Anxiety can take hold of your life if you have an all-or-nothing mindset. With each major setback, you might think that the whole project has failed, although it can still be salvaged with the proper reaction. Some people are overly worried what people think about them, or they have a fortune-telling mentality which makes them assume that something bad will certainly happen if they don’t follow a particular set of routines throughout their day. For these types of behavioural issues, either a mindfulness course, or cognitive behavioural therapy can help.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is effective for addressing anxiety problems through the following methods:
Goal Setting- without clear goals, we won’t know what to achieve. Lack of goal setting interferes with progress. Goals should be direct, like “be a confident and productive individual”, instead of “I want to be happier”.
Define Problems To Address- people with anxiety may have distorted behaviours, beliefs or thoughts. It is essential to describe these behaviours, beliefs and thoughts in detail. This will help therapist to define root causes more easily, like low mood, relationship issues or poor social skills.
Use Flashcards- with flashcards, it is easier to remember key points that are associated with specific behaviours, beliefs and thoughts. Flashcards break down complex thoughts into manageable components that can be addressed one at a time. As an example, taking care of daily chores at home or reconnecting with a best friend always helps to progressively manage anxiety.
Stay Focused- a CBT therapist needs to ensure that affected individuals stay focused. The duration of cognitive behavioural therapy, depends on the condition. If people start to lose focus, progress will be much slower. In regular discussions, therapists assess current levels of motivation and focus.
Homework- in cognitive behavioural therapy, homework is called “action tasks” that must be performed between therapy sessions. As an example, a person could be given task to create a sensible daily or weekly schedule to ensure a more organised life.
Assess Results- after a few sessions, there should be noticeable and meaningful results. If results are not satisfactory, different methods could be needed. The therapy should end only when goals are achieved and the anxiety problem is completely resolved.
Contact Oxford CBT To Learn More
To learn more about cognitive behavioural therapy, contact Oxford CBT today and speak with the leader in cognitive behavioural therapy and therapy for conditions such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders for children and adults.
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