|
Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy (CBT)
is an empirically supported treatment that focuses
on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive
and the beliefs that underlie such thinking. For example,
a person who is depressed may have the belief, "I’m
worthless," and a person with a phobia may have the belief,
"I am in danger." While the person in distress likely
holds such beliefs with great conviction, with a therapist’s
help, the individual is encouraged to view such beliefs as
hypotheses rather than facts and to test out such beliefs
by running experiments. Furthermore, those in distress are
encouraged to monitor and log thoughts that pop into their
minds (called "automatic thoughts") in order to
enable them to determine what patterns of biases in thinking
may exist and to develop more adaptive alternatives to their
thoughts. People who seek CBT can expect their therapist to
be active, problem-focused, and goal-directed.
Studies of CBT
have demonstrated its usefulness for a wide variety of problems,
including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders,
eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, and psychotic
disorders. While a full description of the treatment and presenting
problems for which it is useful is beyond the scope of this
brief overview, a brief summary of several treatments will
be presented.
CBT
has been shown to be as useful as antidepressant medication
for individuals with depression and is superior in preventing
relapse. Patients receiving CBT for depression are encouraged
to schedule activities in order to increase the amount of
pleasure they experience. In addition, depressed patients
learn how to restructure negative thought patterns
in order to interpret their environment in a less biased way.
CBT for Bipolar Disorder is used as an adjunct to medication
treatment and focuses on psychoeducation about the disorder
and understanding cues and triggers for relapse. Studies indicate
that patients who receive CBT in addition to treatment with
medication have better outcomes than patients who do not receive
CBT as an adjunctive treatment.
CBT is also a useful
treatment for anxiety disorders. Patients who experience persistent
panic attacks are encouraged to test out beliefs they have
related to such attacks, such as specific fears related to
bodily sensations, and to develop realistic responses to such
beliefs. This treatment is very effective for those who experience
such problems. Patients who experience obsessions and compulsions
are guided to expose themselves to what they fear and beliefs
surrounding their fears are identified and modified. The same
is true for people with phobias, including phobias of animals
or phobias of evaluation by others (termed Social Phobia).
Those in treatment are exposed to what they fear and beliefs
that have served to maintain such fears are targeted for modification.
Over the past 10
years, CBT for schizophrenia has received considerable attention
in the United Kingdom. While this treatment continues to be
in its infancy in the United States, the results from studies
in the United Kingdom have stimulated considerable interest
in therapists in the U.S., and more therapists are conducting
the treatment now than just a few years ago. In this treatment,
patients are encouraged to identify beliefs and their impact
and to engage in experiments to test their beliefs. Treatment
focuses on thought patterns that cause distress and also on
developing more adaptive, realistic interpretations of events.
Delusions are treated by developing an understanding of the
kind of evidence the person uses to support the belief and
encouraging the patient to recognize evidence that may have
been overlooked that does not support the belief. Furthermore,
the assumed omnipotence of "voices" is tested, and
patients are encouraged to utilize various coping mechanisms
to test the controllability of auditory hallucinations.
While the above
summary is certainly not comprehensive, it provides a brief
overview of the principles of CBT and how it applies to various
presenting problems. CBT’s focus on thoughts and beliefs
are applicable to a wide array of issues. Because CBT has
excellent empirical support, it has achieved wide popularity
both for therapists and consumers. Those who may receive CBT
training include psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers,
and psychiatric nurses. Those seeking treatment using a CBT
approach are encouraged to ask their therapist what CBT training
they have had or to contact a Center for Cognitive Therapy
and request a referral in their geographical location.
For more in-depth information about mental illness, treatments
and supports, and medications;
please choose from the following topics:
By
Illness | What is Mental Illness?
| About Medications
|
