What is Dialectical
Dialectics represent how we understand concepts through their polar opposites. For example, “love and hate” are dialectics. In most cases, dialectics are concepts that are poorly defined on their own but are defined very well in the presence of their opposites. In psychology and therapy, dialectics can include self-esteem (ego), courage, anger, impulsiveness, inhibition, guilt, risk-taking behavior, and so on. In most cases, you cannot fully understand these concepts without comparing them to their opposite. Inhibition cannot be fully understood without uninhibited behavior, you cannot understand risk without understanding safe behavior, and so on. This is important in some recoveries because opposites and extremes often dominate addiction. For example:
- You use because you are stressed, which makes your life worse, causing you to stress more
- You choose to use as an escape route and need an escape route from your substance use
- Forbidding yourself from something makes you want it more
- You’re sad or lonely so you use which makes you more sad or lonely
- You’re angry because people are mad at you for using so you use more to deal with it, and they become more angry with you.
DBT for Substance Abuse
Dialectical behavior therapy works to help you to recognize and cope with the emotional and social reasons behind your addiction. This means that it helps you to understand why you respond in a certain way to emotions, what you are feeling before and after you use, and how to manage those emotions so that you no longer feel the need to use. DBT focuses on improving your motivation to change, giving you the capability to change, helping you to generalize behavior while ensuring that your therapist has the capability and motivation to provide you with the support you need. Oceanfront Recovery’s California substance abuse treatment programs will find the right therapy to meet each individual’s needs.