Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, shortened to CBT, is classed as a 'talking therapy' and aims to teach a person to identify and change their negative and destructive thought processes to positive and healthier ones.
It does this by challenging a person to examine their current thought patterns and behaviours, and then teaching them coping strategies to turn the negative thoughts around so they can live a more happier and peaceful life.
CBT's foundations believe that what you think, is how you will behave and react, and thus cognitive therapy, which looks at your thoughts, and how you perceive things, is combined directly with behaviour therapy, which looks at your reactions to situations in everyday life.
When a person is very anxious or depressed, their perception of the world and their surroundings may seem very dark and dismal, and often highly distorted and irrational.
CBT would be able to help them deal with a these challenging thoughts and perceptions in a much more rational and healthier way.
CBT can be used to treat a wide range of Mental Health problems, and even anger and relationship issues can benefit from CBT.
It is suitable for all ages, and has been shown to significantly help people with depression and anxiety disorders.
How an anxious feeling turns into negative thoughts and behaviour:
Situation: Receives an invite to a party
Feeling: Anxiety / Social Anxiety
Thought: Everyone will look at me. I will embarrass myself. No one will talk to me
Behaviour: Replies 'no' to invite
Which in turn has just directly resulted into another situation:
Situation: Replied 'no' to friends invite
Feeling: Guilty, sad, nervous
Thought: My friend will be so angry with me and no one will like me because they will think I was rude.
Behaviour: Develops and displays more destructive behaviour such as alcohol, anxious quirks and further anxious feelings.
CBT can work alongside medication, but it can also be used on it's own, especially for people who don't want to go the medication route.
This is something you can discuss with your doctor, however it is important to understand, that the only way to see if something is going to help you, is to try it out.
Some people have praised CBT, saying that receiving CBT pulled them out of very dark places, and that years later they are still applying the tools that they were taught.
Some people find it difficult to apply the techniques and strategies at first, but with perseverance, they find CBT to be an invaluable addition to their recovery.
Some people don't respond to CBT, and this can due to different reasons, but don't let this discourage you!
Everyone is different!
Some things to consider with CBT:
- It is a short term therapy
- You will have to acknowledge, and ultimately voice your feelings and emotions with the therapist concerned.
- You will have to make a commitment to apply the strategies outside of therapy, and many people find this very difficult.
The CBT session:
CBT can be given individually, in a group or online.
The sessions, however you receive them, should only be given be a trained therapist or professional, as this is when they work best!
Your therapist will talk to you about what you are feeling and what you want to tackle, and what you hope to achieve.
They will help you to examine current issues, and teach you how you can deal with those issues in a more rational way.
Often, you will get 'homework' in the sense of that you will try and put these coping strategies into use the next time you have a negative feeling or thought.
Talking, writing and diagrams can be used.
Often, in the next session, you will then talk about how you used the tools of CBT in the previous week, and the therapist will look over them and help you to improve in any areas that you are struggling with.
How can I get CBT?
In the UK, you can receive CBT on the NHS.
There are a couple of ways you can do this:
- you can get a referral from your GP, but you don't have to.
- you can directly get in touch with a CBT therapist through IAPT, which will link you to a therapist in your area. However, the waiting list can be long!
or try finding a therapist near you here.
- You can also choose to go to a private therapist if you can afford it. Sessions can cost between £40 - £120
- Another website to check for registered CBT therapists is: http://www.cbtregisteruk.com/
As every country has their own rules with regards to medical treatment and insurance, it is difficult to include resources for every country.
The best way to find out more info for CBT in your country is by doing a google search.
My own experience with CBT:
My experience with CBT was highly bizarre.
I first received it back in 2005, and at the time, I didn't find it very useful at all.
My therapist would teach me the tools, and I remember having to make charts and journal about my week, recording every negative situation, how I felt, what I would usually do in my anxious state, and then what I did instead, using the CBT principles.
In 2009, I relapsed, and was so severe that I had to be put onto antipsychotics.
It was only a few years later, once I was recovering, and I started to feel more like myself again, that I found myself applying the CBT techniques that I had learned, and began formulating my very own method called the RAT method, which I have included in my books.
It does this by challenging a person to examine their current thought patterns and behaviours, and then teaching them coping strategies to turn the negative thoughts around so they can live a more happier and peaceful life.
CBT's foundations believe that what you think, is how you will behave and react, and thus cognitive therapy, which looks at your thoughts, and how you perceive things, is combined directly with behaviour therapy, which looks at your reactions to situations in everyday life.
When a person is very anxious or depressed, their perception of the world and their surroundings may seem very dark and dismal, and often highly distorted and irrational.
CBT would be able to help them deal with a these challenging thoughts and perceptions in a much more rational and healthier way.
CBT can be used to treat a wide range of Mental Health problems, and even anger and relationship issues can benefit from CBT.
It is suitable for all ages, and has been shown to significantly help people with depression and anxiety disorders.
How an anxious feeling turns into negative thoughts and behaviour:
Situation: Receives an invite to a party
Feeling: Anxiety / Social Anxiety
Thought: Everyone will look at me. I will embarrass myself. No one will talk to me
Behaviour: Replies 'no' to invite
Which in turn has just directly resulted into another situation:
Situation: Replied 'no' to friends invite
Feeling: Guilty, sad, nervous
Thought: My friend will be so angry with me and no one will like me because they will think I was rude.
Behaviour: Develops and displays more destructive behaviour such as alcohol, anxious quirks and further anxious feelings.
CBT can work alongside medication, but it can also be used on it's own, especially for people who don't want to go the medication route.
This is something you can discuss with your doctor, however it is important to understand, that the only way to see if something is going to help you, is to try it out.
Some people have praised CBT, saying that receiving CBT pulled them out of very dark places, and that years later they are still applying the tools that they were taught.
Some people find it difficult to apply the techniques and strategies at first, but with perseverance, they find CBT to be an invaluable addition to their recovery.
Some people don't respond to CBT, and this can due to different reasons, but don't let this discourage you!
Everyone is different!
Some things to consider with CBT:
- It is a short term therapy
- You will have to acknowledge, and ultimately voice your feelings and emotions with the therapist concerned.
- You will have to make a commitment to apply the strategies outside of therapy, and many people find this very difficult.
The CBT session:
CBT can be given individually, in a group or online.
The sessions, however you receive them, should only be given be a trained therapist or professional, as this is when they work best!
Your therapist will talk to you about what you are feeling and what you want to tackle, and what you hope to achieve.
They will help you to examine current issues, and teach you how you can deal with those issues in a more rational way.
Often, you will get 'homework' in the sense of that you will try and put these coping strategies into use the next time you have a negative feeling or thought.
Talking, writing and diagrams can be used.
Often, in the next session, you will then talk about how you used the tools of CBT in the previous week, and the therapist will look over them and help you to improve in any areas that you are struggling with.
How can I get CBT?
In the UK, you can receive CBT on the NHS.
There are a couple of ways you can do this:
- you can get a referral from your GP, but you don't have to.
- you can directly get in touch with a CBT therapist through IAPT, which will link you to a therapist in your area. However, the waiting list can be long!
or try finding a therapist near you here.
- You can also choose to go to a private therapist if you can afford it. Sessions can cost between £40 - £120
- Another website to check for registered CBT therapists is: http://www.cbtregisteruk.com/
As every country has their own rules with regards to medical treatment and insurance, it is difficult to include resources for every country.
The best way to find out more info for CBT in your country is by doing a google search.
My own experience with CBT:
My experience with CBT was highly bizarre.
I first received it back in 2005, and at the time, I didn't find it very useful at all.
My therapist would teach me the tools, and I remember having to make charts and journal about my week, recording every negative situation, how I felt, what I would usually do in my anxious state, and then what I did instead, using the CBT principles.
In 2009, I relapsed, and was so severe that I had to be put onto antipsychotics.
It was only a few years later, once I was recovering, and I started to feel more like myself again, that I found myself applying the CBT techniques that I had learned, and began formulating my very own method called the RAT method, which I have included in my books.