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- Herausgeber: Youcanprint
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been an increasingly hot topic in the world of psychology in the past few years. More and more therapists and psychiatrists are adopting this type of speaking therapy due to its proven effectiveness in treating common mental disorders like anxiety and depression. Although we hear about this term a lot, what exactly is it? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on the theory that a person's thoughts (cognition), emotion, and behavior are all constantly interacting with one another, therefore, if one of these three components are affected, the rest will be affected as well. Cognition is responsible for how we think and what we think, emotion is based on how we feel, and behavior is based on how we act. These three components all support the theory that if a person merely changes their thoughts or the way they think, it will impact our feelings, which will ultimately determine our behavior. In simple terms, this means that people who may be having negative or unrealistic thoughts that cause them distress could result in behavioral problems. When a person is suffering from psychological distress, the way they perceive certain situations can become contorted, this could cause negative behaviors.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
The History of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Modern Day Uses for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Chapter 1: What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
How does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work?
When is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Used?
Who Uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Comparison of CBT and Other Types of Therapy
Chapter 2: What Is Anxiety?
What is an Anxiety Disorder?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
What Are the Different Types of Anxiety Disorders?
How Are All Anxiety Disorders Related?
How Modern Day Lifestyle is Contributing to Anxiety Disorders
How Are Anxiety Disorders Diagnosed?
Chapter 3: What Is Depression?
The Science Behind Depression
Neurotransmitters
Low Neurotransmitter Levels
Mild and Moderate Depression
Major Depression
Atypical Depression
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Symptoms Of Depression
Chapter 4: Benefits and Drawbacks of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Benefits of CBT
Drawbacks of CBT
Chapter 5: Using CBT to Manage Your Anxiety and Depression
Unhelpful Thinking Styles
Challenging Your Unhelpful Thinking Styles
Examples of CBT Being Used to Treat Anxiety
Using CBT To Treat Other Mental Disorders
Using CBT For Anxiety
Using CBT For Depression
Chapter 6: Other Methods to Manage Anxiety and Depression
Mindfulness Meditation
Improving Physical Health Through Lifestyle Changes
How To Prevent Procrastination
Practicing Gratitude
Chapter 7: How to Manage Your Anger
Anger as a Manifestation of Other Emotions
The Great Evil of Repressed Feelings
Self-Control of Anger
Anger Management Techniques
Conclusion
Description
Relaxation and Stress Reduction for Beginners
Introduction
Chapter 1: Understanding Stress
What is Stress?
Pathology of Stress
The Adrenaline Hormone
The Cortisol Hormone
Why Do You Need to Know About Stress?
The 3 Types of Stress
1. Acute Stress
2. Episodic Acute Stress
3. Chronic Stress
Emotional, Behavioral, and Physical Impact of Stress
1. Emotional Impact
2. Behavioral Impact
3. Physiological Impact
Causes of Stress
Common Causes of Stress at Work
Common Causes of Stress in Personal Life
Chapter 2:Overcoming Stress
Identifying Stressors in Life
Identifying and Working on Changeable Stressors
Managing Stress at Work Place
Managing Stress in Personal Life
Managing the Mind
Positive Outlook can Help a Lot
Stop Living in Constant Denial, Acknowledge and Accept
Avoid the Stressors
Adapt
5 Major Mental Stressors
Ways to Deal with Unchangeable Stressors
Acknowledge the Stressors
Forgive and Let-Go
Engage in Activities That Would Express, Modify, and Distract the Feelings
Simple Tips to Minimize Everyday Stress
Chapter3: Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
Deep Breathing
Deep Breathing Practice
Meditation
Guided Meditation
Visualization
Guided Meditation
Mindfulness
Hypnosis
Laughing Out Loud
Stress Diet
Goal Setting
How to Set Goals?
Work on Stressors
Employ Stress Relief Techniques
Develop Stress Relieving Habits
Develop Emotional Resilience
Redefine Happiness
Conclusion
Description
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The Best Strategy for Managing Anxiety and Depression Forever
© Copyright 2019 by Robin McGill - All rights reserved.
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Introduction
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been an increasingly hot topic in the world of psychology in the past few years. More and more therapists and psychiatrists are adopting this type of speaking therapy due to its proven effectiveness in treating common mental disorders like anxiety and depression. Although we hear about this term a lot, what exactly is it? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on the theory that a person’s thoughts (cognition), emotion, and behavior are all constantly interacting with one another, therefore, if one of these three components are affected, the rest will be affected as well. Cognition is responsible for how we think and what we think, emotion is based on how we feel, and behavior is based on how we act. These three components all support the theory that if a person merely changes their thoughts or the way they think, it will impact our feelings, which will ultimately determine our behavior. In simple terms, this means that people who may be having negative or unrealistic thoughts that cause them distress could result in behavioral problems. When a person is suffering from psychological distress, the way they perceive certain situations can become contorted, this could cause negative behaviors.
The History of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT is actually an umbrella term for many different therapies that share common components. The earliest forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy were developed by Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck in the mid-90s. At the time, it was called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). REBT is a type of cognitive therapy that is focused on fixing emotional and behavioral problems. The main goal of REBT is to shift irrational beliefs to rational ones. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy encourages an individual to figure out their personal irrational beliefs and then influence the individual to challenge those beliefs through testing them in reality.
Albert Ellis proposed that every single person carries a unique set of assumptions regarding ourselves and our world. He suggested that we use those set of assumptions to serve and guide us through life and has a huge influence on our reactions to different situations that we experience. However, some people’s set of assumptions are irrational, which leads to them acting and reacting in ways that are inappropriate and have a negative effect on their happiness and success. This term is called ‘basic irrational assumptions.’
An example of irrational assumptions is an individual that assumes they are failures because they are not liked by everyone they know. This leads them to constantly be seeking out approval and feeling rejected. Since all of this individual’s actions and interactions are based upon this assumption, they will feel dissatisfied if they did not receive enough compliments. According to Albert Ellis, these are other popular and common irrational assumptions:
Aaron Beck has a similar system of therapy to Albert Ellis’s but is more commonly used for depression compared to anxiety. Therapists typically use this system of therapy to help the client notice the negative thoughts and logic errors that they have that leads them to be depressed. They also use this system to challenge an individual’s dysfunctional thoughts, try to interpret situations differently, and apply a different perspective of thinking into their everyday lives.
Typically, if a person has a lot of negative automatic thoughts, it is likely that the person would become depressed. These thoughts will continue even though there is conflicting evidence. Aaron Beck identified three mechanisms in the mid-90s that he thought caused depression:
Aaron Beck thought that cognitive triad are three types of negative thinking that are showcased in individuals who suffer from depression. It consisted of negative thoughts about yourself, the world, and the future. These types of thoughts tend to appear automatically in depressed people and is quite spontaneous. As these three types of thoughts begin to interact, they actually interfere with the normal cognitive functions of our brain and leads to perception impairment, memory impairment, and difficulty with problem-solving. The person will likely become obsessed with these negative thoughts.
Aaron Beck identified numerous illogical thinking processes in his study of cognitive distortions. He concluded that these illogical thought patterns are self-deprecating and cause a large amount of anxiety and/or depression for the person. Here are a few of his illogical thinking processes:
Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis have developed many theories and structured behaviors that led to the modern-day development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Due to their research in the mid-90s, studies have concluded that 80% of adults benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is a huge success in the world of therapy, as many people prefer talking therapy over medical therapy to help mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
Modern Day Uses for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In today’s society, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to treat mental disorders, primarily anxiety and depression. Due to its long history and development, CBT is a practical and time-saving form of psychotherapy. CBT focuses on your here-and-now problems that come up in daily life. It is used to help people make sense of their surroundings and events that happen around them. CBT is very structured, time-saving, and problem-focused. These advantages are the reason why CBT is one of the most popular techniques when used to deal with mental disorders in our fast-paced modern lives.
In the present day, CBT works by helping clients recognize, question, and change the thoughts that relate to the emotional and behavioral reactions that cause them difficulty. By using CBT to monitor and record thoughts during undesirable situations, people begin to learn that the way they think is a contributor to their emotional problems. Modern-day Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps reduce emotional problems by teaching individuals to:
Identify any distortions in their thinking process
See their own thoughts as ideas rather than facts
Take a step back from their own thoughts to look at situations from another perspective
The new CBT model used in the present day is built on the relationship between thoughts and behaviors. Both can influence each other. There are three levels and types of thoughts:
Conscious thoughts: These are rational thoughts that are made with complete awareness
Automatic thoughts: These are the thoughts that move very quickly; you are likely to not be fully aware of their movement. This means that it’s difficult to check them for accuracy. A person suffering from mental health problems may have thoughts that are entirely not logical.
Schemas: These are the core beliefs and personal values when it comes to processing information. Our Schemas are shaped by our childhood and other life experiences.
The modern-day CBT is slightly different than the previous type, which was mainly REBT. The CBT we use now is used to treat a plethora of mental disorders whereas REBT was mainly used to treat depression and anxiety. Moreover, depression and anxiety were not as prevalent in the mid-90s compared to its presence now. In the later chapters, we will talk about why mental orders like depression and anxiety are more common in today’s society.
What To Expect In This Book: In this book, we will be exploring the theories and functions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and how it works to treat disorders like Anxiety and Depression. We will start off this book by learning more about how CBT works when its used and how it compares to other types of therapy. We will then learn about what anxiety is, its symptoms, and different types. Then, we will learn about depression, the science behind it, the different types and its symptoms. By this point in the book, you should have a strong understanding of how anxiety and depression works and how CBT can play a role to effectively treat symptoms. Towards the center of this book, we will be looking at the benefits and drawbacks of choosing CBT as your method of treatment. This chapter is important in order to help you determine if CBT is the right treatment method for the disorder you are looking to treat. After that, we will spend two chapters focusing on how to use CBT, so specifically, manage a person’s anxiety/depression and how other methods can also be used to manage these disorders as well. We will take a look into mindfulness, meditation, lifestyle changes, preventing procrastination and practicing gratitude. Although these topics are not necessarily under CBT, they do support the main theories of it, so exercising these methods may prove to be effective for some people. Lastly, we will spend the last chapter studying anger and how it can manifest into other emotions. We will learn about anger management and how that plays a role in a person’s mental health as well. Overall, this book is meant to not only teach you how to use CBT; its purpose is to educate you on all topics related so you understand why CBT uses the strategy that it does. By understanding that, people are more likely to stay committed to the process rather than giving up if they don’t see results right away. Without further ado, let’s dive into this book.
Chapter 1: What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
As we discussed at the very beginning of this book, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of talking therapy that is used to treat people with mental disorders. The fundamentals of CBT are based on three components; cognition (thought), emotion, and behavior. All three components interact with each other, which leads to the theory that our thoughts determine our feelings and emotions which then determines or behavior.
How does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works by emphasizing the relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When you begin to change any of these components, you start to initiate change in the others. The goal of CBT is to help lower the amount you worry and increase the overall quality of your life. Here are the 8 basic principles of how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works:
CBT will help provide a new perspective of understanding your problems.
A lot of the times, when an individual has been living with a problem for a long time in their life, they may have developed unique ways of understanding it and dealing with it. Usually, this just maintains the problem or makes it worse. CBT is effective in helping you look at your problem from a new perspective, and this will help you learn other ways of understanding your problem and learning a new way of dealing with it.
CBT will help you generate new skills to work out your problem.
You probably know that understanding a problem is one matter, and dealing with it is entirely another can of worms. To help start changing your problem, you will need to develop new skills that will help you change your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that are affecting your anxiety and mental health. For instance, CBT will help you achieve new ideas about your problem and begin to use and test them in your daily life. Therefore, you will be more capable of making up your own mind regarding the root issue that is causing these negative symptoms.
CBT relies on teamwork and collaboration between the client and therapist (or program).
CBT will require you to be actively involved in the entire process, and your thoughts and ideas are extremely valuable right from the beginning of the therapy. You are the expert when it comes to your thoughts and problems. The therapist is the expert when it comes to acknowledging the emotional issues. By working as a team, you will be able to identify your problems and have your therapist better address them. Historically, the more the therapy advances, the more the client takes the lead in finding techniques to deal with the symptoms.
The goal of CBT is to help the client become their own therapist.
Therapy is expensive; we all know that. One of the goals of CBT is to not have you become overly dependent on your therapist because it is not feasible to have therapy forever. When therapy comes to an end and you do not become your own therapist, you will be at high risk for a relapse. However, if you are able to become your own therapist, you will be in a good spot to face the hurdles that life throws at you. In addition, it is proven that having confidence in your own ability to face hardship is one of the best predictors of maintaining the valuable information you got from therapy. By playing an active role during your sessions, you will be able to gain the confidence needed to face your problems when the sessions are over.
CBT is succinct and time-limited.
As a rule of thumb, CBT therapy sessions typically last over the course of 10 to 20 sessions. Statistically, when therapy goes on for many months, there is a higher risk of the client becoming dependent on the therapist. Once you have gained a new perspective and understanding of your problem, and are equipped with the right skills, you are able to use them to solve future problems. It is crucial in CBT for you to try out your new skills in the real world. By actually dealing with your own problem hands-on without the security of recurring therapy sessions, you will be able to build confidence in your ability to become your own therapist.
CBT is direction based and structured.
CBT typically relies on a fundamental strategy called ‘guided recovery.’ By setting up some experiments with your therapist, you will be able to experiment with new ideas to see if they reflect your reality accurately. In other words, your therapist is your guide while you are making discoveries in CBT. The therapist will not tell you whether you are right or wrong but instead, they will help develop ideas and experiments to help you test these ideas.
CBT is based on the present, “here and now.”
Although we know that our childhood and developmental history play a big role in who we are today, one of the principles of CBT actually distinguishes between what caused the problem and what is maintaining the problem presently. In a lot of cases, the reasons that maintain a problem are different than the ones that originally caused it. For example, if you fall off while riding a horse, you may become afraid of horses. Your fear will continue to be maintained if you begin to start avoiding all horses and refuse to ride one again. In this example, the fear was called by the fall, but by avoiding your fear, you are continuing to maintain it. Unfortunately, you cannot change the fact that you had fallen off the horse but you can change your behaviors when it comes to avoidance. CBT primarily focuses on the factors that are maintaining the problem because these factors are susceptible to change.
Worksheet exercises are significant elements of CBT therapy.
Unfortunately, reading about CBT or going to one session of therapy a week is not enough to change our ingrained patterns of thinking and behaving. During CBT, the client is always encouraged to apply their new skills into their daily lives. Although most people find CBT therapy sessions to be very intriguing, it does not lead to change in reality if you do not exercise the skills you have learned.
These eight principles will be your guiding light throughout your Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. By learning, understanding, and applying these eight principles, you will be in a good position to invest your time and energy into becoming your own therapist and achieving your personal goals. Based on research, individuals who are highly motivated to try exercises outside of sessions tend to find more value in therapy than those who don’t. Keep in mind that other external factors still have an effect on your success, but your motivation is one of the most significant factors. By following CBT using the principles above, you should be able to remain highly motivated throughout CBT.
When is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Used?
Now that we have learned how CBT works, when is CBT used? The main answer to this question is that CBT is used when an individual decides to pursue therapy in order to help with the problems they are facing. A lot of the time, these problems are disorders such as depression, anxiety, or more serious ones like OCD and PTSD.
To dive a little more in-depth, the most common uses for CBT is actually depression and generalized anxiety disorder. However, CBT is also used and is very effective for other disorders such as:
Since CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behavior, those who suffer from disorders that stem from mental health may find it helpful to try CBT. Most modern-day therapists opt for CBT as the best technique to handle the problems that the client may be facing as it covers numerous disorders, and the client can learn it and continue to use it without the therapist’s help.
On a simpler note, CBT can just be used for general therapy. This may be a situation where somebody is attending therapy sessions in order to remain in touch with their thoughts and feelings. Although this person may not be suffering from any particular disorder, CBT is a helpful tool for someone who wants to organize their thoughts.
Who Uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
A large variety of people use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, whether it is to help others or to solve their own problems. The most general answer to who uses CBT would be a therapist and somebody who is suffering from a mental disorder. However, CBT is also used by professionals within the psychology space, alcohol addiction, substance abuse, eating disorders, phobias, and anger management. CBT is a flexible tool that many types of people can use to treat the problem at hand.
Like I mentioned in the previous subchapter, CBT can be used even if you are not facing a serious problem like mentioned above. Many people who used to go to therapy continue to use CBT to maintain a healthy mindset. CBT has also been used for events like interventions. However, the people that typically use and gain the most from CBT are the people who are willing to spend the time and energy analyzing their own thoughts and feelings. Since self-analysis is typically difficult, a lot of people may give up after realizing how uncomfortable it could be. However, CBT is very well-suited for the people who are looking for short term treatment that does not require medication. This is very suitable for people who don’t want to take drugs in order to manage disorders like depression and anxiety.
Comparison of CBT and Other Types of Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and other types of behavioral therapies share a lot in common but also have a lot of significant differences. The typical behavioral therapies that you may see on TV and movies seem to involve a lot of dream interpretation or complex discussion of one’s childhood experiences. This type is therapy is very outdated compared to CBT. In fact, not many therapists in modern-day use this type of treatment. CBT is different from other therapies by focusing mainly on the ways that a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all connected. Both CBT and other behavioral therapies have common approaches, such as:
The therapist and client work as a team with an understanding that the client is the expert on their own thoughts while the therapist has the theoretical and technical expertise.
Treatments are often short term (usually lasting between 6 - 20 sessions). The client actively participates in the treatment inside and outside of the sessions. Homework and worksheets are often mandatory.
The therapist aims to help the client realize that they are strong and capable of choosing to have positive thoughts and behaviors.
Treatment is aimed to resolve present-day problems and is goal-oriented. The therapy involves achieving goals by working step by step.
The client and therapist choose their goals for therapy together and track their progress throughout the treatment.
Since the foundation of CBT is the theory that thoughts influence feelings and that a person’s emotional response to a problem comes from how they interpreted the situation. Here’s an example to help you further understand: Imagine feeling the sensations of your heart beating irregularly fast and feeling shortness of breath. If these symptoms occurred while you were sitting quietly at home, you would likely assume that it is a medical condition like a heart attack, which will cause anxiety and worry. However, if these symptoms occurred while you were running outside, you would likely not attribute it to a medical condition, and therefore it will not lead to anxiety and worry. Do you see here that different interpretations of the exact same sensations (e.g., heart racing and shortness of breath) can lead to different emotions entirely?
CBT suggests that a lot of the emotions that we are feeling is completely due to what we are thinking about. In other words, our emotions are entirely based on how we perceive and interpret our environment or a situation. Sometimes these ideas and thoughts become distorted or biased. For example, an individual may interpret an ambiguous text message as personal rejection when they may not have any evidence to support that. Other individuals may begin to set unrealistic expectations for themselves regarding being accepted by others. These thoughts contribute to illogical, biased, or distorted thinking processes, which then affect our emotions. In CBT, clients will learn to distinguish the difference between an actual thought and feeling. They will learn to be aware of the ways that thoughts can influence their emotions and how it is sometimes unhelpful. In addition, they will be able to evaluate critically whether their automatic thoughts are accurate and have evidence, or if they are simply just biased. At the end of their therapy, they should have developed the skills to notice these negative thoughts, interrupt them, and correct the thoughts properly.
