began routine and managed stress positively. This case tells us how an addicted person can recover through various addiction counselling techniques.
Although chronic, treatable medical disease highly impacts the brain and behaviour in which a person constantly uses substances (like alcohol, drugs, gambling, internet use, etc). But you must be wondering why choose counselling as a primary method for addiction recovery, right?
So the very first benefit is that it provides a long-lasting solution. It will help an individual recover from within (emotionally and mentally), not merely physically. After counselling, there are fewer chances of relapses after treatment. And lastly, it serves a customized treatment which includes various therapies for holistic development. So let’s understand more deeply what addiction counselling is and which therapies can work for its recovery.
What is Addiction Counselling?
Addiction counselling is a form of psychotherapy that helps individuals with substance use reduction and ultimate recovery. It can help with various types of addiction, like substance and behavioural addictions. It heals individuals physically, psychologically, socially, and emotionally.
Furthermore, it uses various counselling techniques, therapies, relapse prevention, and strategies for long-term recovery. The process starts with assessment, personalized treatment planning, therapy sessions, support networks, and helping clients prevent relapses on their own.
Do you know that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment suggests that over 16 crore people are affected by substances like alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and sedatives? With this, there is an urgent need for rehabilitation centres and counsellors specializing in addiction counselling. The addiction treatment segment in India is expected to reach USD 518 million in 2026, up 8.35%.
6 Types of Counselling Methods Used In Addiction Recovery
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is an approach characterized by goal setting and structure that works by challenging negative thought patterns that contribute to addiction. Instead of dwelling on past traumas or triggers that put them at high risk, this technique helps clients address current triggers, build problem-solving skills, and develop healthy coping mechanisms for future situations.
Benefits:
- Proven to reduce relapse rates, with about 60% maintaining recovery for a year or longer.
- Short-term (12–16 sessions) but highly focused on practical strategies, such as role-playing and trigger management.
- Empowers clients to take control of thoughts and behaviours related to substance use.
DBT integrates cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, and stress tolerance strategies into one holistic framework for an individual suffering from co-occurring mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder. DBT’s four core skills—mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—make this form of treatment particularly suitable.
Benefits:
- Reduces relapse by up to 40%.
- Equips clients to handle intense emotions, improve relationships, and accept themselves during recovery.
- Offers structured skills training and crisis coaching for high-risk situations.
MET and MI are client-centered approaches that promote intrinsic motivation to aid recovery. Therapists employ empathic listening and guided questioning techniques to help their clients dissolve ambivalence and strengthen their personal reasons for change.
Benefits:
- Increases treatment retention and willingness to engage in therapy.
- Enhances self-efficacy and helps clients create and commit to recovery goals.
- Particularly useful in the early stages of addiction treatment.
Positive reinforcement, such as vouchers, rewards, or privileges, is used by Community Mentorship (CM) to reinforce desired behavior, like abstinence from drugs and alcohol, attending sessions regularly, or reaching milestones.
Benefits:
- Clinically shown to increase engagement and reduce drop-out rates.
- Provides immediate, tangible incentives that support behavioural change and abstinence.
Participation in community-based mutual aid groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) offers social support while reinforcing an environment conducive to acceptance, surrender, and active engagement. This therapy addresses participation in such mutual aid groups as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, in which social support can be found by actively engaging within these mutual aid communities.
Benefits:
- Builds a strong sober support network and provides opportunities for peer mentorship.
- Enhances long-term recovery through commitment to a community and shared recovery journey
REBT, grounded in cognitive-behaviour principles, employs techniques rooted in cognitive-behaviour therapy to change irrational beliefs by teaching clients to restructure them using the ABCDE (Activating event, Belief, Consequence, Disputation, Effect) framework.
Benefits:
- Reduces relapse by improving rational thinking and emotional regulation.
- Supports long-term recovery by addressing fundamental belief systems that drive addictive behaviours.
Conclusion
These were the six types of evidence-based addiction treatment methods you can expect through counselling. With the growing focus on addiction counselling, we can expect more treatment expansion all over India for treating addiction and other substance-related recovery programs. Also, numerous case studies show that counselling methods are highly effective for an individual’s overall recovery. This is a positive note that more such cases can be solved in the future.
It is always the first step towards counselling that helps a person overcome addiction. Hence, it is advised to consult a doctor if you, your family member, or your loved ones require guidance or consultation for their ongoing addiction.