Cognitive Behavioral Therpy

So-called cognitive techniques ("working on the way we think") are among the methods that let those affected experience that they can control the problem themselves. In the meantime, they have become very important. The starting point of cognitive therapy is the assumption that, for example, depression , anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders are associated with negative, alien to reality as well as illogical and distorted patterns. The patients tend to generalizations, one-sided choice of topics and black and white thinking. During therapy, the patient should first learn to observe himself, to identify problems, to recognize individual blockages, to develop and try out alternatives, and then to reevaluate his thinking and behavior patterns: For example, by deliberately distancing himself, reinterpreting something positively or sees a problem as a challenge.

There are always situations in life that overwhelm us. When we realize that we can no longer get ourselves out of it, we look for help and try new things. One way to free yourself from thoughts and feelings that are stressful is cognitive behavior therapy.

We all know this or a similar situation: A schoolmate does not greet us and we immediately think "He does not like me". The associated feeling, namely that we feel rejected, appears a short time later. Ultimately, this thought means that we will avoid schoolmates in the future. In truth, however, we don't even know what's going on in our school friend. In cognitive behavioral therapy we deal with exactly these thoughts, feelings and behaviors that strain us in certain situations.

Everyone perceives situations differently and evaluates the resulting experiences accordingly. This in turn triggers certain feelings and resulting behaviors.

When is cognitive behavior therapy useful?

 As a form of psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) primarily deals with cognitions, ie thoughts, feelings, attitudes, etc. It is about being aware of them. This in turn gives us the opportunity to question and change them. Learned behaviors are also questioned and, if necessary, changed.

 CBT is about working with a specific problem and finding a solution. It is important that the person concerned receives support that enables them to deal with the situation independently as quickly as possible.

 In general, CBT is used to treat physical complaints such as chronic pain or psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Some elements of the CBT include:

 - writing a diary to record and then question your own thoughts,

- cognitive restructuring, e.g. through thought stops, reinforcement, deletion etc.

- different training methods for coping with stress and pain,

- relaxation exercises, and

- further problem-solving strategies.

How does cognitive behavior therapy work?

 The aim is to gain clarity about your own thoughts, feelings and attitudes and, depending on them, the corresponding actions. So it's about the connection between thinking, feeling and acting when we look at an event:

 1. Situation

2. Our assessment of the situation as positive, negative or neutral

3. Our reaction (eg feelings or behavior) to this situation

 This sequence can cause thinking errors, which in turn can lead to harmful thinking patterns (eg “I can't do it all”). For example, many of us tend to divide our lives into only two categories. We then only assess situations as either good or bad.

 Example: "If I don't write 1 in English, I'm bad." This is not objectively true, but we think at the moment that we are really "bad". Black and white thinking can quickly become an automatism that leaves us with only two possible ways of thinking.

 Thinking about disasters can also be dangerous. Here we tend to make negative predictions. We ignore all other options.

 There are many other thought patterns that can make life difficult for us. Here, cognitive behavioral therapy should support. By helping those affected to better control their own thoughts and gain clarity. This form of therapy therefore requires a great deal of initiative on the part of those affected.

Duration and cost of a CBT 

 KVT is a short therapy because the person affected should be able to deal with their problems independently as soon as possible. Nevertheless, the treatment can take several weeks to months, depending on the severity. Individual sessions usually last one hour and take place in practices, clinics or rehabilitation facilities.

 In many cases of mental illness, the costs of a CBT are covered by the statutory health insurance. But even in the case of chronic illnesses that lead to severe suffering, a CBT can be paid for. The application for reimbursement must always be made before the start of psychotherapy. Since the reimbursement is strongly dependent on the respective health insurance company, it should first be clarified here what exactly the health insurance company needs. But the treating psychotherapist can also support the application process.

 The CBT can help us to no longer feel trapped in our thoughts and feelings. Isn't it nice to know that we can consciously control our emotions and thus change our thinking and thus our actions?