Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.

It's most commonly used to treat generalised anxiety disorder and depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.

How CBT works

CBT is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in avicious cycle.

CBT aims tohelp you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts. You're shown how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel.

Unlike someother talking treatments, CBT deals with your current problems, rather than focusing on issues from your past. It looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.

The course of treatment usually lasts for between five and 20 sessions, with each session lasting 30-60 minutes.

During the sessions, you'll work with your therapist to break down your problems into their separate parts such as your thoughts, physical feelings and actions.

You and your therapist will analyse these areas to work out if they're unrealistic or unhelpful and to determine the effect they have on each other and on you. Your therapist will then be able to help you work out how to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours.

After working out what you can change, your therapist will ask you to practise these changes in your daily life and you'll discuss how you got on during the next session.

The eventual aim of therapy is to teach you to apply the skills you've learnt during treatment to your daily life.

This should help you manage your problems and stop them having a negative impact on your life even after your course of treatment finishes.

Pros and cons of CBT

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be as effective as medication in treating some mental health problems,but it may not be successful or suitable for everyone.

Some of the advantages of CBT include:

• it may be helpful in cases where medication alone hasn't worked
• it can be completed in a relatively short period of time compared to other talking therapies
• the highly structured nature ofCBT means it can be provided in different formats, including in groups, self-help books and computer programs
• it teaches you useful and practical strategies that can be used in everyday life even after the treatment has finished

Some of the disadvantages of CBT to consider include:

• you need to commit yourself to the process to get the most from it a therapist can help and advise you, but they need your co-operation
• attending regular CBT sessions and carrying out any extra work between sessions can take up a lot of your time
• it may not be suitable for people withmore complex mental health needs or learning difficulties as it requires structured sessions
• it involves confronting your emotions and anxieties you may experience initial periods where you're anxious or emotionally uncomfortable
• it focuses on the individuals capacity to change themselves (their thoughts, feelings and behaviours) which doesn't address any wider problems in systems or families that often have a significant impact on an individuals health and wellbeing

Some critics also argue that because CBT only addresses current problems and focuses on specific issues, it doesn't address the possible underlying causes of mental health conditions, such as an unhappy childhood.

Finding a CBT therapist

If you think you have a problem that may benefit from treatment with CBT, the first step is usually to speak to your GP.

Your GP may be able to refer you for CBT that's free on the NHS, although you may have to wait.

If you can afford it, you can choose to pay for your therapy privately. The cost of private therapy sessions varies.

If you're considering having CBT privately, ask your GP if they can suggest a local therapist.

The British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) keeps a register of all accredited therapists in the UK and The British Psychological Society (BPS) has a directory of chartered psychologists , some of whom specialise in CBT.