The overall reduction in the dosage of prescribed opioids can be helpful for individuals taking opioids to help manage their chronic pain. Psychological interventions for chronic pain, including CBT-CP, have been found to help individuals reduce opioid doses.

In some cases, individuals and their health care providers may seek to discontinue the use of opioids to help manage chronic pain. Psychological interventions, including CBT-CP, have been found to encourage and facilitate individuals discontinuing opioids for chronic pain management in some cases.

Individuals with chronic pain are at increased risk of misusing drugs or engaging in aberrant drug-related behaviors like requesting increased dosing, stockpiling medication during periods of reduced pain, injecting or snorting medications rather than taking as prescribed and resisting treatment changes. CBT-CP has shown a decrease in misuse of drugs and these aberrant drug-related behaviors.

While not conclusive and overwhelming, some evidence suggests that CBT-CP can help decrease the intensity of an individual's pain, as well as the associated disability and distress. One study found that CBT-CP led to significantly reduced pain catastrophizing (magnifying and ruminating about pain) and emergency department visits for pain.