People suffer a lot due to their mental health problems. There is more than one specific way in which they can help address the issues faced due to their poor mental health. Several mental health professionals can help you understand the issues you are facing and resolve them in the best way possible. Among the several methods at the disposal of a mental health professional, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is also considered one of the many solutions to help an individual. So, let’s learn about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the most common myths related to CBT.
What is Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that effectively treats various psychological and behavioral problems. It helps people change how they think about themselves and see their problems. This form of therapy is based on the theory that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all part of one integrated whole. In CBT, therapy focuses on changing thoughts and beliefs to help reduce anxiety, stress, or other negative emotions caused by past experiences or current events.
CBT therapists may use Cognitive Behavioural Exposure to help people confront. Their fears by facing the things they fear most in small steps.
In this example, there’s an extinction phase in which clients expose themselves to what they fear while learning to cope with the anxiety. This approach effectively treats various anxiety-related disorders, including social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder.
Now that we have answered the question of what cognitive-behavioral therapy is. It is important to understand the symptoms of mental health issues that can be reduced using cognitive behavioral therapy.
Symptoms of Cognitive Behavioral Disorder
The most common symptoms of Cognitive-Behavioural Disorder may include the following symptoms:
- Anxiety Disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Eating and Body image issues
- Personality Disorders
- Chronic pain and substance use
- Confusion
- Loss of short-term or long term memory
- Poor motor coordination
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy aims to reduce the negative effects of these symptoms. Helping people identify how their beliefs and behaviors are causing worry, distress, and problems in day-to-day life. This form of therapy has led to a wide range of insights into how people think, feel, and behave. Moreover, its success in treating many disorders has led to its dominance over other therapies.
However, the most common hurdle that comes into view while thinking of getting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the myths related to this form of therapy.
So here are some of the common myths. That can be a hurdle for people who have been prescribed cognitive behavioral therapy training.
Myths about Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Here are some of the most common myths that can cause a lot of issues for people who need cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders:
Myth: CBT doesn’t work for everyone
Evidence: A meta-analysis of CBT for depression demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms and associated disability. Furthermore, evidence suggests that CBT is equally effective as other treatments such as antidepressants or psychotherapy.
Myth: CBT is just a type of talk therapy where you sit down with a therapist for hours each week and talk about your life
Evidence: This myth stems from an early misconception about CBT, which suggeste it was simply an approach used with patients without specific therapeutic goals. In reality, CBT is effective with different populations and has reduced symptoms of panic disorder, depression, and social anxiety.
Myth: CBT doesn’t work for children and adolescents
Evidence: A meta-analysis of CBT for depression in children demonstrated that it was equally effective as other treatments such as antidepressants, psychotherapy, or medication. Furthermore, evidence shows that CBT effectively reduces depressive symptoms in children and adolescents.
Myth: CBT is only for people with problems arising from emotional trauma
Evidence: This is not true. CBT is effective for different psychological problem in variou populations, such as depression, physical health problems, and addiction.
Myth: CBT can only treat simple issues, and complex problems like personality disorders and psychosis need to be treated differently.
Evidence: It has been observed that CBT has been quite effective in dealing with various mental health issues. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorder is also one of the most common methods used to help people deal with personality issues and psychosis.
Conclusion
Several myths make it seem as if Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is not the best solution to resolve mental health issues you or your family member might be facing.
However, with the help of the information provided above. You can search for the best cognitive behavioral therapists near me to begin the healing process. Doing so will help you reduce any mental health issues you might be having and ensure that you can create your coping strategies in the future.
