A form of treatment, hypnotherapy is an integral part of all forms of drug and alcohol addiction treatment. Therapists generally use it in individual therapy, with strategies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy for patients to change harmful behaviors associated with their addiction. The purpose is to examine and change harmful thought patterns, helping people remain clean longer after therapy. Therapists typically conduct hypnosis in an outpatient setting and usually prescribe medications. These are used to treat anxiety and depression as well as help patients overcome fears of having withdrawal symptoms. This is generally done in conjunction with other forms of therapy. Addiction treatment centers often incorporate this method with other forms of therapy. In order to become an addict, a person needs to have a pre-existing personality that includes a need for stimulants and a desire to have substance abuse in order to feel good. Addiction can result from having an environment that encourages addictive behaviors, such as peer pressure and being in a group with people who share similar interests. It may also be an issue of self-image, with an individual believing they are worthless or not good enough. The problem is that these things are internalized beliefs and therefore the individual needs to deal with them to be able to address the addiction that causes them. The therapist’s job is to provide an environment where these feelings and thoughts are dealt with and replaced with the more positive ones. A person at a substance abuse treatment center will be able to learn about their addiction through individual sessions. They will discuss their life, their history and any other issues they may have that may lead them to have an addiction. They may also be given information about how they can improve their lives and learn better coping skills. All of these things help them develop a plan of action that they can use to change their behavior and prevent relapse.