Who’s that knocking at the door? Oh, it’s anxiety - again! This all too familiar face comes barging in and gets pretty comfortable, pretty fast. We get so used to the stress, overwhelming thoughts and physical symptoms of anxiety that we forget how we used to feel, before anxiety took over. Our lives can be so structured and busy that we don’t even notice anxiety setting up its vacation home in our body. But, just because we are used to it, doesn’t mean it has to stay that way!
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is one of the most commonly used treatments for anxiety.
CBT is a type of talk therapy that focuses on the way our thoughts influence our behaviors. CBT has specific interventions and coping skills, which we will explore below, to decrease a client’s anxiety.
First, let’s breakdown the cycle of anxiety:
We are presented with a situation → Our brain perceives the situation as a threat →
Anxious thoughts start to build → Physical symptoms begin →
We shift our behaviors to lessen the symptoms
Sound familiar?
The goal of CBT is to shift the negative thoughts the brain has about a situation into a more realistic and positive thought.
As a result, our emotions are less activated and we experience fewer physical symptoms. For example, I could be anxious about going to the dentist, so I don’t schedule the appointment. That seems pretty straight forward - if I don’t want to do something, I’m not going to go out of my way to do it. When working with a CBT therapist, they’d want to look a little deeper at the initial concern, and would probably uncover fears about physical pain, injections, or finding a dental issue that requires additional (maybe painful) attention. All of those fears are likely going to make the physical symptoms of anxiety pop up, like a stomach ache, feeling clammy or shaky, and of course, wanting to avoid the whole situation.
By tapping into the anxious thought, you’re able to uncover the root cause of the anxiety.
Our brain is misreading the situation as a threat, and while maybe it was in the past, not everything we are faced with challenges us as a real threat to our well-being. This is when we start to highlight negative thought patterns. The thoughts don’t have to be about the same topic, but if we notice we have a tendency to view things in a familiar pattern, it’s worth addressing.
Some common patterns of negative thoughts include:
“I’m never good enough.”
“I shouldn’t even try, I’ll probably mess it up.”
“I know it won’t go well.”
Once we recognize a pattern or familiar unhelpful anxious thought structure, we can start to challenge them. This is usually done by using a thought record - an outline that helps us break down our thoughts and feelings into more specific parts. We can then work to restructure the thoughts in a more positive way.
Sometimes we need actual proof that contradicts our thoughts, and this can be done with exposure therapy. Exposure therapy is a way to desensitize ourselves to something that originally created a lot of anxiety. Most people think of the example where someone is afraid of spiders, so they are put in a room full of spiders. While it’s technically not wrong, it’s definitely way too much exposure to be beneficial!
We want to take baby steps when it comes to exposure therapy. With the example of fearing the dentist, I could start by reading reviews online of local dentist offices or calling and asking how the office helps clients with anxiety. These small steps help to challenge our anxiety in a more positive light, and the information will likely make it easier to schedule an appointment in the future.
Another main component of CBT is learning new coping skills.
These coping and mindfulness strategies help reduce anxiety, like breathing, grounding skills and increasing self-care. Increasing coping skills helps prevent our anxiety from escalating to uncomfortable levels.
Start CBT Therapy for Anxiety in Dublin, CA Today
CBT is an evidence based way to approach anxiety. It’s super adaptable for whatever the client needs and it can help increase feeling empowered and in control of your own life. If you’re curious how CBT may help you with anxiety, reach out to schedule your free 15 minute consultation today.
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