It’s no secret that the mental health of the nation has been steadily worsening over the past few years, with the number of people seeking help with their mental wellbeing increasing year on year.
There was an increase of 33% in referrals for mental health in just 4 years in England alone, suggesting that issues relating to mental health are sharply on the rise.
With so many reasons for this spike, it is impossible to pinpoint just one issue, but factors like economic insecurity, work-related stress, social media pressure, lifestyle decisions and addiction all play a part.
It can be hard to know where to turn when the pressures of life get too much, and with more people on NHS mental health waiting lists than ever before it is taking longer to get the treatment you need.
In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can find the help you need quickly with tried-and-tested CBT techniques.
What is CBT?
CBT stands for cognitive behavioral therapy and it is an effective form of mental health treatment used by both the NHS and private practices to help individuals.
CBT is often referred to as ‘talking therapy’ because it involves speaking with a therapist to help you understand the ways that you think and act about certain aspects of your life, and gain a deeper understanding of the way you behave and feel the way you do.
When you begin to open up about how you think and feel about things, a therapist can guide you in working through the root of negative beliefs and thought patterns which may have led to the mental health issues you’re currently burdened with.
What kind of mental health issues can CBT help?
CBT is used with a wide variety of mental health issues including, but not limited to stress, anxiety & panic attacks, depression, work or family related stress, low self-esteem, sleep issues / insomnia, anger management, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder – OCD, trauma, phobias.
If you’re currently experiencing difficulty with any of the above, check out our top CBT techniques below.
Five CBT Techniques to help your mental health
Professional help is always available if you’re going through a tough time, but there are many things that you can do yourself, or with a friend or family member, to improve your mental health.
Here, we’ll take a look at 5 of the best ways to give your mind a boost.
1. Thought Reframing
Wrong thinking is an issue that affects everyone in one way or another, and it’s only natural to feel a sense of anxiety or worry from time to time.
However, when these negative thoughts dominate your thinking patterns, it can quickly become a burden.
The trick with thought reframing is to identify those negative thoughts, understand where they’re coming from, and reframe them in a positive light.
2. Activity Scheduling
Sometimes it’s not thoughts, but actions that can harm our mental health.
With this type of technique, also known as behaviour activation, you schedule certain times of the day or week to do things which make you anxious so you can prepare appropriately for them.
These can be written in a diary or in a calendar, and form a to-do list that helps you build structure and face your unavoidable stressors head-on, taking charge of them.
3. Being realistic and rational
This technique helps you by focusing on the facts of a matter, not just how you perceive it.
For example, if you’re worried about driving, think about how many times you’ve driven on the motorway and how many times resulted in an accident. It will always be much less than you think.
This irrational basis for your thought patterns can easily be counteracted when you weigh the odds and realise that your fears may actually be unsubstantiated.
4. Journaling
Recording your thoughts, feelings and emotions in a diary or online is an excellent way to look at your problems from a new angle.
You’ll begin to discover patterns you never know existed, and see if there are any key triggers for your behaviour and thoughts.
We recommend anyone suffering from a mental health issue to put their life experiences down in writing as sometimes all it takes is opening up to find new pathways to peace.
5. Break down your tasks
This is a CBT technique known as successive approximation, and it is all about breaking down tasks you find frightening or stressful into smaller chunks.
These manageable steps can be taken one at a time until you have the confidence to approach the situation fully each time.
If you feel anxiety about a situation, try to think about the reasons you are feeling this way and then combat them one by one.
Get started on your journey to better mental health
If you’re currently suffering from mental health issues, we know exactly how difficult it can be, but reaching out for help is the very first step to getting you back on track.
The techniques outlined in this article are a great starting point, but if you would like to speak with a trained CBT Therapist in London, Wellbeing Centre London can help.
Our services cover both, online talking therapy with one of our friendly team members, or a face-to-face appointment if you live in a close proximity to Putney and Fulham area, SW London.
Give us a call on 07942 626960 or 0800 8611 239, or reach out to us by email at contact@wellbeingcentrelondon.com
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