CBT, Thought Patterns, and Addiction: A Perspective from a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor/Mental Health Professional

Slate Recovery changes the recovery process, through a thoughtful and genuine approach. They have a staff with varied backgrounds and therapies to be able to connect you with your new support system that makes sense for you. We empower individuals to discover strength, find purpose, and embrace a life defined by resilience, self-discovery, and lasting transformation. Your first step on your clinical healing journey is reaching out to see how we can support.

Ray Wolber, Slate Recovery’s founder, continues to interview additional staff therapists to bring more understanding about addiction and treatment.

Matt Matthews, LACD/MC, is Slate Recovery’s therapist specializing in CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), IFS (Internal Family Systems), and Medicated Assisted Treatment. 

This week, he explains more about CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), thought patterns, and what that has to do with addiction.

Matt is available to see patients in person at the Slate Recovery Offices in Oklahoma City, OK and virtually throughout the state of Oklahoma.

What advice would you give to someone just beginning their recovery journey who may feel discouraged or unsure if change is possible?

Matt: I’d say just give it a try. What do you have to lose? And just try it for today! I’d remind them that if they have the ability to be honest and open to new ideas, and find the willingness to try it for a day, they can find recovery. Moreover, I would remind them to be kind to themselves. Guilt and shame are obviously high in addiction and we have to find the space to be kind to ourselves or we will fall back into old habits.

From your perspective, what are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about addiction and recovery?

Matt: The obvious answer is that addicts are bad people and that’s just not true. Are some addicts bad people? Sure. Do some addicts make bad decisions? Of course. But so do non-addicts. Being an addict isn’t a moral issue or a matter or character. It has been well researched and documented that addiction is a brain disease, yet society still stigmatizes and shuns those in active addiction, some addictions more than others.

We have to do better in the recovery community to push back against this and enhance the narrative that addiction can happen to anyone, regardless of their demographics, gender or family. 

How can loved ones best support someone in recovery while still maintaining healthy boundaries?

Matt: This is just an important part of recovery. You may have heard that addiction is a family affliction? It 100% is. As a clinician in recovery, I’d tell family members or loved ones that support, love and understanding are absolutely necessary, and sometimes that includes tough love.

I haven’t met someone in recovery that is proud of the mess of they made during their addiction. They are already beating themselves over the head about it, so if it’s possible, be kind and supportive, without enabling. Join a support group like Al-Anon or Finding Hope. Read a book on addiction and set healthy boundaries. If you don’t know how to set boundaries, learn! Start seeing a therapist or a coach.

Lastly, lower expectations. Sometimes relapse is part of addiction and if your loved one, relapses, it isn’t the end of the world. They can still recover. 

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and harm reduction are becoming more widely discussed in recovery. How do you view these approaches, and how can they support long-term recovery?

Matt: MAT services are near and dear to my heart and I’m always happy to beat the drum for opioid assisted medications like Suboxone and Sublocade. The reason is simple, it helped save my life. I was a chronic relapser. Opioid withdrawal is extremely painful, both physically and psychologically. Suboxone helps relieve those symptoms so that you can better focus on your recovery plan. And that’s key. MAT services have their own stigmas they battle. If used incorrectly or if the person using those medications are not serious about recovery, they don’t work.

MAT services and harm reduction practices aren’t going to work for everyone. But they can work for a lot of people. Some people just will not commit to total abstinence, that is the reality of it and we have to accept this. But if they can find meaning and purpose and live a life worth living, does it matter how they do it? Something to think about. 

You specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), how does CBT help individuals better understand and change the thought patterns that contribute to addiction?

Matt: CBT is time tested, evidence-based and simple for those in early recovery. It’s the gold standard. It’s easy to comprehend and apply on their own in their lives. CBT done right is like teaching someone to fish. If they know how to use it on a daily basis, it can help them reframe negative thinking patterns to healthier and more realistic ones.

Those in active addiction do not have healthy thinking patterns. CBT has shown that these cognitive distortions can be recognized and disputed on the fly so that recovery can happen and deeper healing can begin. 

Gambling addiction can often go unnoticed longer than other forms of addiction. What are some of the signs that someone may be struggling with a gambling problem?

Matt: Gambling Addiction like other process addiction has flown under the radar for several reasons, most commonly because the signs and symptoms are harder to recognize.

Unfortunately, gambling addiction is rampant in the United States, especially in Oklahoma. Gambling problems can stay hidden longer than substance use because there’s no obvious physical markers. No smell, no intoxication, and often a lot of secrecy. By the time it’s visible, there’s usually already some damage done. The signs tend to show up in patterns across behavior, finances, emotions, and relationships. Of these, I’d say finances is one of the most obvious. Borrowing money, taking out loans, selling possessions and getting calls and letters from creditors are easy signs. Suicide is also extremely high among gambling addicts due to the financial strains. Chasing losses causes problem users to go to extreme measures they wouldn’t dream of, like stealing and embezzlement.

As someone who is in recovery yourself, how does your personal experience shape the way you connect with and support your clients?

Matt: IBeing in recovery is part of my identity. I was more private about it in the beginning then I realized that it is not something for me to ashamed of. Especially if my struggles can help others. One of my favorite quotes is from Victor Frankl, “He who would give light, must endure burning”, which I interpret as one needing to experience pain in order to provide healing to others. Self-disclosure is something I practice regularly with my clients if I feel it can be helpful. I’ve had many clients share that my experience and my openness with it has made them feel safe and understood in therapy. It helps us develop a connection that those not in recovery may not experience.

As a clinician, I do have to be careful. While my experience can help connect and understand, it can hinder the relationship if I’m not careful. There are many paths to recovery and I have to be mindful not to project my journey onto my clients. A client-centered therapist, this is extremely important.