The Effectiveness of CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of mental health treatment used to help people with a variety of disorders and stressors. It is a treatment considered to be among the most effective, according to decades of research, in alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life for people with:

·         Depression

·         Anxiety

·         Chronic pain

·         Relationship problems

·         Anger management concerns

CBT has even been found to be as effective in decreasing symptoms as medications, such as antidepressant medications.

How CBT Works

CBT is based on the concept that mental health problems develop from negative, distorted, and unrealistic thoughts and beliefs. Oftentimes, the negative core beliefs that people have about themselves develop at an early age, sometimes during childhood or adolescence. These beliefs represent what people think of themselves, other people, and the world around them. Core beliefs can remain dormant—away from a person’s awareness for many years. However, a major life event or stressor can trigger, and activate, core beliefs, which can then lead to the person experiencing symptoms like sadness, fear, or worry (among others). For example, a person can have a core belief that they are unlovable. This belief can develop in childhood due to neglect from a caretaker, but the belief may not be triggered until the person is in their 20s and they suffer rejection and heartbreak from a romantic partner.

CBT is also based on the concept that negative thinking patterns lead to negative behavioral patterns. Thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are linked, with one affecting the other. For example, a person who feels sad and hopeless may also isolate themselves in their home, which is often a behavior that accompanies sadness and hopelessness. However, isolation causes them to feel even more sad and hopeless while the loss of social contact from isolation causes the person to maintain their belief that: “No one wants to be with me.”

CBT helps people to identify these negative thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors, so that they can gain insight to how these patterns contribute to the disorder, symptoms, and stressors. Negative cognitions are challenged and replaced with healthy ones, which ultimately helps the person develop a more positive belief system about themselves, others, and their environment. Behavioral change also takes place, and the person learns more effective ways to cope.

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