Can Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Really Help, Or is it Just A Gimmick?
- Charlotte Deverill
- Feb 20, 2019
- 3 min read
A Brief Introduction to CBT: Uses, Benefits, Facts.
Are you reading this because you've heard a little about CBT and want to know more? Are you taking CBT at the moment? Thinking about referring a friend? Or are you just interested in what CBT potentially has to offer?
In my opinion, CBT has something to offer everyone. Whether it be wanting to improve on time-management, relationships, or communication skills, using CBT techniques can certainly help with tiny difficulties as well as, what we would consider, major struggles in our lives.
Having not only undergone CBT but studied it as well, I can confidently say it's something I'd recommend everyone to look into. You can even teach yourself techniques straight from books or even the internet! Get started here.
What is CBT?
CBT is a time-orientated type of talking therapy in which negative patterns of thought about the self and the world are challenged in order to alter unwanted behaviour patterns or treat mood/mental/physical disorders. It can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think, behave and react when faced with them, in the meantime setting milestones aimed to make it easier and more manageable for you to reach your pre-set goals.
As opposed to traditional forms of therapy that tend to delve into history and deal with issues from the past, CBT aims to teach you effective coping strategies for dealing with different problems throughout life and works by focusing very much on the here and now.
Where Did CBT Come From?
The earliest form of CBT documented was a study founded by Albert Ellis in the 1950's called Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT). The therapy that fathered the famous ABC model (right).
Named by Albert Ellis in 1957 as 'The ABC Technique of Irrational Beliefs'.
This later developed into, during a study aimed at testing psychoanalytic concepts of depression, Cognitive Therapy (CT) by Aaron T. Beck back in the 1960's. Whilst there are some vast differences, the core of the therapies remain the same and by the 2000's these developments became the modern Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) we know today.
"CBT got me through my chronic health anxiety disorder. It was a tough six months, but I still use the skills I learnt over 10 years ago to rationalise with myself."
How Can CBT Help Me?
Evidence suggests, CBT can be used to treat a range of troubles including; anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), phobias, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), anger problems, substance misuse, addiction, sexual & relationship problems and insomnia. As well as many other mental/physical problems and disorders.
It can also help to find new ways to cope with physical health problems such as; chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain and general health problems.
CBT techniques can be practiced pretty much anywhere and, whilst you may benefit more from direct contact with a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and undergo a formulation to outline the best treatments for you, some techniques can be self-taught. Click here to get started.
CBT can, in some cases, offer an alternative to medications.
You can ask your GP about CBT referrals or receive private CBT sessions with a certified practitioner.
You don't necessarily need to have a mental or physical disorder in order for CBT to benefit you, it may simply offer a new way of looking at things.
"I had CBT... when I had severe depression. It got me through a really tough time, from being suicidal and off work on long-term sick, to fully functioning again and now in a successful career. It pulled me back from a very dark place and reintroduced structure to my life when I'd given up."
Healthy coping mechanisms are a great way to meet life's challenges and allow you to look at your problems from a different perspective.
There are many books out there that teach and demonstrate these techniques. One I found particularly helpful was; "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and It's All Small Stuff: Simple Ways To Keep the Little Things From Taking Over Your Life." By Richard Carlson PhD.
For a breakdown in just a few of these suggestions and how they could help you click here.
Written By Charlotte Deverill
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