The main applications of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

The cognitive behavioral therapy It is a psychological treatment that makes it possible to address a wide range of problems and mental disorders. In addition, it achieves this with strong scientific evidence as support, according to the latest publications of the American Psychological Association (APA).

The interventions that are applied in this psychotherapeutic treatment are based on the principles of the cognitive paradigm, which in turn has roots in behavioral psychology, Therefore, the conclusions on which it is based arise from the experimental method, taking the human mind and the processes that occur in it as the object of study. study. With this in mind, in this article We will see what cognitive-behavioral therapy consists of and what are its main applications in practice.

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The premise of cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on the premise that the way we behave is largely determined by our emotions; these, likewise, by our thoughts. People can have irrational thoughts, distorted with respect to reality, and this can be due to various reasons —either because of difficult past experiences, because of the environment in which we grew up or by other factors that are difficult to discern—that can lead us to judge and interpret events in such a way that we produce large shares of suffering.

Besides, we can have biased or distorted beliefs that filter information in a certain way and not another, and that they are imposed on us as absolute and unquestionable rules that we have to abide by through our behaviors. The main objective of cognitive-behavioral treatment is for the person, with the help of their therapist, to register and question his maladaptive thoughts and then replace them with more useful ones, but how is this carried out? process?

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Components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatment

As I mentioned recently, cognitive-behavioral therapy attaches great importance to registering one's own thoughts as a starting point, since that how we think is how we will feel later and, consequently, that will determine the way in which we will act when facing challenging situations then.

From this approach it is understood that the concepts and beliefs from which people interpret the events of the world —both internal and external— are concatenated and organized in cognitive schemas. These refer to the systems of relatively stable relationships between concepts, learning and beliefs that are particular to each subject. We could say that they are the recurring paths that our ideas tend to follow, with the aim of relating to each other. The problem with this is that, having certain biased or distorted beliefs about reality, this could lead us to elaborate and relate irrational or blurred thoughts and interpretations regarding what really happens.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy recognizes that a large part of it could be based on this human peculiarity. of our suffering, as well as anxiety, depression and a wide range of disorders mental. For this reason, broadly speaking, the objective of many cognitive treatments is the cognitive restructuring, that is, the process by which the person achieves change your dysfunctional thoughts as long as they are the ones that cause the discomfort. To do this, the first step is for the person to recognize them. Then, the therapist contributes through techniques and interventions so that the subject actively questions the veracity of her automatic evaluations. This will allow him to take dimension about how wrong his thoughts could be.

For example, the person might realize that her interpretations of a certain event—such as “I am a failure and I will fail the next test” due to a correction made by a professor at the university— are nothing more than biased interpretations, since they could tend to overestimate the possibility of doing poorly on the next exam or catastrophizing that hypothetical result (under the reasoning of "if that happens, I will not be able to deal with it”).

Some techniques used to challenge misinterpretations about an event —a what some authors usually call “traps”— are the Socratic dialogue or the arrow technique descendants. Finally, the therapist who works from this model will encourage the reassessment process to take place. cognitive, allowing the patient to develop new, more adaptive interpretations that lead to a greater welfare.

The problems to which cognitive-behavioral therapy can be applied

Considering what has been developed, it is clear why cognitive behavioral therapy is so powerful. In fact, it is proven that may even be more effective than many drug treatments and without risks or side effects for some disorders. As if that were not enough, the applications of this treatment are useful for multiple problems. Here we list the main ones:

• Panic disorders. Once patients replace their distorted beliefs with more helpful ones about anxiety, treatments cognitive-behavioral also help him to face his fears linked to the physical symptoms and bodily sensations that accompany anxiety. Likewise, gradual exposure techniques are put into play.
• generalized anxiety disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps the patient to become aware of her concerns, recognize the uncertainty and gradually eliminate your defensive behaviors towards it, and reassess the usefulness of the worry.
• phobias. They are treated by gradual exposure techniques. This last strategy is also useful for cases of social anxiety, as well as obsessions and compulsions.
• Depression, since from CBT it is possible for people to change the beliefs about themselves underlying depression.
• Vital crises, difficult situations and other reasons for consultation.

In short, cognitive-behavioral therapy is a safe way for the patient to reduce the discomfort he experiences in his life due to a wide range of problems. This treatment has many benefits, such as its brevity compared to other treatments, the be focused on the present of the patient, and the possibility of sustaining the results in the long term term. Of course, the patient is required to have an active position, since they will be proposed tasks to do outside the consultation, but the improvement is a great reward.