{"id":68008,"date":"2023-01-31T05:39:39","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T12:39:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=68008"},"modified":"2023-06-23T09:12:10","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T15:12:10","slug":"what-does-cbt-stand-for-can-it-help-with-insomnia-depression-anxiety-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/what-does-cbt-stand-for-can-it-help-with-insomnia-depression-anxiety-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"What does CBT stand for, and can it help with common challenges like insomnia, depression, anxiety and pain?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"What
CBT is a type of talk therapy that can work well for problems like anxiety, depression, insomnia and social anxiety. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019ve ever dealt with common challenges like anxiety, depression, insomnia or chronic pain, perhaps you\u2019ve heard about a treatment known as CBT. It can be an alternative to taking sleeping pills, antianxiety medications or antidepressants. Or it can complement medications. But what does CBT stand for, and how does it work?<\/p>\n

To answer your questions about cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, we consulted with clinical health psychologist Dr. Ava Schumacher. She\u2019s an expert in mind-body connections.<\/p>\n

Schumacher cares for patients at the UCHealth Integrative Medicine Center<\/a> in Denver\u2019s Central Park neighborhood.<\/p>\n

As a health psychologist, Schumacher helps patients use the power of their minds to cope with health challenges and boost well-being. She works with people who are struggling with a variety of difficulties, including medical challenges, chronic pain management, stress, anxiety, and sleep problems, also known as insomnia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s essential to care for all aspects of ourselves \u2014 including mind, body and spirit,\u201d Schumacher said. \u201cI often integrate mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT into my work with patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

What does CBT stand for, and what is cognitive behavioral therapy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

CBT stands for cognitive behavioral therapy, and CBT is a specific kind of talk therapy that patients can engage in with a trained mental or behavioral health professional. Once people learn how to use CBT, they can apply the strategies to many aspects of their lives, and the benefits can be long-lasting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole point of CBT is to gain a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between our thoughts, behaviors and emotions and to understand how they affect each other and how we can make changes,\u201d Schumacher said.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Ava Schumacher is a therapist who helps patients understand mind-body connections. She often uses CBT. Photo courtesy of Dr. Ava Schumacher.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cA key goal of CBT is to change unhelpful thinking patterns into more helpful ones,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Helpful thinking patterns can, in turn, impact emotional experiences and empower people to change their actions and behaviors.<\/p>\n

For example, if a person is feeling anxious or depressed, they are more likely to have anxious or depressed thoughts (of course). These worries or sad thoughts can then make a person feel worse. When people spiral into negative thought patterns, it can affect their emotions and behaviors, as well as their physical health.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be hard to change this cycle on our own,\u201d Schumacher said. \u201cIf we\u2019re already viewing things through a negative perspective, those thoughts tend to build on themselves. That\u2019s where CBT comes in. We focus on how our thoughts are affecting our emotional experiences and behaviors and how we can make changes to our thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with CBT, Schumacher also uses other techniques, including mindfulness. Learn what mindfulness is and how it works<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Is CBT especially helpful for specific mental health issues?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yes, Schumacher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCBT works well for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, stress management, sleep problems, chronic pain and improving self-confidence,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

People can apply the tenets of CBT to a variety of circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of us have thoughts, emotions and behaviors,\u201d Schumacher said. \u201cUnderstanding how our thoughts relate to our emotions and behaviors can help us interrupt unhelpful patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n

CBT can be used as a standalone intervention, or alongside other treatments, such as medications, depending on each person\u2019s unique history, circumstances, and the severity of their symptoms.<\/p>\n

How long does CBT take? Can I learn how to do it in a few therapy sessions?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yes, patients can learn how to use CBT techniques during short-term therapy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re dealing with certain types of problems like a health challenge, managing chronic pain, insomnia, or experiencing life stress at home, work, or in your relationships, CBT can be a really great short-term intervention,\u201d Schumacher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe usually try to help people in about five to 15 sessions in our clinic. Our goal is to teach people the skills to help themselves develop more helpful habits and ways of thinking. My goal is that eventually you won\u2019t need to come see me anymore because you will have learned how to implement new skills on your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tell me more about CBT and automatic thoughts. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cWe all have automatic thoughts. These are the thoughts that just bubble up in our minds without trying to consciously think a certain thing. And thoughts are not facts, but many of us tend to respond to our own thoughts as if they are facts, assuming they\u2019re true,\u201d Schumacher said.<\/p>\n

When providers work with patients using CBT, they help them first identify the automatic thoughts that pop into their brains, then begin to evaluate them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can learn to change our thoughts and mental habits over time,\u201d Schumacher said. \u201cWe change our thoughts or change our minds. We do that all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an example of how this concept of changing a thought works with anxiety.\u00a0 (Learn more about anxiety and how all adults may soon be screened for it.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

If a person with anxiety is supposed to connect with a friend but doesn\u2019t hear from the person, the anxious person might automatically jump to a negative conclusion, like assuming that they did something wrong and that the friendship is falling apart.<\/p>\n

Our reactions to others vary depending on our interpretations of our situations.<\/p>\n

A go-with-the-flow person might not take a friend\u2019s failure to get in touch personally.<\/p>\n

They might think: \u201cOh, they\u2019re probably swamped with work and family. Maybe I\u2019ll reach out tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case, they\u2019re probably not too distressed,\u201d Schumacher said. \u201cThe other person\u2019s behavior might be disappointing, but you\u2019re still engaging with them and inviting connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

A person with anxiety or depression, on the other hand, might start spiraling into negative or destructive thoughts and feelings like these: \u201cWhy didn\u2019t they call? Maybe I did something to make them upset.\u201d Or, \u201cPeople always forget about me. No one wants to talk to me. It\u2019s pointless to try to make friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is where cognitive behavioral therapy comes in. A person can learn to identify and change troublesome thoughts and beliefs.<\/p>\n

\u201cOften, our anxious and depressing thoughts are self-critical and self-blaming,\u201d Schumacher said. \u201cSometimes you feel like you can\u2019t get these thoughts out of your head, but CBT can help you learn to address these kinds of thoughts in a different, more helpful way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Psychologists can help people become more aware of these negative thoughts with the aim of channeling more balanced or positive thoughts and actions.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur automatic thoughts and beliefs have a really big impact on our emotions and behaviors. These cycles can become habits,\u201d Schumacher said.<\/p>\n

Is CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy just a way to ‘think happy thoughts’?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Absolutely not, Schumacher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t just say, \u2018think happy thoughts.\u2019 We need to focus on and deal with what\u2019s really going on. It\u2019s not useful to deny reality,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But there usually are multiple ways to think about any given situation, and we want to make sure we\u2019re seeing things as accurately and in as helpful of a way as possible.<\/p>\n

Schumacher helps patients avoid jumping to negative conclusions or worst-case scenarios. She guides them to recognize unhelpful thought patterns. Many people experience these patterns without realizing it.<\/p>\n

For some people who are extremely anxious or depressed, it can take a lot of work to reframe negative thinking. But learning how to think differently can help many people tap into powerful, long-lasting change.<\/p>\n

\u201cCBT is a longer-lasting intervention. You learn about your stressors and you learn skills that can help you deal with stressful thoughts, and these skills can be applied to a variety of circumstances in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

To change negative thinking, I hear it\u2019s helpful to learn about cognitive distortions. What are cognitive distortions and how are they related to CBT? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

People with anxiety, chronic pain or insomnia can deal with a lot of negative thinking.<\/p>\n

Cognitive distortions are patterns of thinking, mental filters or biases which lead us to have inaccurate and oftentimes overly negative thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mind is often more likely to focus on negative aspects of a situation,\u201d Schumacher said. CBT can help people recognize these thinking traps and reframe their perspective.<\/p>\n

There are many types of cognitive distortions. Here are just a few examples of common thinking traps:<\/p>\n