Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Anxiety
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is an extremely common type of therapy that is used worldwide to treat a range of psychological problems. It has been proven to be extremely effective and is one of the most researched forms of therapy out there, but what exactly is it?
Definition of CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy, or talk centered therapy, that has proven effectiveness when utilized in treatment for many mental illnesses as well as marriage and family counseling, substance abuse therapy, eating disorders, and many other situations.
History of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In the 1960’s, the groundwork for CBT was laid by Aaron Beck, who was a psychiatrist that was very focused on the power of negative thoughts and the way that they contribute to our problems. At the time, this was a very unique framework as most other forms of behavior therapy simply focused on reinforcements and punishments as a way to control negative behaviors. Beck saw the power of thoughts, and formulated CBT as a way to teach others how to formulate their thoughts around situations in order to get through difficult things and cope with mental illness.
Why is CBT So Popular?
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an extremely popular form of therapy because of how much research has been done on it. It has been proven that CBT can be just as, or more, effective than even psychiatric medications in many instances and is a valuable asset to many individuals worldwide.
CBT is extremely goal driven, which makes researching it very easy. When there are clear goals, there are clear results. This ensures an easy research process that results in clearly defined expectations and clearly defined outcomes, which is why CBT is one of the most researched behavioral therapies available today.
How Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work?
To understand CBT, you must first understand its main principles.
Psychological problems are somewhat based on negative ways of thinking.
Psychological problems are somewhat based on learned patterns of negative behaviors.
Those struggling with psychological problems can relieve symptoms and work to become more effective by learning how to cope with their problems.
At its most basic level, cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on our negative thoughts and the way we must work to reframe them in order to push past adversity in our lives. CBT requires the patient to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns and reevaluate them in order to reframe their mindset. With the teaching of problem solving skills, relaxation skills, and practice through role-playing, CBT prepares patients for real-life scenarios by giving them the tools that they need to cope with things when and where they happen.
Therapists or psychiatrists utilizing CBT may encourage things like keeping a journal, learning meditative practices, or other peaceful and productive coping mechanisms.
How Do I Know if Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is Right for Me?
CBT has been proven to help with a range of different mental illnesses and situations. Examples include things like:
PTSD
Sleep disorders
Eating disorders
Depression
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Bipolar disorders
Substance disorders
Sexual disorders
Schizophrenia
Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used in conjunction with or separate from medications like antidepressants. It can even be paired with other treatments and therapies and can be most effective when coupled with different methods.
Individual Counseling
If you feel like you are no longer in control of your thoughts consider counseling for anxiety and stress. If you have questions or want to know how I can help, I offer a 15-minute consultation. Please reach out today!
