Cognitive psychotherapy is also known as cognitive-behavioral therapy. It is basically a treatment approach that can help patients to cope with negative, destructive thoughts and emotions reasonably (1).
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In 1960 cognitive behavioral therapy was discovered, and now it has emerged as a gold standard psychotherapeutic treatment technique (2) Currently, cognitive psychotherapy is being used for particular disorders: schizophrenia, depression and dysthymia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, eating disorders, insomnia, personality disorders, anger and aggression, criminal behaviors, general stress, distress due to general medical conditions, chronic pain and fatigue, grief related to pregnancy complications and female hormonal conditions(1)”.
Cognitive therapy helps the patient modify their behavior, beliefs and it equally promotes positive thinking among patients. “Cognitive-behavioural therapy is action-oriented, practical, rational, and helps the patient gain independence and effectiveness in dealing with real-life issues.” It chiefly emphasizes eliminating the negative thoughts that are leading to emotional problems, anxiety, and depression. These alternative negative thoughts play a significant part in creating a bad mood.
Cognitive behaviors therapy is divided into a total of four steps. The first step involves the identification of problematic situations that involve inpatient life. These conditions can be a disease, anger issue, grief, divorce, or any other state. these all situations put a negative powerful impact on patient mental health. Hence, mutual decision making is required with a major focus (between patient and therapist) on patients’ goals and problem-solving. The second step is to help the patient gain awareness of his thoughts, emotions, and beliefs in various circumstances. This therapy will help the patient understand the situation and how can he/ she positively think about other people in this situation. The focus should be on modifying the patient’s beliefs about himself, family members, or other people.
The third step is about eliminating negative thoughts and thinking. This will help the patient recognize what faulty thinking patterns and behavior are the root cause of the problem. The fourth step involves reshaping the negative thoughts into a positive form. In this step, the therapist will encourage the patient to question himself whether he is doing the right thing or not. The therapist will ask the patient to share his viewpoint of the situation and counsel them according to the requirement.
Cognitive therapy involves the following strategies:
- It helps in recognizing and evaluating the flaws in patient thinking that are the root cause of problems.
- It aids in a better understanding of patient behavior and motivation.
- Problem-solving skills are used to tackle surprising situations.
- It equally motivates the patient to face their fears rather than dodging them.
- This therapy brings calm and patience to the person by relaxation.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy mainly focuses on a goal-oriented approach for patients.
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References:
- Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk AJJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A. The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research. 2012;36(5):427-40.
- David D, Cristea I, Hofmann SG. Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is the Current Gold Standard of Psychotherapy. Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:4-.
The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional.
