Why CBT is the Best Therapy for Anxiety and Stress
We've all been there. Sat down to dinner with friends or friends only to worry over our to-dos. Laid in bed trying to fall asleep, our minds racing with thoughts of what we did or didn't do right. Turned to social to stay up to date, only to feel overwhelmed.
This type of worrying, it's normal. It's part of what motivates us to change our circumstances and make moves in our lives. But when worry transforms into anxiety, and small anxieties grow into seemingly insurmountable mountains of stress, it may be time to reach out for help.
What is CBT?
Simply put, CBT works on the belief that your feelings are dictated by your interpretation of your experiences. In other words, how you feel and behave are the results of how you think about your circumstances. In order to alleviate your overwhelming emotions (say anxiety,) CBT works on helping you recognize and change negative thoughts or patterns into more positive, realistic, and balanced ones.
Not sure if your worry is just worry?
While there are many different types of CBT, all focus on problem-solving and goals; addressing your stressors, and finding potential solutions to those problems.
Why is CBT Effective for Anxiety and Stress?
For those who struggle with panic attacks, anxiety, stress, social anxiety, or PTSD (among other things) CBT can be particularly helpful. Here are a few reasons why:
CBT Changes Your Thought Patterns
Let's say you're afraid of applying for a new job. You think, "If I leave my current job, I'm 100% not going to get another and no one will ever hire me again. I might hate my current job, but at least I'm safe." CBT helps you recognize that this thought process is overly negative. It helps you recognize these "thought traps" and encourages you to think of other possibilities that are not as dire or black and white. For example, "If I apply for a new job, I might not get it, but there are plenty of other opportunities for me and I will most likely be hired by someone."
CBT Challenges You and Your Behavior
If it's right for you, sometimes exposure therapy, a type of CBT, is used to help confront unnecessary fears or anxieties. When we continually avoid our anxieties, those anxieties tend to grow. Let’s say you're overwhelmed by the thought of attending a large social event. You think, "If I go out, everyone will judge me. Everyone will notice how awkward I am. I'll ruin the party." If you continue to avoid social situations or outings, you may continue to think and feel this way.
Exposure therapy encourages you to slowly expose yourself to these stress-inducing situations. In this situation, maybe you try to go out, just for 30 minutes. In these 30 minutes, you may recognize that you aren't being harassed or judged, that the event isn't falling apart because of you, and that maybe, just maybe, you're enjoying yourself. After repeat exposures, you may feel less anxious about these situations and may be encouraged to take part in situations that you wanted to run away from.
CBT Renews Your Self-Confidence
As a result of helping change your thought and behavioral patterns, CBT can help your self-esteem flourish. Anxiety can cripple your self-confidence, as we all know. It makes us second-guess ourselves, critically talk to ourselves, and set impossible standards for ourselves and those around us. By changing our thoughts, and thus our behaviors, we start to have confidence in ourselves again. "I can go to a family dinner and have a good time. People enjoy my company," or "I am skilled enough for a new job and it's worth my happiness to try."
CBT Changes Your Mindset
Oftentimes when we’re struggling with stress and/or anxiety, we get stuck in what’s called either/or thinking, or Black-or-White thinking. For example, a person stuck in either/or thinking might think “My friend who works two jobs and goes to school never stresses. I should be handling my single job better.” Either/or thinking leads us to believe that it’s all or nothing; that we can only feel one thing in certain situations and that everyone’s experiences are the same.
CBT helps us to recognize both/and thinking. That there can be multiple thoughts and emotions behind an experience and that life is more nuanced than just black and white. “It’s ok for me to feel stressed with my workload. Maybe my friend is struggling with hers in different ways.” Either/or thinking allows for multiple emotions at the same time, that everyone’s pain is valid, and that everyone’s experiences, including your own, shouldn’t be judged.
CBT Improves Your Outlook on Life
For those struggling with anxiety and stress, seeing the good in life may be hard. Physical manifestations of anxiety, like a racing heart, sweaty palms, or upset stomach, can inhibit you greatly, not to mention the emotional turbulence that goes with it all. Through CBT, you can begin to see your future in a more balanced, rational, and positive light. You can begin to think logically. Instead of "I'll never find a good relationship again," you can know and think, "I will find love again. And I know nothing terrible will happen to me if I put myself out there again."
CBT Therapist in Charlotte, NC
If you struggle with anxiety or stress and find that it's made life a living nightmare, then please know that I'm here to help. As a therapist who offers cognitive behavioral therapy, I take pride in:
helping my clients recognize their distortive thoughts and how those thoughts may be affecting their lives
encouraging them to reevaluate those thoughts and gain a better understanding of their behavior
developing problem-solving skills that will help them cope with anxiety-inducing situations
helping them face their anxiety and conquer their fears
and ultimately grow their confidence to live a brave and meaningful life.
If you're a resident of North Carolina, I encourage you to reach out and learn more about how CBT may be right for you. Anxiety and stress shouldn’t limit your life any longer.
Take care,
Cheryl D. Perry MA LCMHCA NCC
I would like to be clear that this blog post is not intended to substitute for professional counseling. If you are in need of support, please consider speaking to a professional counselor.
