Can Exposure Therapy help treat Addiction?

Take a moment to breathe, then picture yourself in this situation: “You are powerless against your addiction, and your life has become unmanageable.” These are intimidating words often used to describe the life of someone with an addiction and their ongoing fight with substances. Substance use can vary from mild to moderate, severe, or even profound; however, the problem is rarely recognized until it reaches the profound stage. By then, addiction often turns into a dependency and can lead to serious medical and physical issues. Still, let’s consider the mindset of someone with a substance use disorder and how neuroreceptors influence the brain by triggering cravings. The brain is a complex organ essential for all human functions, but like any other organ in the body, it needs proper management and care.

Now, let’s examine exposure therapy and its role in preventing relapse. Exposure therapy involves exposing individuals to stimuli to help treat fears, stress, and anxiety. The different types of treatment are typically fear-based, utilizing confrontation, cues, and virtual reality to simulate overwhelming environments. Systematic Desensitization is also effective because it gradually exposes the patient to stimuli that cause anxiety, addressing the feeling of powerlessness that can be mentally and physically debilitating. However, a person’s mental health can be severely harmed if not appropriately treated consistently. A relapse is defined as a sudden setback after a period of progress; therefore, prevention involves teaching skills to manage behavior in challenging situations. So, how can this therapeutic approach assist in treating addiction?

For nearly 100 years, organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) have championed recovery based on principles of connection, fellowship, spirituality, consistency, and initial avoidance. Avoidance is not necessarily harmful because it aims to protect individuals from themselves and harmful environments. However, does avoiding uncontrollable environments truly help with addiction? During recovery, individuals can choose to enter an inpatient detox or rehab program. These programs are fully supervised, with no access to harmful or illegal substances, and prescription medications are carefully monitored. After completing treatment, individuals are released into the community and can continue outpatient care, attend support groups and meetings, and connect with sober or clean networks. Nonetheless, in the recovery journey, some may isolate themselves from events where substances are available. This strategy may or may not facilitate recovery because it limits opportunities for neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to heal itself in challenging environments. In fact, facing these environments can empower individuals and help them move beyond feelings of powerlessness.

Exposing someone to substance-related stimuli may initially have an adverse effect, but the goal is for the person to manage their urges despite the risk of using their substance. Through this process, the person will learn to identify triggers and then develop appropriate responses to the stimuli. The goal is for the individual to utilize supportive coping skills, enhance emotional processing, and ultimately overcome avoidance tendencies. More research is still needed on this treatment method; however, having alternative options is always beneficial in times of need.