Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Pain Management

Abstract

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to solve problems concerning dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic procedure. CBT is used in diverse ways to designate behavior therapy and cognitive therapy and to refer to therapy based upon a combination of basic behavioral and cognitive research. There is empirical evidence that CBT is effective for the treatment of a variety of problems, including mood, anxiety, personality, eating, substance abuse, psychotic disorders, and pain management. CBT is used in individual therapy as well as group settings, and the techniques are often adapted for self-help applications. CBT was primarily developed through a merging of behavior therapy with cognitive therapy. Many CBT treatment programs for specific disorders and pain management have been evaluated for efficacy and effectiveness; the health care trend of evidence-based treatment, where specific treatments for symptom-based diagnoses are recommended, has favored CBT over other approaches such as psychodynamic treatments. CBT is recommended as the treatment of choice for a number of mental health difficulties, including post-traumatic stress disorder, OCD, bulimia nervosa, clinical depression, and the neurological condition chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. CBT is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. CBT does not exist as a distinct therapeutic technique. There are several approaches to CBT, including rational emotive behavior therapy, rational behavior therapy, rational living therapy, cognitive therapy, and dialectic behavior therapy. However, most CBTs have the following characteristics: (1) CBT is based on the cognitive model of emotional response, and (2) CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations, and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel and act better even if the situation does not change.