Thursday, March 09, 2006

Agoraphobia: Why Cognitive Therapy Helps

Cognitive therapy is effective in treating agoraphobia and other anxiety disorders because of the link between thoughts and feelings. Cognitive therapy is based on the principal that thoughts can lead to feelings, and feelings can lead to physical symptoms.

To give an example, let’s say I was going to an interview for a new job. If I were to start thinking self-defeating thoughts such as, “I probably don’t have the skills to be successful in this new position” or “I will probably be asked questions that I won’t be able to answer” then I would be likely to worry more and feel anxious before the interview. The more anxious and worried I felt before the interview, the more likely I would be to experience physical symptoms like being jittery, having butterflies in my stomach, or freezing up during the interview.

At the same time thoughts can lead to feelings and accompanying physical symptoms, feelings and physical symptoms can reinforce thoughts. Going back to the interview example, if I felt anxious and froze up during the interview, my failed interview could reinforce thoughts that I don’t have what it takes to succeed in a new job. Thoughts, feelings, and physical symptoms can form a vicious cycle of negativity.

People with agoraphobia get caught in these negative thought-feeling-behavior cycles all the time.

Cognitive therapy stops this vicious cycle by challenging “cognitive distortions” and correcting them through a process called “cognitive restructuring.” Put in everyday language, cognitive distortions are just faulty ways of thinking that lead to the irrational fear behind agoraphobia. Cognitive restructuring is just changing the way you think, replacing fear-producing thought patterns with more rational, healthy thinking. Replacing fear-producing thoughts with healthy ones helps to relieve the symptoms of agoraphobia.

4 Comments:

At 11:20 PM, Blogger xumeiqing said...

151205meiqing
nike roshe run
michael kors outlet
beats by dre
air max 95
louis vuitton handbags
coach outlet store online
michael kors handbags
cheap oakley sunglasses
prada outlet
polo ralph lauren
michael kors outlet online
fitflops
michael kors outlet clearance
michaek kors outlet
lebron james shoes 2015
cheap uggs
celine
abercrombie
gucci outlet
michael kors outlet
jordans for sale
michael kors handbags
timberland boots
tory burch outlet
air jordan retro
louis vuitton outlet
ugg boots on sale
cheap oakleys
jordan concords
uggs boots
uggs on sale
ray-ban sunglasses
abercrombie
ugg boots
kate spade handbags
louis vuitton handbags
ugg boots clearance
ugg outlet
canada goose outlet
prada uk

 
At 5:35 PM, Blogger oakleyses said...

polo ralph lauren outlet, kate spade outlet, air max, uggs outlet, michael kors outlet, ray ban sunglasses, nike free, tiffany and co, gucci outlet, tiffany and co, louis vuitton handbags, replica watches, prada outlet, oakley sunglasses, jordan shoes, oakley sunglasses cheap, longchamp outlet, michael kors outlet, longchamp handbags, prada handbags, burberry outlet, louis vuitton outlet, burberry outlet, louboutin outlet, christian louboutin, michael kors outlet, rolex watches, louis vuitton outlet stores, ray ban sunglasses, nike shoes, air max, cheap uggs, oakley sunglasses, ugg boots clearance, longchamp handbags, tory burch outlet, louis vuitton outlet, louboutin, michael kors outlet online sale, ugg outlet, oakley sunglasses, uggs, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, louboutin shoes, polo ralph lauren

 
At 5:38 PM, Blogger oakleyses said...

coach purses, nike free pas cher, air max pas cher, ralph lauren, hollister, polo ralph lauren, sac guess, true religion jeans, ray ban sunglasses, nike tn, michael kors uk, sac hermes, air max, air max, nike roshe run pas cher, true religion outlet, michael kors, coach outlet store online, longchamp, lululemon outlet online, north face, nike free, nike blazer, nike air force, replica handbags, michael kors pas cher, nike roshe, louboutin, nike air max, vanessa bruno, true religion jeans, polo lacoste, converse pas cher, north face, mulberry, vans pas cher, sac longchamp pas cher, sac burberry, ray ban pas cher, air jordan, hollister, coach outlet, kate spade handbags, abercrombie and fitch, hogan outlet, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet, oakley pas cher, new balance pas cher, timberland

 
At 5:42 PM, Blogger oakleyses said...

rolex watches, ugg, canada goose, thomas sabo, sac louis vuitton, moncler, pandora charms, marc jacobs, moncler, louis vuitton uk, swarovski crystal, barbour, canada goose outlet, abercrombie, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, canada goose jackets, barbour, moncler, ugg, pandora charms, louis vuitton, links of london, converse shoes, juicy couture outlet, swarovski, moncler, wedding dresses, hollister, montre homme, moncler, canada goose, supra shoes, gucci, moncler outlet, ugg, toms shoes, juicy couture, moncler, ugg boots, canada goose, pandora jewelry, canada goose uk, karen millen, air max, ray ban, coach outlet store online, converse, canada goose, sac louis vuitton, ugg pas cher, vans, sac lancel, moncler

 

Post a Comment

<< Home