How Cognitive Behavior Therapy Helps in Treating Depression and Anxiety

Over the past few decades, there is only one question that has haunted wise minds. What is considered a healthy mind? This question can never have a perfect answer. A healthy mind is the state of balanced emotional well-being.

There are circumstances in our lives when we are influenced positively or negatively, which depends on how we react to the situation. Some of us get overwhelmed by the turn of events, but some think of it as a passing cloud and get over it. But not all of us are strong-willed, and some of us need external intervention.

Psychiatry doctors who are highly educated and well trained in assessing the human brain help the patient view their problem and help them pave the path to overcome the problem. Once the issues are solved, we can live a harmonious life.

Although one may ask, “Why should I discuss my problems with a stranger?” Well, a psychiatrist has to adhere to the laws of confidentiality, which, if breached, the therapists will lose their license to practice their profession. So, we can be assured that whatever we discuss during the therapy session is safe.

There are numerous treatment options, from which the psychiatrist chooses the method that best suits the patient’s needs. One of the standard treatment methods is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy that evaluates our cognition, emotion, and behavior.

Through this therapy, psychiatry doctors make an individual aware of their actions and the associated feelings. Once the patient understands his sense, it becomes easier for him and the therapist to develop a treatment plan.

Cognitive behavior therapy helps a person look at the world as a new place. Treatment usually involves changing one’s perspective and viewing the situations in a different light.

CBT has proven to be incredibly useful in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, personality disorders, sleep disorders, eating disorders, sexual disorders, phobias, etc.

Numerous researches also state that CBT, combined with medications like antidepressants, have proven to be more effective.

Why choose CBT over other psychiatric counseling methods?

CBT offers quick treatment of particular diseases conducted systematically and completed within a handful of sessions. It helps in the following ways:

• Manage and prevent relapse of a mental illness
• Identify ways to cope with emotional imbalances and stressful situations.
• Develop good communication skills and resolve conflicts between relationships
• Overcome trauma, chronic health issues, control, violence, etc.

Treatment for depression:

A person with depression is filled with negative thoughts, that are called automatic thoughts. They are called so because these automatic thoughts do not require any conscious effort. The thoughts are very dark that sometimes the patient loses the sense of reality and what is imaginary.

Using Cognitive-behavior Therapy (CBT), a person with depression is given a thought exercise to be done every time he encounters a negative thought. This exercise helps the patient in overcoming negative thinking and see the situation with a new perspective.

Over time CBT removes the feelings of unworthiness, low self-image, failure, etc. and turns the individual into a new person.

Treatment for anxiety:

Anxiety is a mental health disorder where a person experiences excessive fear, extreme levels of phobia, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, etc. There are a number of ways through which we can get our anxiety under control.

For example, through relaxation techniques, yoga, exercise, biofeedback, hypnosis, talking a walk among nature, etc. But what has proven to be the best method is cognitive behavior therapy.

CBT is administered in two stages:

• Stage 1 – Cognitive therapy: Here, the psychiatrist studies how negative thoughts influence anxiety.
• Stage 2 – Behavior therapy: In this, the therapist gives the patient training on how to behave and react when an anxiety attack is triggered.

What happens during a CBT session?

CBT sessions are arranged by psychiatry doctors once every week or once in two weeks. The treatment lasts for a minimum of 5 weeks and can extend up to 20 weeks. Each session lasts for about 30 – 60 minutes.

During the psychiatric counseling session, your psychiatrist gives you the time to open up and talk about your experiences. Then the negative thoughts that triggered your anxiety are addressed, and possible recovery steps are discussed.

Though CBT has proven to be highly advantageous in treating mental health disorders by addressing the root cause of the condition, it also has some disadvantages. People undergoing CBT are made to relive and experience the moment that caused depression or anxiety in the first place. The patients initially do not feel comfortable and become emotionally distressed.

For this reason, there are only a handful of psychiatrists in Bangalore who practice Cognitive behavior therapy. Get in touch with your nearest doctor and reap the benefits of CBT.