4 Effective Ways CBT Helps Manage Anxiety
If you’ve been living with anxiety, you might be wondering which therapeutic approach is right for you. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common therapies for problems like depression, anxiety, trauma, substance abuse, and other mental health issues. As an older therapy, it has a wealth of scientific backing proving its effectiveness. Here are four ways CBT has been shown to help manage anxiety.
For example, maybe you live with the core belief that you must be perfect to be accepted. This can lead to perfectionism and an overwhelming fear of failure. Through CBT, you can explore the origins of this belief, challenge its validity, and develop a more compassionate perspective towards yourself.
1. Pinpointing and changing negative thought patterns
CBT operates on the premise that our thoughts influence our feelings and the behaviors that follow. Anxiety often comes from negative thinking patterns, which magnify benign situations into perceived threats. CBT helps people identify these automatic thoughts and question whether they’re actually true.
In CBT sessions, you’ll work with a therapist to recognize the patterns of thinking that contribute to anxiety. For example, if you’re experiencing social anxiety you may have automatic thoughts like “Everyone here is judging me,” or “I’ll embarrass myself in public.” Through guided questioning, your therapist will help you examine the evidence supporting these thoughts and encourage you to consider alternative, more balanced perspectives. Once you learn to replace these irrational thoughts with more realistic ones, these restructured thoughts will come to you automatically.
2. Developing healthy coping strategies
If you have anxiety, you might have taught yourself to avoid certain places, situations, or behaviors. On the surface, this helps quell anxiety in the short term. However, avoidance can actually reinforce your anxiety in the long run. CBT equips you with effective coping strategies to confront and manage your anxiety as it’s happening.
Your therapist will work with you to create a hierarchy of your anxiety-inducing situations. Starting with less distressing scenarios, you’ll gradually face your fears under your therapist’s guidance. This process, known as systematic desensitization, allows for gradual exposure to anxiety triggers, helping you build your resilience to stressful situations.
CBT teaches healthy coping skills such as relaxation techniques, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices. With practice, these tools will help you regulate your emotional response. You’ll be equipped with the skills to soothe your anxiety when it comes on suddenly.
3. Understanding core beliefs
CBT delves into the deeper layers of your belief system. You’ll explore the core beliefs that shape your perception of yourself, others, and the world. Unhealthy core beliefs usually involve negative self-assessments and contribute to anxiety. Your therapist will help you identify and challenge these core beliefs through the process of cognitive restructuring. By replacing self-defeating beliefs with more realistic and positive ones, you’ll transform your worldview and build confidence.
For example, maybe you live with the core belief that you must be perfect to be accepted. This can lead to perfectionism and an overwhelming fear of failure. Through CBT, you can explore the origins of this belief, challenge its validity, and develop a more compassionate perspective towards yourself.
4. Building problem-solving skills
Anxiety gets worse when you’re not in control of a situation. It’s easy to feel hopeless when you’re faced with a challenge you can’t solve. CBT teaches you good problem-solving skills, which make you feel control of life’s stressors. You’ll work with your therapist to break down larger problems into smaller, more manageable pieces. Together, you’ll explore possible solutions and give yourself a proactive mindset about the issues in your life.
Is CBT right for you?
If you’ve been struggling with a mental issue such as anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issue that distorts your thinking, CBT can help. In therapy, you’ll work on changing these long-held negative attitudes and adjust your thinking so that you can approach the world with a positive, healthy mindset.
To find out more about whether CBT therapy can help manage your anxiety, please reach out to us.
