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Advantages & Disadvantages of CBT

Advantages

How a care worker would use CBT

CBT

• Can be used as effective as medication in treating some mental health disorders and may be helpful in cases where medication alone has not worked
• Can be completed in a relatively short period of time compared to other talking therapies
• The highly structured nature of CBT means it can be provided in different formats, including in groups, self-help books and computer programes
• Skills you learn in CBT are useful, practical and helpful strategies that can be incorporated into everyday life that help you cope with stresses and difficulties , even after the treatment has finished

• CBT can be carried out with a therapist in one-to-one sessions or in groups with other people in a similar situation to you.
• A therapeutic alliance is formed between the client(s) and the care worker
• Together, the therapist and client identify the client's problems in terms of the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. A shared understanding of the problems is developed.
• Goals and strategies of how to achieve them, are set and regularly reviewed.
• The therapy is aimed at encouraging empowerment of the client so that they can solve their problems using their own resources.
• The client will learn specific skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. This is the main advantage of CBT over medication.
• •It is important that CBT be administered by a trained and qualified professional.

• •These are usually psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, counsellors, GPs or occupational therapists

What is CBT

The Effectiveness of CBT

• Soldiers who have experienced active service may be less likely to suffer from depression if they receive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
• Many ex-soldiers are known to battle conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which can lead to depression, marital break-ups and even suicide if left untreated.

Society Fellow Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes comments: "Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based, proven and NICE recommended intervention and remains one of the foremost interventions, together with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), used by military mental health professionals both within the MoD Defence Mental Health Services and by those working with veterans both in the NHS and the third sector."

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.

• It is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.
• It is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a vicious cycle.
• CBT aims to help you crack this cycle by breaking down overwhelming problems into smaller parts
• Shows you how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel.
• CBT deals with your current problems, rather than focusing on issues from your past. It looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.

Advantages and Disadvantages of CBT

Disadvantages

• To benefit from CBT you need to commit yourself to the process. A therapist can help and advise you, but cannot make your problems go away without your co-operation
• Attending regular CBT sessions and carrying any extra work between sessions can take up a lot of time
• Due to the structured nature of CBT, it may not be suitable for people with more complex mental health needs or learning difficulties
• As CB can involve confronting your emotions and anxieties, you may experience initial periods where you are more anxious or emotionally uncomfortable
• It does not address the possible underlying causes of mental health conditions such as an unhappy childhood

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy