Cognitive Therapy & Food Addiction
Cognitive Therapy & Food Addiction
Cognitive therapists employ a number of techniques.
One of these is cognitive restructuring. Developed out
of the rational-emotive therapy of Albert Ellis, cognitive
restructuring calls the client 's attention to the unrealistic
thoughts that serve as cues for his or her maladaptive
behavior. The therapist helps clients review their
irrational beliefs and expectations and develop more rational
ways of looking at their issues.
For example, many people with anxiety disorders
or food addiction are perfectionists who expect
too much of themselves and others and become
overly emotional when their unattainable goals are not
realized. During therapy sessions emphasis is placed on
how the irrational things that people say to themselves
can affect their emotions and behavior. By means of
cognitive restructuring, people develop more
realistic appraisals of themselves and others.
For example, when taking an exam a person might
think: "This test is hard. Everyone else seems to think
it 's going to be simple. They all must know a lot more
than I do ." Such thoughts are likely to lead to a high
degree of anxiety. A cognitive therapist would help this
client concentrate on a more adaptive type of thought,
such as: "I studied hard. I'll just try to answer one question
at a time. If I don't know the answer, I'll go on to
the next one . No reason for panic. Even people who do
well don't know the answer to every question ."
Thought stopping is another cognitive technique.
The assumption that a sudden distracting
stimulus, such as an unpleasant noise, will serve to
terminate obsessional thought. The client is asked to get
the thought firmly in mind, then the therapist loudly
says "Stop!" This sequence-obsessional thought followed
by "Stop!" is repeated several times with the
client, rather than the therapist, yelling "Stop!" Finally,
the client simply mentally says "Stop!" If it is successful,
this procedure provides the client with a specific self control
technique for removing an obsessional thought
when it occurs.
A third cognitive technique is cognitive rehearsal,
through which the client can mentally rehearse adaptive
approaches to problematic situations. Rehearsal
is particularly useful for problems that cannot be
conveniently simulated in a clinical setting.
Another example, behavioral rehearsal of social skills
by socially phobic individuals requires the
presence of a large group of people.
However, someone who suffers from a social phobia
can imagine being in a group and can mentally
rehearse behaviors and internal statements designed to
improve his or her interpersonal relation ships.
Aaron Beck has developed one of the most influential
types of cognitive therapy (Beck and Emery, 1995).
He believes that the core psychological problem
in anxiety disorders is a vulnerability that grows out of
the individual's tendency to devalue his or her problem
solving ability as well as to exaggerate the degree of
threat in a problematic situation. Such an individual
perceives anxiety-provoking threats to social relationships,
freedom, and self-identity.
Beck's cognitive therapy typically consists of five
to twenty sessions. A minimal amount of time is spent
acquiring background information, searching for the
original causes of anxiety, or engaging in unfocused
conversation with the patient. Most of the therapy is
task-oriented, being devoted to solving problems
brought up by the patient. The therapist encourages the
patient to talk openly about his or her fears and concerns,
and conveys empathy for the patient's anxiety.
The Socratic method is used to help the patient become
aware of what his or her thoughts are, examine them
for cognitive distortions, and substitute more realistic
thoughts. Three steps are involved in cognitive therapy:
conceptualizing the patient's problem, (2) choosing
strategies and tactics to deal with the problem, and
(3) the effectiveness of those strategies and tactics.
In a sense, Beck is arguing that each of us has an
inner voice.:....When that voice interferes to function
adequately, the unproductive thoughts that result
must be replaced by productive ones.
Cognitive therapists employ a number of techniques.
One of these is cognitive restructuring. Developed out
of the rational-emotive therapy of Albert Ellis, cognitive
restructuring calls the client 's attention to the unrealistic
thoughts that serve as cues for his or her maladaptive
behavior. The therapist helps clients review their
irrational beliefs and expectations and develop more rational
ways of looking at their issues.
For example, many people with anxiety disorders
or food addiction are perfectionists who expect
too much of themselves and others and become
overly emotional when their unattainable goals are not
realized. During therapy sessions emphasis is placed on
how the irrational things that people say to themselves
can affect their emotions and behavior. By means of
cognitive restructuring, people develop more
realistic appraisals of themselves and others.
For example, when taking an exam a person might
think: "This test is hard. Everyone else seems to think
it 's going to be simple. They all must know a lot more
than I do ." Such thoughts are likely to lead to a high
degree of anxiety. A cognitive therapist would help this
client concentrate on a more adaptive type of thought,
such as: "I studied hard. I'll just try to answer one question
at a time. If I don't know the answer, I'll go on to
the next one . No reason for panic. Even people who do
well don't know the answer to every question ."
Thought stopping is another cognitive technique.
The assumption that a sudden distracting
stimulus, such as an unpleasant noise, will serve to
terminate obsessional thought. The client is asked to get
the thought firmly in mind, then the therapist loudly
says "Stop!" This sequence-obsessional thought followed
by "Stop!" is repeated several times with the
client, rather than the therapist, yelling "Stop!" Finally,
the client simply mentally says "Stop!" If it is successful,
this procedure provides the client with a specific self control
technique for removing an obsessional thought
when it occurs.
A third cognitive technique is cognitive rehearsal,
through which the client can mentally rehearse adaptive
approaches to problematic situations. Rehearsal
is particularly useful for problems that cannot be
conveniently simulated in a clinical setting.
Another example, behavioral rehearsal of social skills
by socially phobic individuals requires the
presence of a large group of people.
However, someone who suffers from a social phobia
can imagine being in a group and can mentally
rehearse behaviors and internal statements designed to
improve his or her interpersonal relation ships.
Aaron Beck has developed one of the most influential
types of cognitive therapy (Beck and Emery, 1995).
He believes that the core psychological problem
in anxiety disorders is a vulnerability that grows out of
the individual's tendency to devalue his or her problem
solving ability as well as to exaggerate the degree of
threat in a problematic situation. Such an individual
perceives anxiety-provoking threats to social relationships,
freedom, and self-identity.
Beck's cognitive therapy typically consists of five
to twenty sessions. A minimal amount of time is spent
acquiring background information, searching for the
original causes of anxiety, or engaging in unfocused
conversation with the patient. Most of the therapy is
task-oriented, being devoted to solving problems
brought up by the patient. The therapist encourages the
patient to talk openly about his or her fears and concerns,
and conveys empathy for the patient's anxiety.
The Socratic method is used to help the patient become
aware of what his or her thoughts are, examine them
for cognitive distortions, and substitute more realistic
thoughts. Three steps are involved in cognitive therapy:
conceptualizing the patient's problem, (2) choosing
strategies and tactics to deal with the problem, and
(3) the effectiveness of those strategies and tactics.
In a sense, Beck is arguing that each of us has an
inner voice.:....When that voice interferes to function
adequately, the unproductive thoughts that result
must be replaced by productive ones.
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I encourage you to access this website for treatment here: http://www.TheLiberatorMethod.com/