According to the cognitive-behavioral theory on which this therapy is based, the patient's problems and disease symptoms are related to disrupted thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that are in a causal relationship with past
life experiences.
Cognitive processes. man's external world; It enables him to understand the events happening around him, his own life and relationships
. In this respect, the cognitive structure can be likened to a subjective filter that a person uses to observe and evaluate the outside world. A person perceives the world, that is, the people, events, and situations around him/her, and then gives meaning to them and makes interpretations. When the basic assumptions and beliefs in the cognitive structure that determine a person's way of looking at the world and his/her interpretations are distorted or functionally damaged, the person begins to experience problems. Accordingly, the problems people experience are largely due to the distortion of reality as a result of wrong
assumptions and evaluations. In other words, the emotional
distress that disturbs people does not arise directly from the events and experiences themselves, but from the way they are perceived and evaluated
. Cognitive therapy tries to replace these problematic forms of meaning and interpretation with ones that are more compatible with reality and more functional.
According to cognitive theory, disease symptoms occur as a result of dysfunctional cognitions. According to this theory, if problematic behaviors that are also symptoms of disease (for example, washing hands too frequently) are prevented and if dysfunctional (wrong) beliefs about these behaviors are changed, the patient's symptoms will disappear. For this reason, while trying to improve thoughts and feelings during the sessions, the patient is asked to do some practices (homework) and avoid problematic behaviors in the periods between sessions.
In cognitive behavioral therapy, problematic thoughts and beliefs are eliminated during the therapy process. It is believed that if it can be changed in a positive direction, negative emotions and behaviors will improve. In addition, “behaviorist” techniques are particularly effective in some problems, such as in the treatment of specific phobia. For example, by comparing the individual with the feared situation or object step by step, this object or such as ensuring that the patient is desensitized to the situation and that he/she no longer creates an anxiety
reaction.
Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, anxiety disorders (panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, post-traumatic
stress disorder, health anxiety). ), is very useful in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder, depressive disorder and sexual dysfunction
disorders. Apart from these, some of the other conditions in which it is used are problems such as
hypochondriasis (disease), exam anxiety, eating disorders/obesity, smoking addiction,
internet/computer addiction, gambling addiction.
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