CBT Techniques For Anxiety
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common treatment for anxiety disorders. Numerous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, and social anxiety disorder, as well as many others. (4)
Behavioral therapy focuses on changing the way we think about ourselves and the world. It involves two important aspects:
- Cognitive therapy tests how negative cognitions, or thoughts, influence anxiety.
- Behavior therapy examines the way you react and behave in anxiety-provoking situations.
CBT holds that it is our thoughts, not external events, that determine how we feel. You perceive the situation, not the situation itself, that determines how you feel.
Our Critical Thinking: Thoughts and Feelings
Suppose, for example, you were invited to a big party. Consider three different perspectives on the invitation, and how they will affect your feelings.
Situation: You are invited to a big party by a friend
Thought #1: This sounds like a fun party. It’s always fun to meet new people!
Feelings: Excited, Happy.
Thought #2: I’m not one for parties. It’s much more fun to stay at home and watch movies.
Feelings: Neutral.
Thought #3: I never know how to speak or act at parties. I’ll look foolish if I go.
Feelings: Sad, Anxious.
You can see how people can experience totally different feelings based on the same event. Everything depends on what we expect, how we think, and how we believe.
Negative thoughts fuel anxiety and fear in people with anxiety disorders. In cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, negative beliefs and thoughts are identified and corrected. If you allow yourself to change your thinking, you can change your feelings as well.
CBT For Anxiety: Thought-Challenging
The process of challenging your thoughts, also known as cognitive restructuring, involves replacing your negative thinking patterns with more positive, realistic ones. There are three steps involved:
1- Recognizing Your Negative Thoughts.
Individuals with anxiety disorders perceive situations as more dangerous than they actually are. A germ phobia, for example, can make shaking hands seem dangerous. The fear may seem irrational, but it can be difficult to identify your own irrational, scary thoughts. When you feel anxious, ask yourself what you were thinking. If necessary, consult a therapist.
2- Overcoming Your Negative Thoughts.
Your therapist will demonstrate how to identify and evaluate anxiety-provoking thoughts in the second step. It includes examining your misguided beliefs, examining the evidence for your fears, and assessing the validity of negative projections. Among the strategies for overcoming negative thoughts are conducting experiments, assessing the realistic chances of what you fear occurring, and evaluating the for and against of avoiding or worrying about your fear.
3- Substituting Realistic Thoughts For Negative Ones.
Your anxious thoughts can be replaced with more accurate and positive ones when you identify the irrational predictions and distortions in your thoughts.
When you are faced with or anticipating a situation that normally triggers your anxiety, your therapist may help you come up with realistic statements you can use to calm yourself.