CBT Behaviour Therapy For Anxiety & Mood Disorders
While feelings of anxiety or a change in mood are a common response to a situation where we feel stressed, these emotions usually pass once the pressure has been removed.
However, if these stressful feelings or thoughts become prolonged and overwhelming, it can become difficult to cope with everyday life, which could be a sign that the individual is experiencing anxiety or a mood disorder.
How therapy can help
Living with anxiety or a mood disorder can be particularly challenging but there is an evidence-based therapy that is designed to help alleviate and manage the symptoms. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a successful option for treating individuals with anxiety, or those experiencing cycles of moods that range from elation to depression. One element of CBT that is especially effective is behaviour therapy.
Behaviour Therapy For Anxiety & Mood Disorders
Behaviour therapy is centred on discovering and encouraging activities that the individual finds inspiring or rewarding. Unlike traditional CBT methods it does not focus on thoughts and beliefs, but instead explores the theory that patterns of worry and mood changes can be altered by activities that give the person pleasure or a sense of achievement.
A qualified practitioner in behaviour therapy will work with their client to gradually increase their participation in activities they previously enjoyed but may no longer participate in because of their condition. Small things such as walking the dog or meeting a friend for coffee are encouraged, as is partaking in a new hobby or activity to help to regulate their mood.
Over time, it is possible to involve the sufferer with more challenging tasks, and as their confidence and engagement levels increase, the mood swings and anxiety the person was experiencing will begin to decrease.
Start the journey to a life free from anxiety
No one should feel they have to live with their anxieties or suffer in silence. Help is available and, although taking the first step can be daunting, there is no need for anyone to feel trapped or isolated by their anxiety or mood disorder.
Jamie Dempsey is a qualified and accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with the British Association for Behavioural Psychotherapies (BABCP: 090911). He has proven experience in helping clients understand how changes in behaviour can help them to move away from a life ruled by anxiety and look forward to a more confident and fulfilled future.
