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Is CBT Gaslighting?
CBT as a modality is based around gaslighting. It’s all about telling a patient that the world is safe, bad feelings are temporary, and that pain (emotional or physical) is a “faulty or unhelpful” distortion of thinking. That’s literally in CBT’s definition on the APA website. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) The ‘CBT way’ of understanding emotions says that what we feel is a result of what we think and how we act. It suggests that if our goal is to man- age how we are feeling then we will need to make changes in our thinking and behavior. CBT is an effective, evidence-based treatment plan for a wide range of disorders, so making it accessible as possible should be a priority. Criticisms of Traditional CBT Given the dominance of CBT in certain settings, it is not surprising that the approach has garnered its fair share of critics. Opponents have frequently argued that the approach is too mechanistic and fails to address the concerns of the “whole” patient. Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications. However, the most agreed-on barrier to CBT implementation was the lack of training and education, followed by access to the advice of mental health professionals and time constraints.
Is CBT Gaslighting?
CBT as a modality is based around gaslighting. It’s all about telling a patient that the world is safe, bad feelings are temporary, and that pain (emotional or physical) is a “faulty or unhelpful” distortion of thinking. That’s literally in CBT’s definition on the APA website. The strongest support exists for CBT of anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, bulimia, anger control problems, and general stress. CBT sessions are structured to increase the efficiency of treatment, improve learning and focus therapeutic efforts on specific problems and potential solutions. Criticisms of Traditional CBT Given the dominance of CBT in certain settings, it is not surprising that the approach has garnered its fair share of critics. Opponents have frequently argued that the approach is too mechanistic and fails to address the concerns of the “whole” patient. Indeed, more overgeneralization during the trauma narrative phase of TF-CBT predicted worse outcomes (more internalizing symptoms at the end of treatment and a worsening of externalizing symptoms over the 12-month follow-up period). And the benefits of CBT have been championed by psychologists for decades. But now, new research suggests that CBT can not only change our thought patterns, it can literally rewire our brains! In a study conducted by psychologists at Kings College London, CBT seemed to affect actual neurological patterns in the brain…