CBT currently has the largest amount of research carried out on its effectiveness. CBT focuses on what people think, how those thoughts affect them emotionally and how they ultimately behave. When someone is distressed or anxious, the way they see and evaluate themselves can become negative. CBT therapists work alongside the person to help them begin to see the link between negative thoughts and mood. This empowers people to assert control over negative emotions and to change the way they behave. CBT has grown in popularity following recommendations from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
CBT can be delivered at a number of levels of intensity, meaning it can be usful to those who have only just started feeling anxious as well as those with longstanding anxiety problems. In the lower levels of the stepped care model “soft” techniques, such as guided self help, are used, placing the onus on you to complete diary sheets and other interventions with the support and guidance of a trained worker. Self help resources are often CBT based and suitable for a range of conditions. Mental health workers may use these resources with you to provide an awareness of techniques that may empower you to overcome your problem. Soft CBT can be carried out over the phone or face to face.
Further up the stepped care model is pure CBT, usually offered at step 3 or above for problems of a more complex and longstanding nature. CBT is delivered by a trained therapist, usually in a clinical setting. This form of therapy focuses on the “here and now” and is not overly concerned with finding the initial cause of anxiety. During CBT, the therapist will first assist you to identify your problem (along with the behaviours, thoughts and feelings that may be linked in with the problem). Once the problem has been explored, the therapist will help you examine your thought and behaviour patterns and help you to work on ways of changing these. If you access this type of therapy you will often be given a set number of sessions that typically last 50 minutes per session.
Therapists will usually set you “homework tasks” which are completed between sessions. Homework tasks may include carrying out activities such as thought monitoring and entering these into a thought diary, or practicing specific behaviours through what is known as “behavioural exposure’.
In the unlikely event that Anxiety UK is unable to help you we would recommend accessing therapy through referral to an NHS service via your GP. Most CBT therapists are registered with the BABCP (British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies), the governing body for CBT. Their website contains lists of private therapists (www.babcp.com).
CBT Information Video
Find out how CBT can help people cope and how it can treat anxiety on the NHS Choices website.
“I wanted you to know that I am very grateful for your help and very glad I joined Anxiety UK. Daniel, the therapist I have been allocated is superb (and local to my work) and is clearly an excellent exponent of CBT. It has helped me enormously with a very long-term phobia. I feel I am regaining some control over that part of my life through his assistance. I have had therapy before but I am now of the view that CBT is far more direct and empowering.”
Jonathan
“Having had some great years of being anxiety free as a result of receiving good quality CBT, I do now know that it is entirely possible to live calmly – so never give up. I am also learning a musical instrument which is a great therapy in itself as it is helping with my breathing and plus, I have to concentrate therefore you cannot be worried at the same time and have anxious thoughts. Antidepressants help some people but unfortunately I wasn’t able to tolerate their side effects. The main thing for me though was, as I said, talking therapy – in particular CBT.”
Louise
sending...
i feel anxiuos most of the time about anything, ive had a bad and horrific upbringing and now that iam 21 years old, i feel like my past is catching up with me and coming back to haunt me. ive had anxiety for 3 years and at the time it was bad, but i never recieved any help instead i ignored it and it went away if only for a few months, but this time round, its twice as strong, i dont know if cbt is the answer for me, maybe a psychiatrist, psychologist would be the answer. help iam totally confused about this situation
Hi Evelyn,
CBT is useful for dealing with symptoms in the hear and now, but if you want to explore your issues from the past then perhaps counselling would be a good option. Clinical psychologists often use a variety of techniques to support a person and can work with different types of treatment, which may be of use if you feel your issues are complex. Anxiety UK has counsellors and CBT therapists available across the UK and via phone and webcam at a very low cost if that is of interest, or you can contact your GP for a referral.
Best wishes
Cat
Hi there,
I have a fear of spiders that is out of control. I’ve always been scared of them but it’s just recently begun to take over. Moved to a lovely new house in the country earlier this year. Have seen several huge (genuinely bigger than I thought possible) spiders since being in the new house and now worry about them all the time and look forward to leaving the house in the morning or going to sleep at night because this is my only relief. Have two young children and am horrified at the thought of passing my fear onto them. I’ve got CBT starting next week (hence why I’m looking on this site now) but as silly as it sounds I am dreading the next 4-5 days of waiting as we had the biggest spider yet in our hallway yesterday and I just know I’ll be worrying about it all the time until my appointment (plus I know CBT will not be a quick fix). Does anybody have any suggestions of how I can cope with the anxiety in the meantime? Since seeing the big spider yesterday I feel on the verge of tears and just generally scared. Also really annoyed because I know all of this is stupid and irrational but I just can’t stop it!
Hi Jim,
It sounds like your phobia is really getting on top of you at the moment, but hopefully your CBT will work out. It is known to be very effective for the treatment of anxiety and phobias. In the meantime why don’t you try challenging the way you are thinking about the spider if you can, reassuring yourself that it is not dangerous and that it wants to get out of your way if it can (that worked for me in Thailand a little). Trying to slow your breathing and relaxing more generally may help in the short term, but the CBT is what is going to get you through this.
I was wondering, part of the treatment of spider phobia with CBT is exposure. I know you are a long way off this, but would you fancy getting involved in our spider encounter workshop on the 26th September for face your fears week? You can find out more here: http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/face-your-fears/ it could be something you work towards during therapy, and the critters you will encounter will make your house spiders seem like small fry by comparison!
Good luck with your CBT
Cat (Anxiety UK)
Have suffered with depression and anxiety since the age of 13. Am becoming sick of the effects,
especially now that I’m in a steady relationship. My behaviour is altering radically to the point where I can’t stand myself…the sooner I get help with this situation the better. Whatever’s available out there, bring it on!!!
Hey Chany, how is your behaviour/thoughts around your partner?
I too have suffered from depression since the age of 13 and Anxiety since around 16.
I have an amazing partner but have been having some complications that my anxiety has so kindly dispersed on me.