How CBT Can Help You Manage Worry

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy that examines both how you think and what you do. It draws on the belief that our thoughts and feelings are connected to our behaviors.

CBT can help you manage worry by helping you to identify the emotion you’re feeling and connect it to your thought patterns and behaviors. For example, when you feel worried or anxious, you may create a thought pattern of, “I can’t do this,” and reflect this in your behaviors by avoiding situations that cause you to feel worry.

Your therapist can use CBT to help you identify the ways in which your emotions are governing your thoughts and actions, and help you change the pattern. When you feel worry, you can recognize it for what it is, and practice thinking something like, “Even though I feel worried, I am stronger than my emotions. I can do this.” Pair this positive new thought pattern with courageous new behavior, like putting yourself in an anxiety-inducing situation for a short period of time, and you change your outlook on life. With consistent practice, you will find that your worry dissipates, and you can do more things with less anxiety.

CBT can be used to manage worry in a wide variety of applications. Whether your worry stems from an anxiety disorder, depression, or trauma, working with a therapist to change your thinking and behavior can have a powerful effect on your emotions, and help you manage worry effectively without letting it control your life.