Which Mental Health Disorders Can CBT Help?

One of the most common forms of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioural therapy, known as CBT. It's a popular approach for treating many mental health disorders and is often used in conjunction with other treatments. It can even benefit those who don't have diagnosed mental conditions, showing anyone how to tackle challenges healthily.

What is CBT?

CBT is a form of talk therapy conducted with a mental health counsellor. Generally, therapists will create a schedule including a limited number of sessions. It's not a perpetual treatment like standard talk therapy. Instead, mental health experts create a structured plan involving as many as 20 sessions lasting up to an hour each.

During these sessions, your therapist will work with you to change your habit of negative thinking. It's about making you more aware of negative thoughts surrounding challenging situations and how they can affect your mental health. The goal is to change your perspective, allowing you to approach those scenarios more clearly and helping you respond to them more effectively.

Cognitive behavioural therapy works well for many individuals because it quickly helps you identify and cope with your unique challenges. It's more structured, teaching you better ways to manage life's stresses, overcome emotional trauma, avoid mental health relapse and more.

What Can CBT Treat?

CBT is a good choice for many conditions. While everyone responds differently to this therapy, it can make a genuine difference for people suffering from various issues. In many cases, CBT alone can be a game-changer. In others, it's used to complement other forms of treatment, such as medication.

It's commonly utilized to treat depression and anxiety. Therapists also use it to address phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorders, substance abuse and more. It's even successful in managing conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

There are very few risks with CBT. It can be uncomfortable at times and requires you to confront emotions that you want to put on the back burner. But once you make a breakthrough, CBT can improve your life in many ways.

Read a similar article about therapist for tourette syndrome here at this page.

Understanding the Different Forms of Self-Harm

Self-harm is a serious issue that plagues teens and young adults more than people realize. An estimated 30 per cent of teen girls and 10 per cent of teen boys say they've harmed themselves intentionally.

But why do they do it?

Self-Harm Explored

Contrary to popular belief, this issue is not a form of mental illness. When patients see a self harm counsellor, they often talk about it as a coping mechanism. For many individuals, it's a way to reclaim control of one's life after dealing with mental issues like depression and anxiety.

It's a way to feel something after the numbness of those battles. It's associated with mental illness, but many view it as more of a compulsive coping mechanism than anything else.

Self-harm is usually a personal behaviour, but it can also become a way of bonding with others. Unfortunately, it can also result in more extreme actions and suicide attempts.

Types of Self Harm

The most common form of self-harm is cutting. When this occurs, individuals will use box blades, knives, and other sharp objects to cut their bodies. Cuts typically occur on the wrist or arm. Despite how it looks, it's not always a suicide attempt. These wounds are often deep enough to draw blood but superficial enough not to cut veins.

Beyond cutting, self-harm can include a myriad of behaviours.

Other forms include:

• Hitting or punching walls
• Picking scabs
• Piercing the skin repeatedly
• Snapping bands or cords
• Over-exercise
• Unsafe sex
• Picking fights
• Excessive drinking
• Experimenting with drugs
• Pulling hair

Identifying Signs of Self-Harm

When do you know that a child or loved one needs to seek help from a self harm counsellor? This behaviour is often well-hidden, so you must pay attention to spot the symptoms.

Self-inflicted injuries typically leave behind scars and marks. You might notice blood stains on clothes, unexplained markings, and other odd spots. Individuals will also go to great lengths to hide the results of their behaviours. That may involve wearing long-sleeve clothing when it's hot out, using objects to cover parts of their body, etc.

Read a similar article about LGBTQ counsellor here at this page.

How Effective is Couples Counselling?

Being in a relationship, whether that means a marriage or just dating, can be an incredibly fulfilling part of your life, but no relationship is perfect. Even the best of partners end up in squabbles from time to time, and this is simply a natural part of spending your life with someone.

Unfortunately, some squabbles turn into ongoing fighting, and when left unresolved, these incidents have a way of driving a wedge between two people. Over time, they can even lead to the demise of a marriage or relationship. Because of this, many couples turn to counselling for help, but is couples counselling effective?

Putting in the Effort

Couples counselling can be very effective, but to make the most of your time with a counsellor, both people in a relationship need to be committed to the idea of making things work. If both people aren’t committed to the counselling process, results may not be as effective as they would have been otherwise.

For counselling to be effective, behaviours often need to change. If you’re seeking help through infidelity counselling, you aren’t going to get anywhere if the person committing infidelity is unwilling to change their ways. Infidelity counselling in particular requires that total honesty and a solid commitment to changing behaviours be in place to be effective.

Work With a Couple's Counsellor

It’s also important to work with a dedicated couple's counsellor. While you and your spouse or dating partner may be able to find help through working with a general therapist, a couple's counsellor is more likely to be able to provide specific guidance regarding issues that couples face.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to interview counsellors before agreeing to counselling. You want to make sure that the counsellor you and your partner select is someone who shares your same values and ideals. With that stated, you also want to make sure you receive honest advice and guidance rather than just receiving advice that you want to hear. The goal of couples counselling is to introduce an objective opinion based on impartial judgment.

Read a similar article about counselling for hypochondria here at this page.

Top Ten Ways to Improve Your Online Booking Page Accessibility

It’s no secret that the internet is a powerful resource for taking bookings. In fact, many people use it as their first port of call to find a service such as a haircut, or a doctor’s appointment. Whilst online appointment scheduling is mostly easier than booking over the phone or waiting in line, it’s often a completely different story for someone with a disability. That’s why improving your website accessibility is so vital read more

Why You Should See a Psychiatrist if You Have Anxiety

Everyone experiences anxiety, but that doesn't mean you should just "suck it up." Anxious thoughts can have a strong chokehold on your life, preventing you from reaching your full potential. It's heavy baggage that you should never ignore.

Don't struggle in silence. If you're dealing with mental health problems, seek psychiatric care and see an anxiety counsellor. Professionals can provide the support you need, helping you manage your emotions and take care of your mental well-being. Here's how.

Getting a Proper Diagnosis

When you see a psychiatrist, they'll likely recommend a complete psychological evaluation. Going through this process may feel daunting, but it's necessary if you want to move in the right direction and get the care you need. The diagnostic process often involves in-depth discussions about your feelings and what you're going through.

From there, the psychiatrist can better understand the issues you're facing. They may uncover mental health problems you never realised you were battling. The first step in getting proper care is understanding what you're up against.

Finding the Right Treatment

There are many ways to treat anxiety disorders. Once your care provider knows what you're dealing with, they can recommend treatment options to help you improve.

Psychotherapy with an anxiety counsellor is one of the most common forms of treatment available. Also known as "talk therapy," this treatment can be surprisingly effective. Seasoned therapists might use cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to teach you how to manage your emotions.

Therapists equip you with the skills you need to confront any anxiety-inducing scenario, empowering you to face your fears and move forward. It's about learning to manage every situation and changing your approach to tackling anxiety.

Some psychiatrists may also recommend medication. While not always necessary, medications can address deep-rooted mental health problems and manage unwanted symptoms of an anxiety disorder.

Old stigmas about mental health still exist, but they should never be an excuse not to take care of yourself. See a psychiatrist and get all the support you need to get better.

Read a similar article about domestic violence counsellor here at this page.

What Causes Paranoia?

The term "paranoia" is one that many people throw around like it's nothing. While mild paranoia is common among the general population, this state of mind can have a debilitating effect on a person's life. It can be a long-term problem exacerbated by lifestyle, mental health troubles, and more.

But what causes paranoia?

What is Paranoia?

First, let's go over what paranoia is and isn't. Contrary to popular belief, this issue is not a mental health condition. It can directly impact mental disorders, but experts don't view it as such. Instead, it's a state of mind.

When you get paranoia counselling, professionals help you overcome irrational beliefs that you're being threatened. Your state of mind could lead you to believe someone is coming for you, causing harm or exploitation.

The Causes of Paranoia

There's no single cause of paranoia. It's a complex way of thinking, and people often get to this point after their ability to see the reasoning in events surrounding their life diminishes. For most people, it's not a sudden issue. It develops over time.

As mentioned earlier, mild paranoia is widespread. But those thoughts typically go away, and the irrational thinking resolves itself. However, those that suffer from paranoia long-term may have to grapple with its effects for far longer.

Researchers believe paranoia could stem from genetics and hormonal changes in the brain. It may even be a result of traumatic events a person witnesses. In all likelihood, it's a combination of factors that create the perfect storm of irrational thinking and the inability to assign meaning to everyday events.

Mental Health Disorders and Paranoia

Part of paranoia counselling is getting to the root of the problem. In doing so, therapists might conclude that another mental health struggle exacerbates your paranoid thoughts.

Many conditions can create paranoia. For example, it's a common symptom of paranoid personality disorder, delusional disorder, and schizophrenia.

Getting Help

Whether you see symptoms of paranoia in a loved one or yourself, don't hesitate to seek professional help. Working through your thoughts is the only way to overcome this state of mind. Therapists are there to lend a listening ear and guide you back to reality.

Read a similar article about counselling for PTSD here at this page.

How CBT Helps with Body Image Issues

In the age of social media, body image issues are more widespread than ever. It's not a minor problem, either. Negative body image can lead to low self-esteem and pave the way for even more significant concerns like eating disorders and mental health troubles.

Fortunately, there are ways to get help. Body image counselling promotes acceptance, helping individuals overcome their issues and develop a more positive body image. It provides support and can be life-changing. There are many counselling approaches, but one of the most common is CBT.

CBT and Body Image

CBT stands for cognitive behaviour therapy. It's a popular therapy technique that applies to many conditions. The goal is to identify negative thought patterns, understand their connection to an individual's issues, and take steps to combat the norm for a healthier outlook.

For body image problems, CBT is a game-changer. It starts with understanding how a person looks at themselves and spotting moments when they become self-sabotaging. For example, someone might have specific triggers that begin the cycle of self-criticism. That could be looking at social media and comparing an influencer's looks with theirs, or it might stem from bad experiences shopping for clothes.

Whatever the case, learning what those triggers are is half the battle. Knowing what causes self-criticism empowers an individual to make a chance.

During body image counselling, people learn how to silence that self-saboteur. They adopt techniques to shift their mindset, fighting back against the negative thoughts to be mindful and positive. Like any other mental health issue, overcoming negative body image takes time. But regular CBT can make a big difference.

Putting Things Into Perspective

Contrary to popular belief, inundating a person who deals with body image issues with compliments isn't the best approach. It only reinforces the importance of looks, and despite the good intentions, it may come off as insincere.

Body image and concepts of beauty are all subjective. It's important to acknowledge someone's feelings and encourage them to get help. Body image problems are more complex than they seem at the surface level, and the best way to address them is with the guidance of an experienced therapist.

Read a similar article about weight loss counselling here at this page.