Dr. Mitchell Naficy
Board Certified Family Physician-Treating and working with Substance Abuse, Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation since 2011 -In private solo practice since 2003-Licensed in CA since 1991-Licensed in TX since 2025-Licensed in MT since 2025
Key Takeaways
- DBT may support drug and alcohol addiction treatment by helping clients manage strong emotions, cravings, triggers, impulsive behavior, and stressful situations without turning to substances.
- Dialectical behavior therapy teaches mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, giving clients practical skills they can use during and after addiction treatment.
- San Diego Wellness Center can use DBT based approaches alongside medical detox, residential treatment, dual diagnosis care, and aftercare planning based on each client’s clinical needs.
Drug and alcohol addiction can affect your health, emotions, relationships, work, and daily routine. For some people, substance use becomes a way to deal with stress, anxiety, emotional pain, or difficult situations. DBT can help by teaching practical ways to handle these feelings and behaviors without immediately turning to alcohol or drugs. It can also help clients identify triggers and make healthier choices during difficult moments. At San Diego Wellness Center, therapy can be part of a larger treatment plan that addresses addiction, mental health, and the behaviors that may connect the two.
Addiction Treatment Statistics
Substance use disorders affect millions of people across the United States. According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 48.4 million people age 12 or older had a substance use disorder during the previous year. That represented 16.8% of people in this age group.
Alcohol and drug use disorders can also happen together. In 2024, 27.9 million people had an alcohol use disorder, 28.2 million had a drug use disorder, and 7.7 million had both.
Treatment access remains a concern. SAMHSA reported that 52.6 million people age 12 or older were classified as needing substance use treatment in 2024. About 10.2 million, or 19.3%, received substance use treatment.
These numbers show that addiction is common, yet many people who could benefit from treatment do not receive it. Therapy is one part of addiction care, and dialectical behavior therapy may be useful for some clients depending on their symptoms and treatment needs.
What Is DBT and How Does It Work for Addiction?
DBT, or dialectical behavior therapy, helps people manage strong emotions and change unhealthy behaviors. It teaches clients to accept what they are feeling while also working on healthier ways to respond. DBT can be useful when emotions and substance use are connected. For example, someone may want to drink after an argument or use opioids when feeling anxious.
Instead of only focusing on stopping substance use, DBT helps clients look at what happened before the urge. They can identify the trigger, emotion, thought, and craving, then practice a healthier response. Over time, these skills can help clients handle difficult situations without automatically turning to alcohol or drugs.
DBT commonly focuses on four skill areas:
| DBT Skill | How It May Help With Addiction |
| Mindfulness | Notice thoughts, feelings, and cravings before reacting |
| Distress tolerance | Get through stressful moments without immediately using substances |
| Emotion regulation | Manage strong emotions in healthier ways |
| Interpersonal effectiveness | Improve communication, relationships, and boundaries |
These skills do not make cravings or difficult emotions disappear. Instead, they can give clients more ways to handle those experiences when they happen.
Can DBT Help With Drug and Alcohol Addiction?
Yes, DBT may help some people with drug and alcohol addiction, especially when substance use is connected to stress, strong emotions, impulsive behavior, or relationship problems.
DBT can help clients manage cravings, respond to triggers, and build healthier coping skills. It may also support relapse prevention and help clients stay engaged in treatment.
DBT is not the right fit for everyone, so treatment should be based on each client’s needs. At San Diego Wellness Center, DBT may be used alongside medical detox, residential treatment, dual diagnosis care, and aftercare planning.
How Does DBT Help With Cravings and Addiction Triggers?
Cravings and triggers are common during addiction treatment. A trigger can be a person, place, emotion, memory, or stressful situation that increases the urge to use alcohol or drugs.
DBT helps clients recognize triggers and slow down before reacting. Skills such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation can help clients manage cravings and difficult feelings in healthier ways.
For example, someone who usually drinks after a stressful day may practice noticing the craving, pausing, and choosing another coping strategy instead.
Cravings do not always lead to substance use. Practicing DBT skills can give clients more ways to handle triggers and difficult moments without turning to alcohol or drugs.
What DBT Skills Can Help During Addiction Recovery?
DBT teaches practical skills that clients can use during addiction treatment and in everyday life. The four main skills are:
- Mindfulness: Notice thoughts, emotions, and cravings before reacting.
- Distress tolerance: Handle stressful situations and strong cravings without making them worse.
- Emotion regulation: Manage anger, anxiety, sadness, and other emotions in healthier ways.
- Interpersonal effectiveness: Improve communication, relationships, and personal boundaries.
These skills can work together during difficult situations. For example, after a stressful family conversation, someone can recognize their emotions, pause before reacting, and choose a healthier way to respond.
DBT skills take practice. Residential treatment can give clients time to build these skills while receiving support for addiction and mental health concerns.
How Can DBT Help With Emotions That Lead to Substance Use?
Strong emotions can sometimes lead to alcohol or drug use. Someone may drink when feeling anxious or use drugs to cope with sadness, anger, stress, or emotional pain.
Dialectical behavior therapy helps clients recognize the emotions and situations that may trigger substance use. They can then practice healthier responses, such as taking time to calm down, using grounding skills, or reaching out for support.
The goal is not to avoid difficult emotions. DBT teaches clients how to manage those feelings without automatically turning to substances. At San Diego Wellness Center, clients can practice these skills as part of a structured residential addiction treatment program.
Can DBT Treat Addiction and Mental Health at the Same Time?
Yes, DBT can be used as part of dual diagnosis treatment when addiction and mental health concerns happen together. Anxiety, depression, stress, trauma related symptoms, and difficult emotions may contribute to substance use. Alcohol and drug use can also make mental health symptoms harder to manage.
DBT can help clients recognize how emotions, triggers, and behaviors are connected. For example, someone who drinks when feeling anxious can practice healthier ways to manage anxiety without turning to alcohol.
San Diego Wellness Center provides dual diagnosis care for clients experiencing both addiction and mental health concerns. Treatment can address both areas while helping clients build healthier coping skills.
How Is DBT Used in Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programs?
DBT can be used as part of a larger drug and alcohol treatment program. Clients may practice DBT skills during individual therapy, group sessions, or other treatment activities. These skills can help with emotions, stress, cravings, triggers, and communication.
DBT is often one part of addiction treatment. Some clients may need medical detox before starting residential care and therapy. Other treatment methods may also be used based on the client’s needs.
San Diego Wellness Center provides medically supervised detox and residential treatment for alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, prescription drugs, marijuana, and other substance use concerns.
After residential treatment, San Diego Wellness Center provides aftercare planning and can connect clients with local PHP and IOP programs when continued care is needed.
How Do You Know if DBT Is Right for Your Addiction Treatment?
DBT may be helpful if stress, strong emotions, impulsive behavior, or relationship problems contribute to drug and alcohol addiction. For example, someone may drink after an argument or use drugs when feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
An assessment can help determine whether DBT fits your needs. Treatment professionals may consider your substance use, withdrawal symptoms, mental health, physical health, and previous treatment.
DBT is not right for everyone and may be used alongside other addiction services. Some clients may need medical detox or residential treatment, while others may benefit from outpatient care. At San Diego Wellness Center, treatment planning considers each client’s needs to determine whether DBT and other treatment approaches may be appropriate.
Why Do People Choose San Diego Wellness Center for DBT Treatment?
People may choose San Diego Wellness Center for DBT because we provide addiction and mental health support in one treatment setting. Our licensed and accredited facility offers medically supervised detox, residential treatment, dual diagnosis care, and aftercare planning.
DBT skills can help clients manage cravings, triggers, stress, difficult emotions, and relationship problems. During residential treatment, clients have time to practice these skills in a structured and supportive setting.
San Diego Wellness Center also offers comfortable accommodations, chef prepared meals, a swimming pool, gym memberships, entertainment areas, and guided hiking activities.
After residential treatment, our team provides aftercare planning and works with local PHP and IOP facilities when continued care is needed. This helps clients continue working on their recovery after leaving San Diego Wellness Center.
Contact San Diego Wellness Center for DBT and Addiction Treatment
DBT can give clients practical ways to handle cravings, triggers, difficult emotions, stress, and relationship problems during drug and alcohol addiction treatment. It may be especially useful when emotional health and substance use are closely connected. Treatment should still be based on your specific medical, emotional, and substance use needs. San Diego Wellness Center provides medically supervised detox, residential treatment, dual diagnosis care, and aftercare planning in San Diego County. Our team can answer your questions and help determine which level of care may fit your situation. Contact the San Diego Wellness Center team to discuss DBT and addiction treatment options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can DBT really help with alcohol addiction?
DBT may help some people with alcohol addiction, especially when drinking is connected to strong emotions, stress, impulsive behavior, or difficulty coping. DBT skills can help clients identify triggers and practice healthier responses to cravings.
Can DBT be used to treat drug addiction?
Yes, dialectical behavior therapy has been adapted for substance use disorders. It may help clients manage cravings, emotions, triggers, and behaviors connected to drug use. Research is promising, but DBT should be selected based on the client’s clinical needs.
What are the four DBT skills used in addiction treatment?
The four main DBT skill areas are mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills can help clients become more aware of triggers, handle difficult situations, manage emotions, and improve communication.
Is DBT enough to treat drug and alcohol addiction by itself?
DBT is usually one part of a broader drug and alcohol addiction treatment plan. Depending on the person, care may also involve medical detox, residential treatment, other forms of therapy, dual diagnosis services, and aftercare planning.
How can I tell if DBT is right for me?
DBT may be helpful if emotions, stress, impulsive behavior, relationship problems, or difficulty coping contribute to your substance use. A clinical assessment can help determine whether DBT and the available level of care fit your needs.