Why is this procedure done?
Cognitive behavioral therapy is also called CBT. It is a form of therapy where you can talk about yourself and other people. You can talk to your therapist about the way you think and how you express your feelings. ‚
CBT can help change how you think. It may also change what you do about your thoughts and feelings. Your therapist will help you focus on how what you think affects how you act in a situation. Your therapist can help you learn how changing your thoughts about situations may help you improve how you react and feel about yourself. ‚
Working on CBT can help you: ‚
- Control signs that upset you
- Feel in control of your emotions
- Resist using drugs and alcohol to cope
- Learn to respond in certain situations
- Practice better ways to talk with your family, friends, and other people
- Learn how to cope with serious health problems like cancer
- Build on feeling good about yourself
- Cope with pain and feeling sad
CBT has helped many people. ‚
What will the results be?
- CBT may help you be aware of your thoughts, emotions, feelings, and actions in certain situations.
- You may be able to understand how and why problems trouble you.
- You may be able to respond to everyday events in a healthier and positive way.
What happens before the procedure?
- Your therapist will take a personal and medical history from you.
- You will talk to the therapist about what problems you are having.
- Your therapist will want to know if your doctor has ordered any drugs for you.
What happens during the procedure?
- CBT deals with your past and current thoughts and behaviors and how they are affecting you now.
- Your therapist will:
- Work with you to find the right approach and make sure you are comfortable with it.
- Help you set goals and decide what to talk about during each session.
- Talk with you about specific situations in your life.
- Ask you to talk about how you feel, what you are thinking, and what is troubling you.
- Often ask you to keep a diary or journal. This is where you may write down your thoughts, feelings, and actions. This may help you change your attitudes and learn new ways to handle tough situations.
- Give you homework, reading, or practices at times. These can help you make changes in how you react to your daily activities.
- Ask how things are going since your last session. The therapist is interested in how you are managing your signs.
- If you think CBT is not helping you, tell your therapist about it. You and your therapist may decide to change or try another approach.
- Some may prefer to solve problems on their own. Your therapist may offer you self-help CBT books to read. There are also videos, interactive CDs, and websites on self-help CBT programs. These may help you with your therapy.
What happens after the procedure?
You may continue to practice and improve your skills even after you have finished the sessions. Sometimes, you may need to have follow-up visits if another challenge happens. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Be sure to follow your treatment plan. It is important to go to all of your sessions.
- Do your homework honestly. Be open and willing to share your feelings and experiences. If it is hard for you to talk and do certain things, tell your therapist about it.
- Learn relaxation and breathing training. These skills can help you when feel stress and anxiety.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- Therapy may be done 1 to 2 times per week. It will depend on your problems and schedule. You may need to call or visit with your therapist if you have any concerns or something is troubling you in between your sessions.
What problems could happen?
- If you have problems or you are not comfortable with your therapist, look for another therapist.
- If you think that the therapy is not working well for you, talk to your therapist right away. Both of you may choose to try some other type of therapy.
- You may not feel comfortable sharing bad experiences at times. You may cry, get upset, or feel angry during your sessions. Your therapist can help you cope with these feelings.
- There is a chance that you are not able to confront situations. You have fears about telling your personal thoughts. If you are not prepared to work out your problems, you may not be happy with the results of your therapy.
- Be patient. Do not expect instant results. It may take hard work and time to help you recover. You may start to see results after you have a few sessions with your therapist.
- CBT may take months or longer for you to overcome your illness.
Helpful tips
- Be active and join in with your therapist. Try to have a good relationship with your therapist.
- Be honest about your feelings. Do not be embarrassed about your feelings. The more honest you are, the easier it will be for your therapist to help you. Remember that everything you say is confidential. This means your therapist cannot tell anyone else about what you discuss.
- Talk therapy may be used in place of drugs or for follow-up care. Talk therapy can work well with drugs and may not cause any serious side effects. It often works best if used together with drugs. Talk with your doctor and therapist about what will work best for you.
Where can I learn more?
National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists ‚
http://nacbt.org/whatiscbt.aspx ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cognitive-behavioural-therapy/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚