Cognitive Therapy

11 Pages 2848 Words

rrective plan that leads to more positive assessments and an
ability to deal more realistically with every day problems.(Burns, 1996-2000) Dr. Frances M. Christian, a clinical social
worker and cognitive therapist at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, says, “Thoughts and beliefs have a lot to
do with how people feel and behave. Early in life, people develop core beliefs about themselves and other people and
about how the world operates.” Cognitive behavioral therapy has been very thoroughly researched. In study after study,
it has been shown to be as effective as drugs in treating both depression and anxiety. In particular, cognitive behavioral
therapy has been shown to be better than drugs in avoiding treatment failures and in preventing relapse after the end of
treatment. A cognitive therapist directs a patient's attention to "automatic" thoughts, the things people say to themselves,
that result in unpleasant feelings. (Stopa, 2000) For example, someone prone to anxiety attacks might automatically
think, "I'm going to mess up," when taking an exam, participating in a school event or being interviewed for a job. After
failing such a task, the person might conclude, again automatically, "I'm a loser." In therapy, the person is helped to
recognize delusions in thought, which include exaggerating the sense of threat, anticipating disaster as the outcome, and
over generalizing from one negative experience and ignoring times when things went well. Finally, once the damaging
automatic thoughts are recognized, the person is helped to examine how realistic they are, and they consider alternative
explanations, then imagine other outcomes and realize that the symptoms of anxiety are not the prelude to a heart attack
or some other medical disaster. (Stopa, 2000) This same approach is practiced for depression. The difference in the
therapeutic approach versus medicating is dramatic, and the relief people feel is immed...