How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Rewires Anxiety in the Brain
Anxiety is a normal part of life. However, certain levels of anxiety can become maladaptive, causing distress when they impact work performance, relationships, and daily life. Those experiencing anxiety disorders understand that these levels of anxiety do not go away on their own, and they may worsen over time without proper treatment.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, common anxiety disorders include:(1)
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Specific Phobias
Cognitive behavioral therapy, more commonly referred to as CBT, is an evidence-based, psychological treatment modality that is used for the treatment of various mental health disorders, including anxiety. CBT is a form of talk therapy, and multiple sources identify it as the gold standard for treating anxiety and other mental health disorders.(2)
At Bishop Health—a provider of outpatient mental health services with facilities in Maine and Florida—we use a wide range of innovative evidence-based therapies that are customized to each individual. Our CBT mental health treatment can help you or a loved one develop adaptive coping techniques and engage in cognitive restructuring. Bishop Health’s three-pronged approach features psychiatric care, individual therapy, and peer support groups that can help clients level-up from intermittent therapy appointments. Contact us today to learn more about our CBT rehab and to start your personal journey of recovery.
What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy?
CBT is a method of psychotherapeutic intervention that helps clients identify and change self-destructive patterns of thinking. Many individuals who experience anxiousness engage in automatic negative thoughts, which often contribute to worsening symptoms. CBT is a solution-based treatment modality that can help stop this cycle.
A wide range of proven strategies are part of CBT. These strategies are geared toward helping clients identify negative patterns of thinking, challenge and change these thoughts, and replace them with more productive and objective ideas.
Insights from the American Psychological Association explain that CBT is based on the following core principles:(3)
- Mental health disorders are based on maladaptive or unhelpful ways of thinking.
- Mental health disorders are rooted in learned patterns and behaviors.
- Those experiencing mental health disorders can develop more effective ways of coping, resulting in a reduction in their symptoms and rewiring of the brain.
How CBT Helps Rewrite Negative Thought Patterns
One of the main advantages of CBT is its ability to aid individuals in cognitive restructuring.
CBT emphasizes the following cognitive aspects:
- Automatic thoughts — Automatic negative thoughts that individuals experience immediately after a feeling, event, or trigger
- Cognitive distortions — Errors in thinking that lead to false conclusions about oneself or the world around them
- Underlying beliefs — Beliefs that influence an individual’s perception of themselves and the world around them.
CBT helps individuals learn how to identify their negative thinking patterns and beliefs, and to replace them with more adaptive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Over time, this can lead to cognitive restructuring or the rewiring of the brain.
Exposing Anxiety & Behavioral Triggers
The behavioral component of CBT for anxiety involves exposure therapy. Gradual exposure often helps clients gradually face the fears or triggers associated with their anxious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Though it may seem counterintuitive, exposing individuals with anxiety to their triggers allows them the opportunity to learn evidence-based techniques to manage and overcome their negative emotions. According to a paper published in the Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, exposure therapy is one of the most common CBT methods used to help treat anxiety.(4)
Building Coping Strategies
Coping strategies are tools or activities that can help individuals experience and deal with negative emotions. Individuals receiving CBT can develop and practice various coping strategies for different situations. For example, an individual may choose to engage in physical exercise if they experience distressing thoughts regarding a specific phobia. Learning effective coping and relaxation strategies can aid in developing distress tolerance techniques.
Sources such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness suggest a host of coping strategies, many of which can be integrated into CBT. Options include:(5)
- Exercise
- Sleep hygiene
- Mindfulness/meditation
- Radical acceptance
- Deep breathing
- Opposite-to-emotion thinking
- Mental reframing
- Guided imagery
- Journaling
- Nature activities
Long-Term Benefits of CBT Treatment for Anxiety
Multiple benefits are associated with CBT treatment for anxiety. Long-term benefits include:
- Developing an awareness of negative thinking patterns
- Improving overall self-esteem
- Helping with the development of adaptive coping skills
- Developing more rational thinking patterns
- Fostering the development of communication techniques
- Helping individuals learn to manage and take charge of their emotions
- Providing hope that an individual can reach their treatment goals
- Preventing relapse of mental health symptoms
- Overcoming traumatic life experiences or events
- Coping with difficult life events
- Rewiring of the brain
According to a systematic review in JAMA Psychiatry, research has also found that those enrolled in CBT experienced fewer anxiety symptoms within 12 months of completing their treatment program.(6)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Its Effectiveness for Mental Health Treatment
CBT can be used to help treat the following mental health disorders (among others):
- Mood Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Psychotic Disorders
- Neurological Disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Substance Use Disorders
Extensive evidence points toward the fact that CBT is a highly effective methodology for both mental health treatment and substance use disorder recovery. Research cited by the National Institute of Drug Abuse indicates that skills clients learn while participating in CBT remain with them long after clinical treatment has concluded.(7) Research has also found that individuals receiving CBT treatment had higher response rates when compared to other treatment modalities.(8)
This research also suggests that CBT is most effective when it is combined with a range of other behavioral therapies, such as intensive outpatient programs and psychiatric medications (when necessary). At Bishop Health, we have developed a highly integrated mental health program that incorporates evidence-based treatment methods—including psychiatric services, individualized therapy, peer support groups, and more.
Start Your Mental Health Journey Today
To learn more about CBT and other treatment modalities, contact Bishop Health today. Featuring comprehensive, state-of-the-art care in a modern and welcoming environment, our Delray Beach psychiatric facility offers highly trained clinicians and highly customized care.
Reach out today for a free, no-obligation call to check your insurance benefits, learn more about treatment options, and take your first step toward lasting recovery and mental well-being today.
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