General

Which Conditions Benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Although cognitive behavioral therapy is ultimately concerned with thought and behaviour change, it is also helpful with various health conditions. Therapists who use cognitive behavioral therapy often assess the patient to find the reason behind the behaviour and possibly health conditions associated with the behavioral pattern. 

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar is also known as manic depression. People who are bipolar suffer strained relationships because those around them do not know what mood they will be dealing with from one moment to the next. 

People suffering from bipolar have periods when they are happy, energized, and content. During this period, they are easy to be around because they radiate positive energy. Unfortunately, this changes when their mood changes to sadness and helplessness. Some people with bipolar have erratic thoughts that sway between positive and negative. 

Unfortunately, someone bipolar disorder is a lifetime condition that can only be managed by medication and therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy in Singapore is one of the recommended therapies for people going through fluctuating emotions. 

This therapy helps those with bipolar disorder acknowledge their condition and find ways to cope without making everyone around them miserable. Therapists train those with bipolar to switch to positive thoughts when they start having negative thoughts and emotions. 

Anger issues

Do you find yourself regretting your anger outbursts but feel you have no control over your emotions? Cognitive behavioral therapy Singapore will help you analyze your emotions and the reasons behind your outbursts. 

In some cases, the anger outbursts may be linked to negative thoughts and perceptions. For example, you may constantly react in anger because you assume that the person who has wronged you did so with ill intention. Even in cases where one makes a genuine mistake, you’d angrily react because you assume they acted with ill motive. 

When you visit a therapist, you may need to dig deep to find the cause of your anger outbursts. You may also need to analyze the impact of your anger on yourself and those around you. 

Anger can be dangerous, especially if one is likely to become violent when overwhelmed. A therapist’s job is to make sure you never reach the point where you do something regrettable. You can learn to walk away from a situation and only deal with the issue when you are calm.

Alternatively, the therapist can guide you to use various techniques to slow the impending anger outburst. For example, breathing exercises and journaling your emotions are productive techniques that help people with anger issues. 

Eating disorders

Most eating disorders are associated with negative thoughts and emotions. People suffering from bulimia and anorexia often develop these eating disorders in their teenage years. Worries about becoming overweight cause anorexics to limit their food intake, while those with bulimia turn binge eating for comfort. 

If left unchecked, these eating disorders continue into adulthood. Eating disorders are often linked to a lack of control and low esteem. Cognitive behavioral therapy Singapore will analyze where the problem started. 

Why does the anorexic believe she is overweight, yet she is underweight? What does her fear of weight gain come from? The therapists will work with the patient to assess her emotions. The patient will then be trained on having a positive mindset towards food without going overboard towards binge eating. 

Personality disorders

People with personality disorders find it difficult to function optimally in society. Some don’t even know that they are the ones with the problem. Cognitive behavioral therapy Singapore seeks to make people with personality disorders aware of their shortcomings. 

Some common personality disorders include narcissistic personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anti-social personality disorder. 

While the person with a personality disorder is most in need of therapy, it may be necessary for friends and family to be involved. Personality disorders are not easy to control, so people who are in constant contact with the person with the disorder need to appreciate the challenges and how best to relate with the person. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful with many other health conditions and disorders. Therapists often work with medical doctors to ensure the patient has the best chance possible to cope with these conditions.