Is there hope for my anxiety?…depression?..Cognitive-behavioral therapy: A powerful tool for those with anxiety and depression

There are many people suffering from the distress of anxiety such as fear of public places, worry, fear of public speaking, panic disorder, etc. Similarly many others suffering from depression, viz, sleep disorder, low energy, hopelessness, depressed mood, social withdrawal. Cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by Aaron Beck and others is a powerful tool to resolve problems with depression and anxiety. Thoughts cause feelings. When we become anxious or depressed our thinking becomes distorted (cognitive distortion). Examples of cognitive distortion of thinking errors are such things as catastrophic thinking, such as “I’ll NEVER get better,” “no one will EVER want me,” “things will keep getting worse.” Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT assists patients with reprogramming their thoughts. It is like a reset on our cell phones or our computers. There are many great books with exercises in this area for patients. Examples are “The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook” by Bourne and cognitive-behavioral therapy workbooks. An approach combining therapy with homework assignments gives patients a major role i outcome of their therapy. This is as opposed to "talk therapy" with no concrete assignments. This process can go on interminably. The approach suggested in this article assists patients in becoming an important part of treatment outcome.