Behavioral Therapy for Mental Health Disorders

When mental health issues are severe, therapy can be the right approach. Treating an illness with this method may occur alone or along with prescription medication. In either case, the goal is to help you learn effective strategies for coping with your challenges. This can provide immediate help but also be a long-term solution. Behavioral therapy is a type of treatment that a therapist may employ. It is good to understand what this is and how it works.

Types of mental health disorders and when a person may need help

A person’s mental health should be just as important as their physical health. The two are linked and can affect one another. Many types of mental health conditions exist and can impact a person. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common. Eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia are examples. Other mental health disorders include addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and psychiatric disorders.

It is not uncommon for a person to struggle with some of these from time to time. Often, the effects are minor and subside without intervention. However, therapy is necessary when the conditions are more severe. If these issues impact the person’s everyday life, it is time to get help. The same is true if the person is having suicidal thoughts or wants to harm others.

An overview of behavioral therapy

In this type of treatment, a therapist will counsel with the patient. There is first an understanding that behaviors are learned and that the person can control them. The therapist will identify what triggers these behaviors with mental illnesses. With the patient, the therapist will talk about how to avoid these triggers. Instead, the patient will learn to replace the harmful actions with productive, positive ones.

When this type of treatment can be effective

Behavioral therapy may be the method of choice for moderate mental illnesses. The therapist may begin such an approach when medication is not necessary or has been ineffective. For the therapy to work well, the person must be willing to implement certain strategies. Also, such an approach is usually well-suited to treat depression, anxiety, and stress.

How the therapist helps

Behavioral therapy is a way of changing a person’s mindset. The therapist will focus on helping the person see how their actions are affecting other people. With a mental health condition, the person may act out, damaging relationships in addition to themselves. The therapist will make sure the person understands these actions and learns to control them. The patient will learn to put appropriate coping mechanisms in place. The therapist can also help the person to see things more rationally and change their ways of thinking and beliefs.