COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY

 


Even if you take a pill for every ill, medications can't do everything.

 So the next step is COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY. Few facts below.

IS IT USEFUL?
CBT is one of the established methods of treatment of mental health problems.
It is one of the most effective treatments for conditions where anxiety or depression is the main problem
It is the most effective psychological treatment for moderate and severe depression
It is as effective as antidepressants for many types of depression


WHERE DOES IT HELP?
It can help people suffering from Anxiety, depression, panic, phobias (including agoraphobia and social phobia), poor stress coping, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder.
Those with anger outbursts, or with a low opinion of self or chronic physical health problems, like pain or fatigue, can also benefit a lot.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

It is a way of talking about:
      How you think about yourself, the world and other people?
      How what you do affects your thoughts and feelings?
CBT can help you to change how you think ("Cognitive") and what you do ("Behaviour)".
These changes can help you to feel better.
There is focus on the "here and now" problems and difficulties instead of focussing on the causes of distress in the past.

Problems can be overwhelming... but by breaking them down into smaller parts... makes it easier to see how they are connected and how they affect you.

In a test situation (e.g.a problem, event or difficult situation), there can follow: Thoughts + Emotions + Physical feelings + Action.

Each of these areas can affect the others.

The key point is How you think about a problem... it can affect how you feel physically and emotionally. It can also alter what you do about it.

AN EXAMPLE
Situation: After a bad day in office, feeling tired, you drag yourself for shopping and while coming back, your neighbour walks by you, apparently, ignores you.
REACTION 1: Unhelpful

• Thoughts: He/she ignored me – it means they don't like me  
• Emotional Feelings: Low, sad and rejected
• Physical: Stomach cramps, low energy, feel sick  
• Action: $##@*@#$, Go home and avoid them

REACTION 2: Helpful

• Thoughts He/she looks a bit wrapped up in themselves - I wonder if there's something wrong?
• Emotional Feelings: Concerned for the other person
• Physical: None - feel comfortable
• Action: Get in touch to make sure they're OK

There are helpful and unhelpful ways of reacting to most situations, depending on how you think about them.
When we are distressed, we are more likely to jump to conclusions and to interpret things in extreme and unhelpful ways.
CBT can help you to break this vicious circle of altered thinking, feelings and behaviour.

When you see the parts of the sequence clearly, you can change them - and so change the way you feel.

CBT aims to get you to a point where you can "do it yourself", and work out your own ways of tackling these problems.

DIFFICULTIES WITH CBT
CBT is not a quick fix. It takes time and effort both from the patient and the therapist.
The therapist advises and encourages - but cannot 'do' it for the patient. If someone is feeling low, it can be difficult to concentrate and get motivated.
To overcome anxiety, it has to be confronted. This may lead you to feel more anxious for a short time.


Smile, it's free therapy