The Cognitive behavioral therapy Is a treatment that focuses on modifying the behaviors and thoughts that manage the psychological problem That you want to intervene.
It can be used in children and adults and in disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, social skills improvement, panic attack, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is a therapy that focuses on the present and the current functioning of the person, so that you work directly on the state Cognitive and behavioral.
In this article you will know the characteristics of these therapies, techniques that are used, what are their benefits, and what kind of problems can this Type of intervention.
Characteristics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
If you've ever gone to the psychologist, or know someone who's gone, you've probably heard about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but maybe you still do not know exactly what it is.
Well, it is a type of psychological intervention, which has much scientific evidence, and has become in recent years one of the most used in the field of psychology.
Its goal is to nourish the individual with the skills needed to overcome their psychological difficulties.
Thus, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on the subject, its characteristics and abilities, and distances itself from the psychodynamic therapies that They focus on unconscious thoughts.
As its name suggests, it arises as a natural derivative of the findings of cognitive psychology, and psychology Behavioral
The Behavioral psychology Was of previous appearance to the CBT. However, the superficiality of the one that was crossed to this school, already Which focused solely on behavior, completely omitting cognition and thought, revealed the need to incorporate others Aspects to apply in psychotherapy.
It is at that moment when the Cognitive psychology , Focusing on studying human thoughts and cognition. After the emergence of this school Psychological, soon clinical researchers saw the applicability of these principles to psychotherapy.
Thus, through the conjunction of these two psychological schools was born the cognitive behavioral therapy, which adopted as points of intervention the Cognition and human behavior:
It adopts the behavioral therapy scientific method and verifiable evidence through behavior, granting an unimpeachable value Therapeutic behavior modification in psychological problems.
The value of thought and cognition as the main source of psychological alterations is recognized and becomes the basic area of intervention.
It highlights the importance of the relationship between thought and behavior to explain human functioning and health mental.
How does it work?
We have said that CBT focuses on human cognition and behavior, but how exactly does this work? Well we'll see:
According to Ellis rational therapy , The operation can be divided into three parts: A, B and C.
- TO : It refers to the situation or provident stimulus of the external world with which the individual is involved.
- B : This is the thought / thoughts that the individual presents about the environmental situation (on A).
- C : Explain the consequences of thinking. These consequences include both emotional (and feelings) responses and Behavioral.
According to this model of CBT, the 3 parts (A, B and C) are in constant feedback. Situation (A) produces thought (B) and thought (B) produces certain behaviors and emotions (C). At the same time, emotions and behaviors (C) They feed the thought (B), making it stronger.
Is not that clear enough? Let's see an example!
- TO : In the company they make a reduction of the workforce and they give me the letter of dismissal
- B : I think it is an important setback, my life has been complicated, I am worried, etc.
- C : I feel disgust, disappointment and nervousness. I stay home shot.
In this case, the dismissal (A), has produced my thoughts of concern (B), which have caused emotions and behaviors of disgust and Dejection (C). At the same time, being depressed and disgusted at home (C), thoughts of concern increase (B). By having a greater Number of thoughts (B), changing the situation C becomes more complicated.
According to the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy, the goal of treatment would be:
On the one hand the thought : If I perform interventions capable of replacing current thoughts By others more optimistic As per example:" I can look for another job better or I will have more time for my family now ", Emotions and behaviors will also be modified: I will be more motivated and optimistic, I will look for work and I will be active.
On the other hand behavior : If in spite of being worried and depressed, I can change my behavior, be more active, look for work, Perform activities that give me satisfaction, etc. My negative thoughts will diminish, and I will have a greater capacity to change my mood And continue to do those behaviors that benefit me.
What happens during therapy?
When you start therapy, you will be asked about your background and your current condition. The therapist will work with you to identify your Problem areas, and between the two you will agree which ones to work on.
The therapist will try to identify the way you think, behave and how you generate your emotions and feelings .
Later you will be given a series of psychological techniques so that you are able to identify for yourself the way you think and behave, and you Will provide knowledge and tools to improve those areas where you have the greatest difficulties.
The therapist will probably ask you to make diaries or self-reports to examine your out-of-office functioning as well as homework assignments.
What procedure is followed?
Cognitive behavioral therapy consists of 3 major stages.
Psychological evaluation
This first stage aims to know the patient as a whole. Inquire about the personality Of the individual, his or her Skills, and psychological problems or difficulties that may arise.
But look! This first phase is not a simple psychological evaluation where the therapist gives you some tests for you to fill them up? The purpose of this first evaluation is much more than that. The purpose is to begin the professional relationship that will accompany you during the rest of the intervention.
This phase of the intervention is therefore probably the most important of all, since it is in which the therapeutic alliance between the Professional and patient, information about the latter and the underlying psychological problem is collected, and therapeutic goals are agreed upon.
Therapeutic intervention
The second phase of therapy is the longest, and consists of psychological intervention itself.
It is at this stage, when therapist and patient have already established an adequate therapeutic relationship based on trust and commitment, when They begin to apply the psychological techniques aimed at achieving the objectives and the changes previously agreed upon.
Tracing
This stage begins when the subject has reached a state of significant improvement, and no longer requires therapy to make the changes that until The date had been made in the consultation. The frequency of sessions is spaced out, and the goal is to maintain improvements and avoid relapses.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Techniques
Cognitive behavioral therapy contains a large number of techniques, which are used depending on the problem to be solved.
Let's see the most used:
Operant techniques
They are techniques that have the objective of Behavior modification . They consist of providing stimuli in an orderly way to the patient, with the That these stimuli facilitate the modification of problematic behavior.
Operative techniques for the increase and maintenance of behaviors.
Operative techniques for the acquisition of new behaviors.
Operative techniques for the reduction or elimination of behaviors.
Exposure Techniques
They consist in approximating (exposing) the subject in a systematic and adapted to those stimuli that he fears and that generate anxiety, so that, Can face and overcome their fears.
Live exhibition.
Exhibition in imagination.
Symbolic exhibition.
Systematic Relaxation and Desensitization
They are procedures that help the individual reduce their physical and / or mental stress, reduce stress and anxiety, and find a state of calm.
Progressive relaxation.
Autogenous relaxation.
Breathing techniques.
Here you can see more relaxation techniques.
Social skills and coping skills
The social skills Are learned behaviors that can be modified and improved through learning techniques such as the following:
Self-instruction training.
Inoculation of stress.
Problem resolution .
Cognitive techniques
These techniques try to modify the thinking and the interpretations that are made of the events that can cause discomfort and / or behaviors Harmful.
Cognitive restructuring.
Stop thinking.
Distraction
The advantages of this therapy
It has scientific basis
There may be people who do not attach much importance to scientific evidence when they go to a psychologist, since it is thought that the benefits of Psychotherapy are in the therapist than in therapy itself.
But what would you think if, in order to treat a cancer, you were offered a type of intervention with no scientific evidence?
For in psychology the same thing happens. No matter how good a therapist is, if you do not use methods that have proven effective, you probably can not Offer the best intervention for your problem.
Thus, with CBT you will have this point in favor, since in all the studies carried out, its potential has been demonstrated Therapeutic for a great diversity of problems.
It is effective for serious problems.
As we have said, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has ample scientific evidence, and it also has it for serious mental disorders, not only for Simple psychological problems.
Thus, disorders such as Major depression , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Panic attacks , Social phobia Or substance abuse, Among many others, can be treated effectively with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Examines the origins of problems
Unlike psychoanalysis Or other psychological interventions, CBT does not base its sessions on talking about the past, Childhood or possible traumas with the parents.
However, this therapy emphasizes the model of the formation of mental schemas during childhood and adolescence. We try to deduce how Have created your current mental schemes, Your beliefs And your thoughts, and which techniques will be more effective today for you to modify them.
Thus, while CBT focuses on the present rather than the past, it does not neglect the origins of problems, and Examine them to be useful in drawing conclusions about current treatment.
Data supporting TCC
The great scientific evidence that supports the therapy and the many studies that have been done on its effectiveness, allow the TCC , Prove its usefulness in many mental disorders.
The following graph shows the results obtained by Barlow and Lehmann after several investigations on the efficacy of therapy in 7 mental disorders.
Thus, CBT is especially effective for different anxiety disorders such as specific phobia, stress disorder Post traumatic or panic attack, as well as in mood alterations Like the distymia And depression.
However, it has also shown great effectiveness for other disorders such as addictions, Personality disorders , he Bipolar disorder , And Even psychotic disorders such as Schizophrenia .
These evidences are what have led CBT to become the first choice treatment for Large number of psychologists, and has made it possible to increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
And what do you think about cognitive behavioral therapy? Have you tried them? Does it corroborate its effectiveness?
References
- The Model of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy By DR. Roberto Mainieri Caropresso.
- Introduction to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Dr. Cristina Ruiz Coloma. Center Médic Teknon. Barcelona
- The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Metaanalyses. Stefan G. Hofmann, Ph.D., Anu Asnaani, M.A., Imke J.J. Vonk, M.A., Alice T. Sawyer,
M.A., and Angela Fang, M.A. Boston University, Boston, MA. - The empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyzes Andrew C. Butler a, Jason E. Chapman, Evan M. Forman, Aaron T. Beck.
University of Pennsylvania and the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, United States. Medical University of South Carolina, United States.
Drexel University, United States - Image source 1.
- Image source 3.