Chemical Dependency Counselor Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The psychological model of addiction centers on understanding how thought processes, beliefs, and behavior patterns contribute to substance use and abuse. This framework emphasizes the role of cognition in addiction, suggesting that an individual's thoughts and mental representations influence their relationship with substances. For instance, maladaptive beliefs and cognitive distortions may lead to continued use despite negative consequences.

This model explores how individuals rationalize their drug use, cope with emotional distress, and may be driven by various psychological needs, such as the search for pleasure or avoidance of pain. By focusing on cognitive aspects, counselors can tailor interventions that address these mental patterns, helping clients develop healthier coping mechanisms and thought processes.

In contrast, while genetic predispositions, neural pathways from repetitive use, and societal influences are significant in understanding addiction from different perspectives, they are not the primary focus of the psychological model. Instead, the psychological model seeks to unpack the individual mental processes that guide behavior towards substances, making cognitive explanations fundamental in this context.