Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It's most commonly used to treat anxiety and
depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems. CBT is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a negative cycle. CBT aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts. You're shown how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel. Unlike some other talking treatments, CBT deals with your current problems, rather than focusing on issues from your past. It looks for practical ways to improve your
state of mind on a daily basis. Uses for CBTCBT has been shown to be an effective way of treating a number of different mental health conditions. In addition to depression or anxiety disorders, CBT can also help people with:
CBT is also sometimes used to treat people with long-term health conditions, such as:
Although CBT cannot cure the physical symptoms of these conditions, it can help people cope better with their symptoms. What happens during CBT sessionsIf CBT is recommended, you'll usually have a session with a therapist once a week or once every 2 weeks. The course of treatment usually lasts for between 6 and 20 sessions, with each session lasting 30 to 60 minutes. During the sessions, you'll work with your therapist to break down your problems into their separate parts, such as your thoughts, physical feelings and actions. You and your therapist will analyse these areas to work out if they're unrealistic or unhelpful, and to determine the effect they have on each other and on you. Your therapist will then be able to help you work out how to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. After working out what you can change, your therapist will ask you to practise these changes in your daily life and you'll discuss how you got on during the next session. The eventual aim of therapy is to teach you to apply the skills you have learnt during treatment to your daily life. This should help you manage your problems and stop them having a negative impact on your life, even after your course of treatment finishes. Pros and cons of CBTCognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective in treating some mental health problems, but it may not be successful or suitable for everyone. Some of the advantages of CBT include:
Some of the disadvantages of CBT to consider include:
Some critics also argue that while CBT addresses current problems and focuses on specific issues, it does not address the possible underlying causes of mental health conditions, such as an unhappy childhood. How to find a CBT therapistYou can get psychological therapies, including CBT, on the NHS. You can refer yourself directly to an NHS psychological therapies service (IAPT) without a referral from a GP. Find an NHS psychological therapies service (IAPT) Or your GP can refer you if you prefer. If you can afford it, you can choose to pay for your therapy privately. The cost of private therapy sessions varies. It usually costs £60 to £100 per session, but lower rates may be available to those on lower incomes. There is a register of all accredited therapists in the UK on the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) website. There's also a directory of chartered psychologists on the British Psychological Society (BPS) website, some of whom specialise in CBT. Video: psychological therapies for stress, anxiety and depressionAnimated video explaining self-referral to psychological therapies services for stress, anxiety or depression. Media last reviewed: 14 March 2022 Which of the following approaches to psychotherapy uses the learning?Behavior therapy.
This approach focuses on learning's role in developing both normal and abnormal behaviors. Ivan Pavlov made important contributions to behavior therapy by discovering classical conditioning, or associative learning.
Who may benefit the most from electroconvulsive therapy?Clinical evidence indicates that for individuals with uncomplicated, but severe major depression, ECT will produce substantial improvement in approximately 80 percent of patients. It is also used for other severe mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Which of the following therapies is based on the principles of classical conditioning?Behavior therapy involves changing the behavior of the patients to reduce the dysfunction and to improve the quality of life. The principles of behavior therapy are based on the early studies of Classical conditioning by Pavlov (1927) and operant conditioning by Skinner (1938).
What is the primary premise of humanistic therapy?Humanistic psychological therapies are based on the premise that people are 'self-actualizing', that is, they have an inherent tendency to develop their potential (Rogers 1951; Maslow 1970).
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