Many strides have been taken in curing anxiety disorders, but so far there are more people with this condition who had found relief from their symptoms through Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
This kind of therapy considers the interplay of thoughts, emotions and behavior.
In other words, its main principle is we are what we think, and our thoughts affect the way we feel and behave.
The heart of cognitive behavioral therapy lies in identifying negative thoughts and distorted beliefs of an individual that contribute to his experience of anxieties.
It examines the way we behave and react in certain situations based on these negative patterns of thought.
It emphasizes that it is a person's perception of his situation and not the external factors such as people and events that can determine his feelings.
Here are other important elements of Cognitive Behavior Therapy that you may need to understand before you or someone you know undertake this kind of therapy to cure anxiety disorders.
1.
The patient will be constantly reminded that anxiety is not by itself an abnormal state of the mind.
In fact, the symptoms associated with anxiety are the body's natural response to a perceived threat or danger.
What makes it alarming is when these symptoms occur for no reason at all, or at inappropriate times.
A certain comfort comes to the patient in the simple knowledge that his anxieties are not a sign of a more serious mental disorder such as schizophrenia, for example.
This knowledge alone can help towards minimizing fear and anticipation of the symptoms associated with anxiety.
2.
With the knowledge that his anxieties are natural, he can look at the triggering factors of his anxiety more objectively.
The therapist will assist him go through a process of identifying which among these factors are real or imagined, which are valid representations of reality or distorted images brought about by false beliefs, misinformation or fear.
3.
The therapist will then help the patient realize that a reasonable amount of anxiety is necessary to conduct one's responsibilities.
Anxiety can cause a sense of urgency, because it is produced by the same hormone that is responsible for the "fight or flight" body response to stress, danger or threats.
4.
The patient will be encouraged to channel his excessive anxieties into something more productive, for example being alert during an emergency or being inspired to create a speech that is compelling, when asked to face a social situation.
A healthy dose of anxiety can keep us alert and even creative in finding solutions to everyday problems.
5.
The therapist also helps patients to make their anxieties work for them, rather than against them.
It also allows the person to be more analytical to see the validity of his thoughts that create the fear and anxiety in his mind.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy is usually the treatment of choice among people with anxiety disorders.
It is considered as the most beneficial in terms of how fast the positive results are observed.
The average number of formal therapy sessions that patients usually go through is about 15.
There may be extension therapies that go beyond the clinical sessions such as when the patient is asked to undergo an exposure, or to subject himself to the cause of his fears which can be done outside the regular session hours.
This kind of therapy considers the interplay of thoughts, emotions and behavior.
In other words, its main principle is we are what we think, and our thoughts affect the way we feel and behave.
The heart of cognitive behavioral therapy lies in identifying negative thoughts and distorted beliefs of an individual that contribute to his experience of anxieties.
It examines the way we behave and react in certain situations based on these negative patterns of thought.
It emphasizes that it is a person's perception of his situation and not the external factors such as people and events that can determine his feelings.
Here are other important elements of Cognitive Behavior Therapy that you may need to understand before you or someone you know undertake this kind of therapy to cure anxiety disorders.
1.
The patient will be constantly reminded that anxiety is not by itself an abnormal state of the mind.
In fact, the symptoms associated with anxiety are the body's natural response to a perceived threat or danger.
What makes it alarming is when these symptoms occur for no reason at all, or at inappropriate times.
A certain comfort comes to the patient in the simple knowledge that his anxieties are not a sign of a more serious mental disorder such as schizophrenia, for example.
This knowledge alone can help towards minimizing fear and anticipation of the symptoms associated with anxiety.
2.
With the knowledge that his anxieties are natural, he can look at the triggering factors of his anxiety more objectively.
The therapist will assist him go through a process of identifying which among these factors are real or imagined, which are valid representations of reality or distorted images brought about by false beliefs, misinformation or fear.
3.
The therapist will then help the patient realize that a reasonable amount of anxiety is necessary to conduct one's responsibilities.
Anxiety can cause a sense of urgency, because it is produced by the same hormone that is responsible for the "fight or flight" body response to stress, danger or threats.
4.
The patient will be encouraged to channel his excessive anxieties into something more productive, for example being alert during an emergency or being inspired to create a speech that is compelling, when asked to face a social situation.
A healthy dose of anxiety can keep us alert and even creative in finding solutions to everyday problems.
5.
The therapist also helps patients to make their anxieties work for them, rather than against them.
It also allows the person to be more analytical to see the validity of his thoughts that create the fear and anxiety in his mind.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy is usually the treatment of choice among people with anxiety disorders.
It is considered as the most beneficial in terms of how fast the positive results are observed.
The average number of formal therapy sessions that patients usually go through is about 15.
There may be extension therapies that go beyond the clinical sessions such as when the patient is asked to undergo an exposure, or to subject himself to the cause of his fears which can be done outside the regular session hours.