Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What Is It and Who Can It Help?

Cognitive behavioral therapy is offered in psychotherapy practices, hospitals and rehabilitation clinics. CBT is an effective and lasting treatment for anxiety disorders, research shows. CBT provides the tools to alter the thoughts and behaviors that exacerbate anxiety. For example, a patient with depression may be asked to write down the thoughts he has when something upsetting happens, and then to work with the therapist to test how helpful and accurate the thoughts are.In subsequent sessions, the client will identify the negative or maladaptive thoughts they have about their current problems and determine whether or not these thoughts are realistic.Each CBT session lasts between 45 and 60 minutes, and a complete treatment can require as few as five sessions and as many as 20 sessions.Since its inception, CBT expanded to serve as an umbrella term encompassing many techniques designed to help with specific issues.As in all types of therapy, it is important to work with a therapist with whom one can be...
Read More

Why can’t I sleep after drinking alcohol? Find out if drinking is making you sleep deprived

It’s important to establish healthy sleep habits that make falling asleep and staying asleep easier. If you need some extra help there are also non-habit forming sleep aid alternatives that you can use to get a full night’s sleep. Our sleep structure has biologically evolved over the years – and changes aren’t good for our physical and emotional health. “REM sleep is important for mental restoration, memory and emotional processing and is often when you dream. The sooner the treatment starts, the better chances you would get to avoid life-threatening situations. However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification. Doctors have found that on its own, alcohol can narrow your upper airway and lead to sleep apnea problems, even if you have never had them before. Studies have shown that when you get up the next day, you may be less alert because of your drinking the night before, even...
Read More