What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, has become a hot topic in the world of mental health. It's been called a breakthrough form of therapy that could easily help the people who are suffering lead a better life. Many have also begun to credit CBT for improvements to their depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

If you're looking into therapy for your own personal issues, you probably are wondering what is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and what it's used for. This quick guide will allow you to learn the basics and help you determine whether Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the right therapy for you.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a form of talk therapy that focuses on helping people recognize negative, inaccurate, or otherwise self-destructive thinking — and then trains them to avoid thinking in that way. It's a form of therapy that gently reminds people to examine why they think the way they do.

The idea behind Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is that helping you acknowledge your negative thinking will help empower you to think positively. It is also known for helping you learn how to feel better secured in your life and for giving you more positive coping mechanisms.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy good for?

There are many different illnesses that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been proven to be good for. People who suffer from anxiety disorders, PTSD, and even anorexia nervosa have all found CBT to be an effective form of treatment.

Another mental illness category that has seen a lot of good come from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is depression. Simply put, CBT helps you learn where you're hurting yourself via negative thinking — and works to pull you out of it. Currently, CBT is as effective at treating depression as the use of antidepressants is.

More interestingly, people who have schizophrenia, phobias, and sleep disorders also have been found to benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as well.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy not good for?

Not all mental illness can be treated via CBT. People who have severe personality disorders and sociopathy will not benefit from it. Some people, too, just don't find Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to be useful for them.

Simply put, there's no "silver bullet" treatment for mental illness. However, mental illness won't go away if you don't even try to make it leave. If you don't know whether CBT will work for you, it may be time to talk to a therapist and find out.