When you start treatment for a mental health disorder or co-occurring addiction, you have access to many types of therapies called “modalities.” Two such modalities are:
- Behavioral therapies
- Psychoanalysis
While both are effective, they each have different purposes and, therefore, are distinctly suited to different situations.
How is Behavior Therapy Different Than Psychoanalysis?
Both behavior therapy and psychoanalysis can be very useful in treating mental health conditions or addiction, but how are they different from one another?
Behavior Therapy
Behavior therapy encompasses a handful of different therapies, like cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). These focus on your behaviors, as the name suggests.
Behavior therapy is focused on the present or recent past, teaching clients to understand the links between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. With these therapies, you might learn to recognize how your behaviors have impacted your emotions and mental health. Then, you might learn how to spot maladaptive (negative) behaviors and change them for positive ones, recognizing the positive impact this has on your mood, emotions, and mental health.
Best for: Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Addiction
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is an older method of therapy, the kind that most people picture when they think of someone like Freud. With psychoanalysis, the purpose is for more severe situations, those that have a deeper connection to your past. Conditions caused by childhood trauma, for example, might be better tackled with psychoanalysis.
Psychoanalysis looks to explore deeper connections and your past to determine how those things have impacted your present. With psychoanalysis, the work is deeper, which means it takes longer. So, whereas behavior therapy might be something completed in a matter of twelve weeks, psychoanalysis might take several months or years. This, nonetheless, can make it better suited to more severe mental health conditions that cannot be cured, only managed.
Best for: More severe mental health conditions like personality disorders, bipolar disorder, or severe addiction
Is Behavior Therapy Better Than Psychoanalysis?
One is not better than the other. Both can be useful in treating different conditions, but it depends on your situation.
That is why, at American Detox and Treatment, we complete an initial assessment with each of our clients before recommending the best course of action. During that assessment, we will ask questions about your mental and physical health histories, as well as that of your family. If addiction is a factor, we will also ask about that.
We use this information to determine what level of care is best for you right now and which therapies or modalities you would benefit from the most.
Learn More about Behavior Therapy at American Detox and Treatment
With American Detox and Treatment, we offer a range of therapies for different circumstances, including behavior therapy. With evidence-backed, experiential therapies, we help our clients better learn about the relationship between their actions and their addiction.
Call 1-877-834-0775 today to discuss what therapy might be best for you.
FAQ
Is there a difference between behavior therapy and psychoanalysis?
Yes. One of the primary differences is that psychoanalysis focuses on your unconscious thoughts, helping you to identify which unconscious thoughts might be influencing your emotions and mental health. By comparison, behavior therapy focuses more on conscious behaviors and how those influence emotions and mental health.
Is behavior therapy or psychoanalysis better?
One is not better than the other; rather, they are intended for different situations. If you are treating symptoms, like symptoms of depression or anxiety, you may benefit more from behavior therapy as it focuses more on your behaviors, those things related to your depression or anxiety. If, however, you are targeting a more complex psychological issue, like BPD, then psychoanalysis might help reach back into your subconscious thoughts and early childhood influences to better understand the impact on current health.
What are the negatives of psychoanalysis?
Psychoanalysis, by its nature, takes much longer. This means if you are interested in therapy for an underlying mental health condition, you might need several months or years with psychoanalysis over behavioral therapy. This can be a downside to some people who are looking for faster treatment or less costly treatment. Similarly, it is better suited to more complex conditions and may not be the best option for things like anxiety disorders, PTSD, or depression.
Can you use medication and therapy?
Yes. In some situations, the best course of action for your recovery or treatment plan will include medication and therapy. You can be prescribed medication while participating in behavior or psychoanalysis. For some clients, the medication might be a temporary way to get relief from severe symptoms, making it easier to focus on the lessons taught in therapy. For others, the medication might be a way to permanently manage a severe condition while also participating in therapy.
Are there limits to behavior therapy?
Behavioral therapy focuses more on observable behaviors, things a therapist can observe you doing or things you observe yourself doing, as well as the associated emotional factors or underlying causes of these behaviors. This makes it a recommended treatment for conditions like depression or anxiety but makes it less suitable for complex mental health disorders that need long-term, continued reinforcement to ensure lasting change.
How long does behavioral therapy take?
The length of time required for treatment is based on individual cases. Your history, any co-occurring conditions, and the severity of your condition will all influence the time it takes. Things like CBT, for example, are generally 12-week programs with individual coursework and homework each week.
What happens if behavioral therapy doesn’t work?
If, at the end of behavioral therapy programs, you haven’t seen a significant change, it might mean that you need other therapy. Sometimes, things like CBT may be inadequate for the type of condition you have or may be inadequate if you have multiple conditions. That is why it is so important to speak with our admissions team beforehand so we can conduct an assessment and recommend the best level of care.
