There are many types of therapy that can help you improve the quality of your life, and one such form of therapy is behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy is not one type of therapy, but instead an umbrella for a handful of therapies that are usually involved with treating mental health problems. The function of behavioral therapy is to change unhealthy behaviors associated with the mental illness. In this post, we will look at the types of behavioral therapy and what they can do for you.
Cognitive Behavioral TherapyÂ
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, involves looking at how your behaviors and thoughts will change your actions and how you feel. CBT involves changing your thinking and behaviors so that they give positive results instead of spreading negativity.
There is another form of CBT called CBT play therapy. This is typically involved with children. The children play, and the therapist sees how child expresses themselves. The child may play with the toys, draw a picture, play with friends, or play alone. This can help the parents play with their child and be on the same wavelength as their child.
System DesensitizationÂ
This therapy is great for certain phobias. Everyone wants to conquer their fears, and the best way to do so is through therapy. In this therapy, the behaviors your exhibit when you are faced with a fear is replaced with more positive ones. If you experience anxiety when faced with a fear, you’re taught to instead relax. After that, you will be exposed to whatever it is you fear, and it will be gradual so that you adjust.Â
Aversion TherapyÂ
If you’re having problems with drug or alcohol addiction, aversion therapy can help. A therapist’s job in aversion therapy is to make you associate something you’re addicted to with something you hate. If you have a bad childhood memory, the therapist may try to link the memory with the substance you’re addicted to, making you less likely to want to consume the substance.
What Behavioral Therapy TreatsÂ
Besides the above, here are some problems behavioral therapy can treat.Â
- Anger management issues
- Depression and anxiety
- Eating disorders
- PTSD
- Bipolar disorder
- ADHD
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thoughts
- OCD
These are just a few problems that behavioral therapy may be able to treat. If you’re having problems with any of these, consider a therapist.Â
Is it Effective?
As you may imagine, these therapies are quite effective in helping to reduce undesired behaviors. About 3/4s of clients end up satisfied. You can have a higher chance of satisfaction by attending sessions regularly and committing to the therapy. Some people think that they are ready after one session, and this ends up being a mistake.
Behavioral Therapy and Online TherapyÂ
Thanks to the Internet, receiving behavioral therapy is easier than ever. There are many services out there such as BetterHelp that allow you to receive the therapy you need. These online services work around your own schedule, and you can talk to them anywhere. If you’re in an area where you can’t speak, you can text. If you’re at home, you can have a fruitful video chat. There are numerous ways you can communicate, which makes it even better.Â
It’s hard to change your behaviors. They are typically embedded inside you, and it’s not like flipping a switch. With that said, you can use therapy to change your behaviors into something more positive. These take time, but by committing, you can be able to change your behaviors for the better and live a more productive life.Â