What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy?
Depression, anxiety, social phobia and other mental disorders are the result of distorted, irrational thought patterns. These habitual distortions in thinking—or “automatic thoughts”—can cause people to withdraw, panic, avoid situations or engage in other self-defeating or self-damaging behaviour.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) uses structured and directive techniques to alter dysfunctional thought patterns by weakening the connection between distressing situations/stimuli and automatic reactions to them. During the CBT treatment, the patient learns how to identify and manage irrational thoughts, and how to cope with difficult situations/stimuli, often through controlled exposure to them. In CBT, the goal is accurate and rational thoughts and behaviours.
How does CBT work?
As its name implies, CBT combines two very effective forms of psychotherapy: cognitive therapy and behaviour therapy.
Cognitive therapy helps you understand how certain patterns of thinking are causing and maintaining your symptoms. Distorted thinking influences our emotions and behaviours and can lead us to behave and feel depressed, anxious, and angry. By challenging and changing our distorted thoughts we can control our behaviours and feelings.
Behaviour therapy weakens the connection between situations and the automatic reactions to them. Reactions such as withdrawing and isolating, avoiding situations, and engaging in other self-defeating or self-damaging behaviours, can cause depression, anxiety and other unpleasant feelings. Through changing our behaviours, we can control our thoughts and feelings.
When used together, CBT can offer powerful tools to help you understand why it is what you do, and how to change and control the way you think, feel and behave.