Behavioral and cognitive therapies
Work on symptoms
Behavioral and cognitive therapies (or TCC) are defined as "active therapies" because they are based on scientific methods and learning theory to understand and treat certain mental disorders. Contrary to psychoanalysis (analytical therapy), aimed above all at finding the root cause of the disorders, they simply serve to modify harmful behaviors, with the help of practical exercises and staging of situations.
The principle
These therapies are based on two complementary approaches: Behavior and cognition, that is, the process of thinking and the awareness that an individual has of their environment.
- The behavioral approach consists in the progressive exposure of the subject to feared situations, which generate anxiety.
- The cognitive approach works above all on the patient's thoughts, which are independent of his will and which go beyond any apparent logic.
The effectiveness of these therapies lies in the simultaneous use of these two approaches, aimed at recognizing the dysfunctional patterns that cause these problems.
More concretely, a deviant behavior can be corrected thanks to an awareness and a concrete learning of new habits. The therapist, therefore, has a guiding role and becomes a model to be imitated. Among the most used techniques, we remember desensitization, simulation techniques of situations, operant conditioning, learning of social skills and behavioral family therapy.
What kind of ailments can they cure?
Behavioral and cognitive therapies have shown probative efficacy against various mental disorders: phobias (agoraphobia, claustrophobia, arachnophobia, social phobia), obsessive-compulsive disorders, anxiety problems, bulimia, certain forms of depression, some cases of post-stress - traumatic, sexual disorders, addictions (such as smoking) ...
How are the sessions held?
Mostly they last from 45 minutes to an hour and are carried out with the therapist, individually or in groups (role-playing in the case of social phobias, simulation of crowd situations in the case of agoraphobia, muscle relaxation in the case of anxiety). The procedures are objective and therefore reproducible on all patients suffering from the same disorder. Once the problem and symptoms have been described by the patient, the therapist can proceed to an analysis of the thought pattern that causes that behavior, and then propose another one. Afterwards, the most difficult (but also the most effective) thing is to imagine the situation or face it directly. Progressively, the brain will memorize another way of thinking, which replaces the deviant one. The result? Situations that were previously feared will no longer cause distress and can be easily dealt with. Of course, for the sessions to be effective, the change in behavior must be lasting and associated with individual exercises carried out outside the sessions. For example: speak during a meeting, take the elevator, touch a spider ...
Should they be associated with drugs?
In some cases, it is highly advisable to combine the sessions with the intake of drugs to relieve symptoms. To treat obsessive-compulsive disorders, psychiatrists can prescribe antidepressants, the only effective treatments currently.
Practically
Behavioral and cognitive therapy sessions are carried out by doctors or psychologists registered in the list of psychotherapists of the respective professional registers. It is generally recommended to follow them once a week for a period of at least 6 months. For more information consult the website of SITCC - Italian Society of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy: www.sitcc.it.
