With stress, depression and anxiety all on the rise, more and more people are searching for a solution to their psychological woes. One such treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but what is it, what does it involve and who would benefit from it?
Here we take a look at CBT to answer all these questions, providing the ins and out of this highly effective form of therapy.
What Is CBT?
CBT is a therapeutic approach to psychotherapy that’s founded on the fundamental belief that our thoughts, feelings and behaviours are all interconnected. Advocates of CBT believe that by changing our thought patterns, we can simultaneously improve our emotional responses and change our behaviour.
CBT is a structured, time-limited therapy that aims to equip individuals with the right tools to help them overcome whatever it is that’s holding them back.
The patient will work with their therapist to identify and challenge irrational or negative thought patterns, which can offer an effective treatment for a number of conditions.
Different Elements Of CBT
Before we look at how this type of therapy can help with specific conditions, let’s look at the various stages of CBT with a breakdown of what it involves.
The first stage of CBT is the identification of negative thought patterns, which aims to identify the negative, automatic thoughts that contribute to emotional distress and trigger the destructive behaviour you’re trying to prevent.
Once these have been identified, these thoughts are then examined and challenged to see whether they’re rational or accurate.
CBT will then encourage the patient to modify and reframe these beliefs and hopefully they’ll then start to view things in a more positive light.
In addition to the above, individuals undergoing CBT will learn practical coping strategies to manage emotions and change negative behaviours.
Depression
With around one in six UK adults experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms, it’s no exaggeration to say depression is reaching epidemic proportions.
There are different ways of treating depression and much will depend on the cause of the condition. However, CBT has shown it can provide an effective long-term treatment for depressive symptoms by helping individuals replace distorted thought patterns and replace them with healthier ones.
Anxiety Disorders
Along with depression, anxiety disorders are another massive challenge, with millions of people across the country suffering from the condition. In severe cases anxiety can wreak havoc on a person’s daily life, preventing them from doing every day
By helping individuals confront irrational fears, cognitive therapy has shown that it’s particularly useful for combating various anxiety disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder.
Anger
Anger is an emotion that we all display from time to time. But for some, anger can be difficult to control and may start to dominate their lives. This can have a number of negative effects including feelings of guilt, problems at work and harm to personal relationships.
By helping individuals identify triggers and modifying thoughts and perspectives, CBT can help reduce feelings of anger and help individuals better deal with their emotions.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse occurs due to a plethora of reasons, but in many cases there is underlying trauma that the individual is trying to escape from.
Cognitive therapy can help some individuals cope with substance abuse issues by identifying triggers and thoughts that contribute to substance abuse. It also aims to help individuals resist cravings and adopt healthier alternative coping mechanisms.
Marital/Relationship Problems
Like everything else on this list, marital or relationship issues can arise as a result of many things. However, miscommunication and unresolved conflicts are two of the most common.
CBT can help couples tackle their issues by identifying toxic thought patterns and improving communication.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are complex psychological conditions that can significantly impact an individual’s physical and emotional well-being. In many cases, these can be life-threatening so getting effective treatment is crucial.
CBT aids in challenging the way the individual sees themselves, which is often highly distorted. It also encourages a healthier re;atrionship with food and challenges the unhealthy thought patterns that have undergird the eating disorder.
So those are the conditions cognitive behavioural therapy is known to be effective in treating. If you’re experiencing any of the above then CBT may be able to help.
By challenging the negative thoughts that are fuelling your condition and offering a more positive outlook, hopefully you can start to view yourself and the world around you differently, offering a new lease of life.