Table of Contents
Why is ACT better than CBT?
Whereas CBT works by helping you identify and change negative or destructive thoughts, ACT holds that pain and discomfort are a fact of life – something we must get comfortable with if we wish to live a happy, fulfilled life. Our results indicate that CBT is not more effective in treating depression than ACT. Both treatments seem to work through changes in dysfunctional attitudes and decentering, even though the treatments differ substantially. Change in experiential avoidance as an underlying mechanism seems to be an ACT-specific process. Due to the structured nature of CBT, it may not be suitable for people with more complex mental health needs or learning difficulties. As CBT can involve confronting your emotions and anxieties, you may experience initial periods where you are more anxious or emotionally uncomfortable. CBT instills the notion that your faulty or irrational thought patterns are responsible for maladaptive behavior and mental health problems. If one accepts this premise, then some practitioners may dismiss the other factors which play a part in mental illness such as genetics and biology. ACT can help treat many mental and physical conditions. These include: Anxiety disorders. Depression.
Is CBT superior to ACT?
A 2012 meta-analysis was more positive and reported that ACT outperformed CBT, except for treating depression and anxiety. A 2015 review found that ACT was better than placebo and typical treatment for anxiety disorders, depression, and addiction. ACT has been evaluated in over 300 randomized clinical trials and has been shown to be helpful in addressing a wide variety of mental health concerns. Furthermore, ACT has been shown to be as effective as Cognitive Therapy – the current gold-standard psychotherapy – in improving moderate to severe levels of depression. Over 50 randomised controlled trials have evaluated the benefits of ACT in the setting of various disorders. In patients with chronic pain it has been shown to be more effective than placebo or ‘treatment as usual’ and comparable to cognitive behaviour therapy. According to famed British psychologist Oliver James, though, CBT is a “scam” that does little to address underlying psychological issues. James, a psychodynamic therapist, argues that until people understand what led to their psychological troubles, those troubles are likely to reoccur. CBT may not be for you if you want to focus exclusively on past issues or if you want supportive counselling.
Is ACT better than CBT for depression?
Our results indicate that CBT is not more effective in treating depression than ACT. Both treatments seem to work through changes in dysfunctional attitudes and decentering, even though the treatments differ substantially. Change in experiential avoidance as an underlying mechanism seems to be an ACT-specific process. How Effective is CBT? Research shows that CBT is the most effective form of treatment for those coping with depression and anxiety. CBT alone is 50-75% effective for overcoming depression and anxiety after 5 – 15 modules. She says some CBT principles are outdated, victim-blaming, and can promote toxic positivity. Because CBT assumes that patients’ thinking is false or distorted, therapists may unintentionally overlook issues that the patient experiences. Effectiveness vs. 3) suggests that while CBT may outperform the placebo effect slightly in a research setting, it does not outperform placebo enough to be considered more effective than placebo in a real-life clinical setting. Theoretically, that suggests that taking a sugar pill is equally effective to CBT. A widely used and effective treatment for anxiety is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Although ACT is not as common as other types of anxiety treatment such as CBT or DBT, it is something that can make a major difference for anxiety symptoms, as well as other areas of your life. 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.
Is ACT better than CBT for anxiety?
In our mixed anxiety disorder sample, we posited that ACT outperformed CBT among those with mood disorders because, whereas CBT for anxiety disorders targets anxiety symptoms specifically, ACT addresses negative affect globally. 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. 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. ACT-interventions improved subjective sleep among ten individuals with insomnia poorly responding to CBT-interventions before [51]. Since CBT relies on accessing the thinking brain to make change, it can be hard to make change because if the individual is too overwhelmed in their emotional brain by this constant feeling of being in the fight, flight, or freeze mode from the instinctual brain response.
Is ACT or CBT better for anxiety?
In our mixed anxiety disorder sample, we posited that ACT outperformed CBT among those with mood disorders because, whereas CBT for anxiety disorders targets anxiety symptoms specifically, ACT addresses negative affect globally. How long does CBT take to treat moderate anxiety? 6 or 12 to 24 sessions of CBT therapy may be enough to successfully treat a presentation of moderate anxiety. Some people may need a bit longer, for instance where symptoms have been contained in the background for some years prior to treatment. CBT and ACT are both behaviour-based therapies, but they differ primarily in the view they take around thoughts. While CBT works by helping you identify and change negative or destructive thoughts, ACT holds that pain and discomfort are a fact of life. CBT is an effective, evidence-based treatment plan for a wide range of disorders, so making it accessible as possible should be a priority. Specifically, patients with greater capacity to identify and articulate thoughts and feelings and to share them in a nondefensive, focused way benefit most from CBT.
Why is CBT so successful?
CBT is effective because it has the capacity to engage even the most serious problems. Therapists using CBT as a primary method for treating their clients report success with highly complex disorders like PTSD, specific phobias, generalized anxiety, social anxiety disorder, depressive disorder and many more. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), is the gold-standard treatment for OCD. ‘While studies show that in the short-term – six to 12 months – patients who have received CBT are more likely to report themselves as ‘recovered’ compared to those who have received no treatment, these results are not sustained in the long-term. ‘CBT is largely ineffective for the majority of patients. CBT instills the notion that your faulty or irrational thought patterns are responsible for maladaptive behavior and mental health problems. If one accepts this premise, then some practitioners may dismiss the other factors which play a part in mental illness such as genetics and biology.
How is ACT different from DBT?
ACT is very closely tied to the broader tradition of behavior analysis and could be considered a form of clinical behavior analysis while DBT seems to be more closely tied to traditional behavior therapy. In terms of overlap in specific techniques between ACT and DBT, the overlap appears limited. A widely used and effective treatment for anxiety is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Although ACT is not as common as other types of anxiety treatment such as CBT or DBT, it is something that can make a major difference for anxiety symptoms, as well as other areas of your life. ACT can help a person living with depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions. It is also a supported treatment for psychosis, chronic pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In some cases cognitive behavior therapy stresses the therapy technique over the relationship between therapist and patient. If you are an individual who is sensitive, emotional, and desires rapport with your therapist, CBT may not deliver in some cases. ACT has a growing body of empirical support as a treatment modality for use in mental health settings and can be useful for anyone who struggles with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other trauma-related difficulties. Taking into account the number of publications/studies, academic programs, and/or practicing professionals, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is arguably the gold standard of the psychotherapy field. ➢ Using CBT plus ACT gives the option of picking and choosing which strategies are effective depending on context and the client’s preference. this fits well with the ABC model with identification of cognitive errors and restructuring (Ciarrochi & Bailey, 2008; Kohlenberg et al., 2004).
Can I combine ACT and CBT?
➢ Using CBT plus ACT gives the option of picking and choosing which strategies are effective depending on context and the client’s preference. this fits well with the ABC model with identification of cognitive errors and restructuring (Ciarrochi & Bailey, 2008; Kohlenberg et al., 2004). In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications. Whereas CBT works by helping you identify and change negative or destructive thoughts, ACT holds that pain and discomfort are a fact of life – something we must get comfortable with if we wish to live a happy, fulfilled life.