What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.
CBT is based on several core principles, including the notion that psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking and learned patterns of unhelpful behavior. Therapists help patients learn more helpful ways of thinking and behaving, and CBT therapists also use strategies to teach patients how to change their thinking and behavior.
Key Principles of CBT
- Psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking.
- Psychological problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
- People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives.
CBT treatment usually involves efforts to change thinking patterns. These strategies might include:
- Learning to recognize one’s distortions in thinking that are creating problems, and then to reevaluate them in light of reality.
- Gaining a better understanding of the behavior and motivation of others.
- Using problem-solving skills to cope with difficult situations.
- Learning to develop a greater sense of confidence is one’s own abilities.
CBT treatment also usually involves efforts to change behavioral patterns. These strategies might include:
- Facing one’s fears instead of avoiding them.
- Using role playing to prepare for potentially problematic interactions with others.
- Learning to calm one’s mind and relax one’s body.
Not all CBT will use all of these strategies. Rather, the psychologist and patient work together, in a collaborative fashion, to develop an understanding of the problem and to develop a treatment strategy.
How CBT is Different
CBT is different from many other therapy approaches by focusing on the ways that a person’s cognitions (i.e., thoughts), emotions, and behaviors are connected and affect one another. This sounds simple, but it is very powerful. Because CBT is an active intervention, one can also expect to do homework or practice outside of sessions.
Conditions Typically Treated with CBT
CBT has been extensively investigated in rigorous clinical trials and has empirical support for its use in treating a variety of conditions. Some of these include:
- Depression: CBT helps in managing negative thinking that contributes to depression and teaches skills to challenge and overcome these thoughts.
- Anxiety Disorders: Including panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder. CBT helps in understanding and changing the thought patterns that drive anxiety.
- Substance Abuse: CBT can help individuals with substance abuse disorders learn to identify and correct problematic behaviors by applying a range of different skills that can be used to stop drug abuse and to address a range of other problems that often co-occur with it.
- Eating Disorders: CBT can be instrumental in addressing the thought patterns and behaviors associated with eating disorders, helping individuals to develop healthier attitudes towards food and body image.
