cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Improves Treatment for Adults with ADHD

Managing ADHD during adulthood can be an incredible challenge. Although medications for treating ADHD are very effective and considered the first step of treatment, researchers have found that the combination of cognitive behavioral therapy drastically improves symptoms and quality of life. In their new study, researchers aim to substantiate the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for one of the most widespread and distressing neurobiological disorders among American adults.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Improves Sleep of Patients with Chronic Pain

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia significantly improved sleep for patients with chronic neck or back pain and also reduced the extent to which pain interfered with their daily functioning, according to a study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers. The study, published online by the journal Sleep Medicine, demonstrates that a behavioral intervention can help patients who already are taking medications for pain and might be reluctant or unable to take additional drugs to treat sleep disturbance.

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Easing Nightmares Can Help Treat Depression and Other Maladies

Some psychology experts say that treating disturbing nightmares directly can help relieve symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, and other mental health problems.

Kim Painter of USA Today writes that when Yael Levy went to the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center two years ago for help with her insomnia, she found that her nightmares were also treatable. Levy knew she had conquered her life-long nightmares the night she was able to turn a circle of sharks into a ring of dolphins. “I was able to change my nightmare while it was happening,” said the 29-year-old New York City graduate student. “I had control over my dreams.”

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CBT Treatment Proven Effective for PTSD Veterans

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have left a great deal of soldiers needing to seek comprehensive care back home in the United States. While a bulk of this care has been physical, some are also seeking attention for psychological trauma. Some of this trauma is a result of what the soldiers saw, while some can be attributed to acute pain.

Science Daily recently posted a release that highlighted the common sources of pain. These sources include the head, legs and shoulders. Veterans are also reporting high rates of mental health issues, not the least of which is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and alcohol use disorders.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Better for Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of severe depression that occurs annually in the fall and winter seasons. University of Vermont psychologist Kelly Rohan presented the first published research study of the long-term effects of different treatments for SAD in the September issue of the journal Behavior Therapy.

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Researchers Develop Integrated Treatment for Soldiers with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Pain

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a growing number of soldiers being sent home to the United States to be treated for physical and psychological trauma. Chronic pain is a frequent problem among soldiers returning from the Middle East.

Common sources of pain are in the head (traumatic-brain injury or post-concussion syndrome), legs (fractures, amputations, burns), and shoulders. Other physical injuries include spinal cord and eye injuries as well as auditory trauma. In addition, veterans are reporting high rates of mental health issues, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and alcohol use disorders.

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Mental Disorders Can Be Prevented in Young People

About one in five young people in the US currently suffer from a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder. About half of all adults with mental disorders recalled that their problems started in their mid-teens, and three-quarters said they started by their mid-twenties. Early onset of mental health problems have been associated with poor outcomes such as failure to complete high school, increased risk for psychiatric problems and substance abuse, and teen pregnancy.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Effective in Treating Insomnia

Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used in treating substance abuse as a way of getting an individual back on a normal track of life. While it has seen some success in this area, researchers are also finding that it may help those suffering from chronic insomnia.

Science Daily reported that a research abstract presented at the Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies found that 50 to 60 percent of participants in a study of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia experienced remission of their primary sleep difficulty when in treatment.

Lead author, Ryan Wetzler, Psy.D, C.B.S.M. of Sleep Medicine Specialists in Louisville, Ky., noted that the study results suggest that multi-component CBT-I could be an effective approach for people who experience chronic insomnia, even if anxiety and depression are present.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Reduce Risk of Depression and Anxiety in Children

Research shows that children of parents with depression and anxiety disorders are up to seven times more likely than others to develop depression and anxiety themselves. But USA Today reported that two new studies suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce the risk of mental health problems in children and teens. In cognitive behavioral therapy, patients learn how to change the way they think about and react to depressing or upsetting events.

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