What is Cognitive Dissonance Theory? Banyan Massachusetts

Previous studies mainly centered on the discontinuous usage intention of social media users, and achieved many research results, mainly focusing on the following five aspects. Luqman et al. 33 verified the fatigue psychology of Facebook users who stop using it and introduced the effect of technical stress. Second, based on the “stressor-strain-outcome” model, it suggested that the strain variables, such as fatigue and fear of missing out, generated discontinuous usage intentions 11.

How Cognitive Dissonance Feels

To maintain a positive self-image, individuals may align their beliefs with their actions, even in the presence of evidence pointing to harm. Furthermore, they https://ecosoberhouse.com/ may devise justifications for their addictive behaviors, deceiving themselves and avoiding the harsh reality of their addiction. It is crucial for specialists to comprehend the role of cognitive dissonance in addiction perception in order to effectively treat their clients. A better understanding of how substances of abuse change cognitive processes is needed to develop new therapeutic agents to treat addiction and ameliorate cognitive deficits. This is a complex issue, however, as different drugs of abuse appear to alter different cognitive processes and cell signaling pathways. Even among users of the same drug, cognitive impacts will differ depending on variations in environmental factors and genetics.

a focus on gratitude for what is going well in my life and for those around me

Therapy focuses on providing the individual the necessary skills to prevent a lapse from escalating into a relapse31. As seen in Rajiv’s case illustration, internal (social anxiety, craving) and external cues (drinking partner, a favourite brand of drink) were identified as triggers for his craving. Subsequently inadequate coping and lack of assertiveness and low self-efficacy maintained his drinking. The following section presents a brief overview of some of the major approaches to managing addictive behaviours.

• Increasing our awareness about what we believe, think, and do is the first step to making the changes we want to make.
• In laboratory studies, rats that were treated with methamphetamine during pregnancy gave birth to pups that, when they reached adulthood, were slow to learn spatial relationships and exhibited spatial memory impairment (Acuff-Smith et al., 1996; Slamberová et al., 2005).
• Any truth behind the dangers of their addiction will be hidden behind the lies, denial, justification, and minimization they may practice.
• The relapse prevention programme combines a variety of cognitive behavioural strategies33.
• Others high risk situations include physical states such as hunger, thirst, fatigue, testing personal control, responsivity to substance cues (craving).

Environmental manipulation and behavioural counseling

While cognitive dissonance is often described as something widely and regularly experienced, efforts to capture it in studies don’t always work, so it could be less common than has been assumed. People do not necessarily experience discomfort in response to every apparent contradiction in their thoughts and beliefs. An individual’s genetic makeup can influence the degree to which a drug of abuse alters his or her cognitive processes. For instance, an individual’s cognitive response to acute amphetamine depends in part on which of the alternative forms of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene he or she has inherited. The effects of prenatal tobacco exposure are particularly concerning because so many expectant mothers smoke—by one estimate, over 10 percent in the United States (Hamilton et al., 2007).

Anxiety and Stress Disorders

Yet, they continue to use, trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior that seems impossible to break. By implementing these strategies, individuals in recovery can effectively manage cognitive dissonance and move towards a more harmonious and fulfilling life in sobriety. If you or someone you know is facing the psychological struggle of addictive behaviors, it is crucial to seek help and support. Recovery is indeed possible, and there are numerous resources available to assist in the journey toward a healthier and happier life.

• Warren is a Licensed Master Social Worker, who specializes in substance abuse and mental health treatment.
• Therapy, such as group therapy, can help address cognitive dissonance in addiction treatment.
• While cognitive dissonance is often described as something widely and regularly experienced, efforts to capture it in studies don’t always work, so it could be less common than has been assumed.
• Psychologist Kia-Rai Prewitt, PhD, explains how to manage this feeling of discomfort, what’s known as cognitive dissonance, and how it can affect your mental health and other relationships when left unchecked.

Recommended ReadingMoving Towards Healing: Making Amends in Recovery

CBT belongs to a family of interventions that are focused on the identification and modification of dysfunctional cognitions in order to modify negative emotions and behaviours. Integrating awareness of cognitive dissonance into addiction treatment plans can be a game-changer. By understanding the role cognitive dissonance plays in maintaining addictive behaviors, individuals can develop more effective strategies for overcoming their dependency. Treatment options for individuals experiencing cognitive dissonance in addiction include therapy, residential treatment programs, and intervention planning services.

They found that the young women who participated in the dissonance-based therapy group had less dissatisfaction with their bodies at the end of the treatment, and at the time of the 3-year follow-up interview (Stice, et al, 2011). Drug-related cognitive deficits may be particularly detrimental to the well-being of individuals whose cognitive performance is already compromised by a mental disorder. Moreover, individuals who suffer from mental disorders abuse drugs at higher rates than the general population. In a 1986 study, smoking rates approximated 30 percent in population-based controls, 47 percent in patients with anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, 78 percent in patients with mania, and 88 percent in patients with schizophrenia (Hughes et al., 1986). Drug addiction manifests clinically as compulsive drug seeking, drug use, and cravings that can persist and recur even after extended periods of abstinence. From a psychological and neurological perspective, addiction is a disorder of altered cognition.

Sometimes you might find yourself engaging in behaviors that are opposed to your own beliefs due to external expectations at work, school, or in a social situation. This might involve going along with something due to peer pressure or doing something at work to avoid getting fired. There are a number of different situations that can create conflicts that lead to cognitive dissonance.

Psychologist Leon Festinger published the book A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance in 1957. Among the examples he used to illustrate the theory were doomsday cult members and their explanations for why the world had not ended as they had anticipated. Many experiments have since been conducted to cognitive dissonance addiction illustrate cognitive dissonance in more ordinary contexts.