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Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy In Permanent Treatment Of Cocaine Substance Use

Disorder

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Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy In Permanent Treatment Of Cocaine Substance Use

Disorder

Introduction

Cocaine addiction and other substance use disorders are extremely risky and difficult to

treat. Furthermore, because it is so difficult to afford, people who start using it often commit

crimes to finance their habit. While there are various options for dealing with cocaine addiction,

there is no agreed-upon gold standard. According to Petitjean et al., 2014, there is currently no

pharmacological therapy that has been demonstrated to be substantially effective in the treatment

of cocaine dependence. In the United States, researchers collected data for a cross-sectional

study from April 2012 through June 2013 from 36,309. Substance use disorders were found to

have a 12-month prevalence of 3.9% and a lifetime prevalence of 9.9%, respectively, in this

study. Certain demographics were disproportionately affected by substance abuse disorder. They

tended to be male, Caucasian, Native American, young, single, or divorced people from the West

who had lower levels of education and wealth. With a 12-month incidence of 13.5% and a

lifetime prevalence of 24.6%, there was a clear correlation with people who are disabled (Grant

et al., 2016)

Some studies have shown that CBT is useful in helping people who are trying to quit

using drugs like cocaine. This study will demonstrate if CBT is more helpful than other therapies

for treating cocaine addiction. Cognitive behaviour therapy is useful in certain studies, while

others have shown its lack of efficacy. Research on the effectiveness of treatments for cocaine

use disorder and other substance abuse disorders reveals a wide range of possible results.

Thought patterns can be altered with the aid of cognitive behaviour therapy. This research aims

to see if CBT is more helpful than other treatments for cocaine addiction. There are several
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options for helping people with a cocaine use issue, including medicine, but it is not yet clear

which one is most effective. A treatment's efficacy lies in the patient's ability to reap its benefits

and maintain them over time.

Significance of the study

Understanding whether or not cognitive-behavioural therapy is the most effective treatment

option for individuals with cocaine use disorder is a crucial goal of this study. Previous studies

on the management of cocaine use disorder have reached contradictory conclusions about the

efficacy of the available methods.

Statement of the problem

Although it is well established that cognitive-behavioural therapy successfully treats

cocaine use disorder and other substance use disorders, it is unclear whether or not other

therapies can achieve the same positive outcomes. As a result, it can be challenging to decide

which treatment is optimal for a given case of drug use disorder; nonetheless, research that

identifies the most effective treatment for a given substance use disorder can serve as a solid

foundation for the treatment of that illness. There is no guarantee that two people with the same

condition will respond the same way to treatment; success will rely on the patient's unique

circumstances.

Research Questions

1. What treatment is the most effective in the treatment of cocaine use disorder?

2. Is therapy and medication as a combination beneficial in treating cocaine use

disorder?
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Literature Review

This study aims to identify which of the several available treatments for cocaine use

disorder is most effective. Cognitive behaviour therapy is one treatment for cocaine and other

substance use disorders, but other therapies, medicines, and combination treatments have also

been demonstrated to be effective. Scientists have looked into the efficacy of cognitive

behaviour therapy and other treatments for cocaine addiction. Though CBT has been proven

useful in treating cocaine addiction and other substance abuse disorders, not all research is

conclusive.

The use of motivational enhancement strategies as an adjunct to cognitive

behavioural therapy for the treatment of cocaine use disorder has been brought to light by

McKee et al. (2007). According to one study, early retention is variable, and CBT does not

address the individual's motivation or involvement in treatment, which is a drawback.

According to the studies, those issues are discussed more in therapy to improve motivation.

Research has shown that cognitive behaviour and motivational enhancement therapy can

effectively treat cocaine and other disorders. However, only a small number of experimental

assessments have examined the efficacy of these therapies in combination.

Medication and cognitive behavioural therapy have been used to treat cocaine use

disorder. A study was conducted to see if citalopram, in conjunction with CBT, could reduce

the number of cocaine-positive urine tests. In conjunction with CBT, citalopram did reduce

cocaine use, as found in the study. Citalopram, in combination with cognitive behaviour

therapy, is the most effective selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for treating cocaine

addiction, according to Moeller, Moeller, et al. 2007.

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Substance use disorders are a broad category of problems characterized by the

irrational and harmful exploitation of drugs and alcohol, which have been related to

significant psychological and functional impairment, as defined by McHugh et al. (2010).

Substance abuse treatment that uses cognitive behaviour therapy typically entails several

different methods, such as education, assignments, and encouragement to break the addict's

cycle of destructive behaviour.

Evidence shows that CBT is useful in treating substance use disorders, including

cocaine addiction. According to cognitive behaviour theories of self-control, individuals are

seen as having agency and control over their own life (Sugarman & Carroll, 2010). Each

person is unique and possesses their own set of resources for dealing with adversity and the

motivation, openness, and ability to effect change in their own life. Individuals need coping

skills to avoid relapsing and returning to their negative coping mechanisms, most often drug

use.

According to the available research, substance misuse is more prevalent and more

challenging to treat among the elderly. Predictions indicate that by 2020, 2.7 million people

will take psychotropic medicines for non-medical purposes, and one in four people aged 65

and up will have used a drug with addiction potential (Cooper, 2012). It has been found in

one study that medical personnel often fail to recognize signs of substance abuse and misuse

in patients who are elderly. Since this was a problem, numerous initiatives have been

launched to ease the path to addiction treatment for the elderly.

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According to Petitjean et al. (2014), cocaine usage has been linked to a wide range of

social and health issues, including but not limited to infectious diseases, co-occurring

psychiatric problems, delinquency, aggression, and myocardial infarction. Cocaine addiction

cannot be treated effectively with pharmaceuticals alone. Successful treatment of cocaine use

disorder has been documented using cognitive behaviour therapy and contingency

management. Positive actions are more likely to occur when contingency planning is used to

encourage them.

One can conclude that there will never be a definitive method for dealing with

cocaine addiction. Because of these factors and the individuality of each person being treated

for cocaine use disorder, it is challenging to determine the most beneficial treatment. What

works for one person with this illness may not work for another. Thus the treatments will

have to be demonstrated beneficial on a case-by-case basis. Current scientific evidence

suggests that cognitive behaviour therapy is a useful method for dealing with a cocaine

addiction; however alternative methods are also viable. Since the success of the treatment

depends on the individual's motivation toward treatment, every study of the topic is certain to

have limitations. When treating cocaine use disorder, the best approach for a given patient

will vary depending on their unique needs.

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References

Grant, B. F., Saha, T. D., Ruan, W. J., Goldstein, R. B., Chou, S. P., Jung, J., Zhang, H., Smith, S. M.,

Pickering, R. P., Huang, B., & Hasin, D. S. (2016). Epidemiology ofdsm-5drug use disorder. JAMA

Psychiatry, 73(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.2132

McHugh, R. K., Hearon, B. A., & Otto, M. W. (2010). Cognitive behavioural therapy for substance use

disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 33(3), 511–525.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.012

McKee, S. A., Carroll, K. M., Sinha, R., Robinson, J. E., Nich, C., Cavallo, D., & O'Malley, S. (2007).

Enhancing brief cognitive-behavioural therapy with motivational enhancement techniques in

cocaine users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 91(1), 97–101.

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Moeller, F. G., Schmitz, J. M., Steinberg, J. L., Green, C. M., Reist, C., Lai, L. Y., Swann, A. C., &

Grabowski, J. (2007). Citalopram combined with behavioural therapy reduces cocaine use: A

double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 33(3),

367-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990701313686

Petitjean, S. A., Dürsteler-MacFarland, K. M., Krokar, M. C., Strasser, J., Mueller, S. E., Degen, B.,

Trombini, M. V., Vogel, M., Walter, M., Wiesbeck, G. A., & Farronato, N. S. (2014). A

randomized, controlled trial of combined cognitive-behavioural therapy plus prize-based

contingency management for cocaine dependence. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 145, 94-

100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.09.785

Sugarman, D. E., Nich, C., & Carroll, K. M. (2010). Coping strategy use following computerized cognitive-

behavioural therapy for substance use disorders. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 24(4), 689-

695. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021584
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