Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety: How Does It Work?

If someone is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, chances are they’ll be encouraged to start a specific kind of therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT. What they might not understand is what, exactly, this entails — or why it’s widely considered to be an effective, safe way of helping people get control over the many varieties of anxiety disorders. Before we explain the basics of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety or how it fits into WhiteSands Treatment’s various therapy programs for addiction and mental health disorders, let’s explore the basics of CBT.

The American Psychological Association describes this particular type of psychotherapy as a psychological treatment that operates on these main assumptions:

• At least in part, psychological problems stem from “faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking.”
• Psychological problems also partially owe to “learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.”

By guiding patients to identify and then change these “faulty” or “unhelpful” thought patterns and behaviors, CBT can help them get relief from their psychological problems, such as anxiety, while also being better equipped to handle future challenges or problems.

Can Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Treat Anxiety?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety is one of the most common options for treating depression and anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s also a cornerstone of inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment programs, such as those offered at WhiteSands Treatment.

Because anxiety disorders center on excessive or irrational fear, dread, or concern about things that could happen, cognitive-behavioral therapy can help people pinpoint these unhelpful patterns of thought — and learn how to change these thoughts and beliefs for the better.

What Are the Coping Mechanisms of CBT for Anxiety?

Because cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety focuses on helping patients identify distorted thought patterns and beliefs — and then works to help change those patterns — people who undergo this treatment can learn new coping mechanisms to deal with their anxiety going forward.

In addition to seeking professional help with CBT or another form of therapy and consulting with a doctor to see if medication should also be taken, there are general tips that can help people cope with an anxiety disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic Health System:

• Get Active: Make it a point to be physically active as much as possible. Exercise can relieve stress and improve your mood (and lead to so many other health benefits). 
• Avoid Drugs and Alcohol: Anxiety will just get worse if you’re trying to self-medicate with drinks or other substances. Also, because nicotine and caffeine can make anxiety worse, try to quit smoking or vaping and cut back on coffee and other caffeinated beverages.
• Focus on Your Health: Get enough sleep and try your best to stick to a healthy diet because both may help reduce anxiety.
• Manage Your Stress: Try activities like meditation or yoga to relax and ease anxiety symptoms.
• Learn About Your Triggers: Everyone has certain things or people that can make them more anxious. Figure out what those are so you can avoid them as much as possible.

How Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Can Help with Anxiety

The various strategies of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety can help people get a handle on anxiety disorders, according to the American Psychological Association. For example, learning to change thought patterns that are causing psychological distress can make everyday life less distressing. New problem-solving skills and coping mechanisms can help patients avoid strong, emotional reactions to future challenges and regular stress inherent in their lives. 

The use of CBT may especially benefit people with specific anxiety disorders like phobias and social anxiety disorder. Role-playing and exposure therapy can help people with a fear of flying get used to the stimuli of being on a plane and, therefore, reduce how strongly they react to flights, for example. Calming and relaxation techniques can help people who are starting to feel anxious calm themselves down during tense situations as well.

How Effective is CBT in Treating Anxiety Disorders?

There’s a short-and-sweet answer to the question of how effective CBT is for treating anxiety disorders: Very effective. However, accurately measuring that effectiveness is a bit more complicated.

While it’s considered the gold standard of anxiety treatment options, a systematic review of 69 clinical trials relating to cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders found that more research is needed to determine just how powerful this treatment is in the long term. Moderate symptom reductions were noted for anxiety disorders until one year after treatment was completed; after that, the 2019 review found lingering benefits in symptom reduction for some disorders but not all. According to the meta-analysis, these findings indicate the need for more long-term effect studies. Even so, it’s clear, based on anecdotal evidence and decades of experience, that cognitive-behavioral therapy is a powerful and effective way of helping people with anxiety disorders.

WhiteSands Treatment Provides Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety

WhiteSands Treatment is proud to offer a comprehensive set of programs and options for treating addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety in its network of facilities. Our expert team can provide cognitive-behavioral therapy in Florida and other important sources of help, such as inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment options, dual diagnosis treatment programs, and aftercare planning and support, to the people who turn to us for help. If you’re ready to put anxiety and addiction behind you for good, don’t wait to call us at 877-855-3470. Let’s get started on the road to recovery together with the best cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety.

External Sources

• JAMA Network — Long-Term Outcomes of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety-Related Disorders
• American Psychological Association — What Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Mayo Clinic Health System — 11 Tips for Coping with an Anxiety Disorder

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.