Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychological treatment that has proven very useful in helping people overcome anxiety orders, depression, substance abuse problems as well eating disorders and other severe mental illnesses. Several studies have shown that CBT can help drastically improve a person’s quality of life. Dr. David Burns, a prominent clinical psychiatrist and author of the best selling book Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, states how CBT has been found to be as effective as, and in some cases even more effective than other types of psychological and drug therapies. CBT primarily involves a person making concerted efforts to change his or her thinking and behavioral patterns. When you commit to the therapy, as well as the homework that comes along with it, you will experience a lot of wonderful benefits.
You will become more rational. You’ll have trained yourself to rationally respond to your automatic, self-critical thoughts — by actually writing down and documenting your responses on a regular basis. This training will help your brain in creating newer, healthier thinking patterns that replace the negativity you may have become accustomed to.
You will learn to control your thinking. You will have learned techniques and mental tools that can help stop unwanted negative thoughts from overpowering your mind. You will be able to release yourself from the emotional prison you have created for yourself, allowing you to think clearly and rationally.
Your beliefs about yourself will change. CBT homework will force you to examine the catalysts and reasons behind why you have fostered negative thinking patterns, head-on. Once you dig deep and analyze the root cause of your negativity, you will slowly become more in control of your thoughts. This will lead to confidence and a positive change in your belief system about your own self.
You will be able to calm down and relax. Once you identify the reason for your negative thought processes and replace these thoughts with rational responses, you will be able to react to anxiety in a different and healthier way than you have in the past. Anxiety will not frighten you as much anymore. You will be able to approach situations more calmly and peacefully.
You will naturally start to expect better outcomes. Old negative thought patterns of yours may have taught you to expect poor outcomes for your future. Once your thoughts and beliefs experience a change for the better, your expectations will become more rational. What you expect to happen will now, more likely than not, actually happen.
When you train your brain to think more rationally and to expect different outcomes using CBT, it responds accordingly and becomes more rational. You will be rewarded with the immeasurable gift of being able to see the world in a whole new, positive light.