Effectiveness of CBT Interventions for Anxiety, Depressive and Eating Disorders

CBT intervention (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) is a therapeutic technique that aims to teach a person to solve his problem through an efficient and standardized approach. It deals with a variety of problems like depression, anxiety, phobias, relationship problems, obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD, bad eating, paraphilia, and bipolar disorders. It aims to change the thoughts and beliefs (Cognitive) and dealing (Behavior) of a person. There is considerable research on the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy in the treatment of various psychological disorders including anxiety, depression, mood, OCD, and phobias.

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) includes a variety of approaches that are also effective to change the person’s dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors these approaches are Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT), Exposure and Response Prevention, Cognitive Therapy (CT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Behavioral Activation (BA), Functional analytic psychotherapy (PAT), Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), Integrative Couple Therapy (ICT).

Despite all these diversities, most cognitive behavioral interventions have the following characteristics:

Based on the idea that cognitive thoughts cause emotional and behavioral responses

Our way of thinking set the pattern of our behavior and feelings not outside events that trigger our mood and behavior. Therefore, if we change the problematic thoughts our moods and behaviors automatically changed.

Time-limited intervention

CBT is the time-limited intervention a course may complete in 6 to 20 sessions depending on the nature of a problem, the features of the client, the experience of the therapist, etc.

To teach the client coping skills

This intervention is used to teach the client how he can cope with his problems, learn new skills, and fix his problematic behavior. After his sessions client learns to face his fears healthily.

Structured, collaborative, and goal-oriented technique

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a structured technique in which tasks are preplanned and every session has specific agenda. The therapist and client collaboratively work in which the client talks about his problem and learns the coping skills and practice. The therapist’s role is to listen to the client’s problem, observe him, and motivate and teach the client. Both work to meet a specific goal.

Doing Homework/Assignment

Homework plays the most important part in CBT. It plays a vital role in learning new skills. Homework is assigned according to the client’s features and the nature of the problem.

Individual or Group session

CBT has been used in individual (one-to-one) interventions or a group of people. Both have particular importance. In the individual session, we can focus on the client’s problem more efficiently. The benefits of group sessions are to access social support, increased motivation, and cost-effectiveness.

To check the effectiveness of CBT interventions we must have to take an overview of all those disorders that are mentioned above then we shall be able to know the effectiveness of this approach. These disorders are diagnosed if the criteria meet the list of the disorder mentioned in “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual” DSM 5th edition used by a mental health professional

Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety is excessive worrying for apparent reasons, fear of being exposed, irritation to any place or a person, repeated flashbacks and dreams, repeated panic attacks, and excessive fear to lose a loved one, which affects the person’s mental and psychological health. It is normal to have some anxiety but it may be problematic when it interferes with your personal life and you can’t have control over your thoughts and may not be able to have peace of mind. It mostly occurs in women. Researchers are still studying why it happens in females.

If we talk about CBT for anxiety patients we came to know the effectiveness of this therapy in dealing with this disorder. It is the most effective therapy for anxiety disorders. The techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy are used to tackle different types of anxiety disorders. A therapist helps a person to identify his irrational fears, challenge his negative thoughts and help him to get rid of his unwanted thoughts.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Sadness is natural in our daily life. If we are sad or depressed about the death of a loved one, divorced, family-related issues, or any work loss it is natural to be sad or depressed because these behaviors are short-lived. The problematic behavior occurs when you are persistently or excessively depressed and do not find any solution or alternative, have feelings of committing suicide, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, relationship problems, feelings of isolation, and your physical, emotional, and work-life disturbed. If these symptoms occur for 2 or more weeks according to DSM criteria then we can say that it may be a mood-related disorder like Major Depressive Disorder MDD.

CBT intervention is also suitable for MDD. We can change faulty or negative beliefs of a person into positive ones. Interpersonal therapy (IT) of CBT intervention is also used to focus on the interpersonal context and on building interpersonal skills.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder OCD is a type of anxiety disorder in which people face unreasonable and repetitive thoughts (Obsessions) that triggers them to perform a repetitive task (Compulsions). Anxiety increases when these types of thoughts occur in a person’s mind and he wants to get rid of these obsessions, therefore, he performed a repetitive task just to ease his distress. Neurotransmitters, stressful environments, family history, and pregnancy may cause this problem.

CBT is the most suitable intervention for OCD patients. As we know that this intervention changes our thoughts and behaviors, OCD is a disorder in which problem occurs in thoughts and behaviors through obsessions and compulsions. One particular approach of cognitive behavior therapy is “Exposure and Response Prevention” which helps people with OCD to manage their thoughts and behaviors and lead a better quality of life.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

This problem may occur when you experienced or witnessed an intensely traumatic experience such as a car accident, murder, rape attempt, combat, natural disaster, etc. The symptoms may arise within one month but sometime may not appear until years after the traumatic event. A variety of symptoms may occur in PTSD such as intense fear, emotionally numb, difficulty in relationship building, hopelessness, detachment from family and friends, lack of interest in healthy activities, overwhelming guilt or shame, nightmares, flashbacks, etc.

The main agenda of cognitive behavior therapy is to restore the self-esteem of a client. The most important CBT approaches to treat post-traumatic stress disorder involve Prolonged Exposure therapy (PET), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and stress inoculation therapy (SIT). These approaches are helpful and effective to change the disturbing pattern of thoughts.

Eating Disorder

An eating disorder is a mental disorder that causes abnormal behavior patterns of eating. It may negatively affect the physical or mental health of a person. Patients have a fear to be overweighed therefore taking excessive exercise, vomiting, eating large quantities of food in a very short time, or eating non-food items. Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, binge eating, pica, and rumination are the type of eating disorders.

One of the most critical interventions of CBT is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which has considerable effects in treating an eating disorder. DBT combines cognitive behavior treatment and eastern meditative principles and practices. It includes mindfulness techniques, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

In short, CBT is the broadest intervention that has considerable effects in treating a variety of disorders. It changes the unhelpful and unhealthy pattern of thinking with the combination of two therapies cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. The basis of this therapy is to healthy thoughts lead to healthy feelings and behaviors.