Cognitive
therapy
Cognitive therapy (CT) states that thoughts, feelings
and behavior are all connected with each other.
These individuals can overcome difficulties by
identifying and changing these unhelpful or inaccurate
thinking, problematic behavior, and distressing
emotional responses by Cognitive therapy. The therapist
helps to develop skills for modifying beliefs,
identifying distorted thinking, in different ways,
and then changing behaviors. Now the individual
understand’s internal reality, select appropriate
interventions and identify areas of distress.
We change targeting thoughts (to change emotion
and behavior), behavior (to change feelings and
thoughts), or the individual's goals (by identifying
thoughts, feelings or behavior that conflict with
the goals)
As an example of how CT works:-
Having made a mistake at work, a man may believe, "I'm useless
and can't do anything right at work." He may
then focus on the mistake (which he takes as evidence
that his belief is true), and his thoughts about
being "useless" are likely to lead to
negative emotion (frustration, sadness, hopelessness).
Given these thoughts and feelings, he may then
begin to avoid challenges at work, which is behavior
that could provide even more evidence for him that
his belief is true.
Depressed people acquire a negativity of the world
in childhood and adolescence;. Depressed people
acquire such negativity through a loss of a parent,
rejection by peers, bullying, criticism from teachers
or parents, the depressive attitude of a parent
and other negative events. The negativity of the
person are activated in life. Depressed people
have negative thoughts about themselves, their
experiences in the world, and the future.
As
a result he may focus even more on any mistakes
he may make, which serve to reinforce the original
belief of being "useless." In therapy,
this example could be identified as a self-fulfilling
prophecy or "problem cycle". We in therapy
work together to explore and shift this cycle.
Now the thoughts that do not meet his description
may then be shifted to something more accurate
or helpful, leading to more positive emotion, more
desirable behavior, and movement toward the person's
goals. Cognitive therapy takes a skill-building
approach, where I help the person to learn and
practice these skills independently, eventually "becoming
his or her own therapist."
Application of Cognitive therapy
Cognitive therapy has been applied to a very wide
range of behavioral problems
• Learning in school and college
• Addiction
• Anxiety disorders
• depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Phobia
• Schizophrenia
• Substance abuse
• Suicidal ideas
• Weight loss
Uses of Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy has been used to treat
people suffering from a wide range of disorders,
including anxiety, phobias, depression, and addiction.
CBT is one of the most researched types of therapy
because treatment is focused on highly specific
goals and results can be measured relatively
easily.
Cognitive behavior therapy is often best-suited
for clients who are comfortable with introspection.
In order for CBT to be effective, the individual
must be ready and willing to spend time and effort
analyzing his or her thoughts and feelings. Such
self-analysis is a great way to learn more about
how internal states impact outward behavior.
Cognitive behavior therapy can replace medication.
One of the greatest benefits of cognitive-behavior
therapy is that it helps clients develop coping
skills that can be useful both now and in the future
of his/her life.
In
cognitive therapy thoughts, feelings and behavior
are mutually influenced by each other. Shifting
cognition is seen as the main mechanism by which
lasting emotional and behavioral changes take place.
Treatment is very collaborative, absolutely personal,
skill-focused, and based on a case conceptualization.
CBT is transparent to the individual receiving
therapy. At the end of the therapy, an individual
will often have learned the cognitive therapy skills
well enough to "be their own therapist," decreasing
dependence on a therapist to provide the answers.
During
regular cognitive therapy sessions, I teache
the tools of cognitive therapy. Then between
sessions, the patient does homework. That homework
helps the person learn how to apply the tools
to solve specific life problems. "They
make small changes in their thinking and behavior
every day". "Then
over time, these small changes lead to lasting
improvement in mood and outlook."
Benefits of Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive
therapy has become the standard "counseling
therapy" to treat any psychological conditions.
In addition to its high rate of success, it is
also cost-effective. The benefits from cognitive
therapy often come in weeks rather than months
or years, as not in the case with other treatments.
Can cognitive
therapy replace antipsychotic medications? Robert
DeRubeis, PhD, professor of psychology and associate
dean for the social sciences at the University
of Pennsylvania - answer is yes. Medications have
all kinds of side effects and can actually add
to depression," With cognitive therapy, patients
learn coping skills and how to apply them. When
they do, there is less need for medications.
But it doesn't
have to be an "either-or" decision.
In some studies, cognitive therapy for depression
worked even better when combined with NLP.
Because everyone's situation is unique, the decision
about how to use cognitive therapy should always
be made by the patient and the doctor together
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