All of us have been affected by COVID-19. We’ve all experienced leaving the dorms, living at home, wearing masks, (and hopefully coming back to school). During this challenging time, worrying about staying healthy and safe is perfectly understandable. However, sometimes the worry becomes overwhelming and can lead to significant anxiety. The good news is that there are great treatments to address the anxiety one may be feeling due to this situation, as well as other anxiety evoking situations. One treatment a therapist may use is known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? CBT aims to alter distorted thoughts into thoughts that are less overwhelming and more aligned with reality. For example, if you excessively worry every time you take a test that you will fail, despite studying hard and usually doing really well, CBT can help you look more closely at your thoughts and see how it affects your behavior. CBT is based on a combination of many different aspects of the human mind. It is based on how the human’s thoughts, behaviors and emotions interact. The main factor in a human’s behavior is their thought process. Our thoughts control both our emotions and our behavior.
What is the goal of CBT? The goal of CBT is to help people adjust their thoughts. Often when one is suffering from psychological troubles, their thoughts are clouded and they will begin to view things in a negative light. When one’s thoughts are skewed, it will often lead them to act in a way that is not in their best interest. CBT is meant to help someone recognize this distorted thinking so that they can make their thoughts more realistic. Awareness is key in this therapy. In order to help someone be successful in their treatment, the first step is to help them become aware of their thinking.
What does a CBT therapist do? A CBT therapist works with the person to create a skill set. The therapist will often role-play different scenarios in order to practice skills and teach how to apply them to real life. The therapist tries to help the person learn multiple coping methods to help with their negative thoughts. The person learns how to control their own thoughts and see them through a more realistic lense, in order to help themselves. Although not everything is in our control, how we act based on our thoughts is up to us. This is precisely what the therapist is trying to show. The therapist will often give “homework” to have the person practice these skills at home. These assignments include keeping a journal or having the person be in a certain scenario in order to practice these learned tools in a real-life setting.
When is CBT used? CBT is used to treat a variety of conditions including anxiety, phobias, addictions, eating disorders, and much more. CBT is seen as effective as it gives people tools that they can use throughout their lifetime. These methods stay with an individual and can be used throughout various life settings. Using the CBT skills learned, one can help change their life for the better!
Shoshana Reichman