Behaviour Therapy

As most people in the world are in distress, mental illnesses are becoming more common due to a fast lifestyle. People of all ages have been experiencing stress and tension in recent years, leading to mental health issues, especially youth. As a result, we must begin discussing various mental therapies, how they work, who should go for them, which therapy to choose etc. This article will look at types of psychological therapy, behaviour therapy, cognitive and dialectical therapy, its treatment method, stages, and other aspects related to it. 

What is Behaviour therapy? 

Behaviour therapy is a type of psychotherapy in which the client’s current behaviour and thoughts are treated and focused on. It is one of the basic types of therapy used for many disorders. Behaviour therapy’s primary focus is on the present, and it only uses the past to understand the origins of faulty behaviour and thought patterns. Behaviour therapy comprises a wide range of techniques and interventions determined by the client’s symptoms.

Method of treatment

In behaviour therapy, the malfunctioning or distressing behaviour is identified as the source of the distress. It also identifies antecedent factors that predispose a person to engage in that behaviour.

When a distressing behaviour and its underlying cause are identified, treatment is chosen to eliminate the faulty behaviours and replace them with adaptive behaviour patterns.

Techniques in behaviour therapy

Behaviour therapy comprises of several techniques, which are discussed below:

Aversive Conditioning: Aversive conditioning is the repeated association of an undesirable response with an aversive outcome.

Positive Reinforcement: If an adaptive behaviour occurs infrequently, positive reinforcement is used to compensate for the deficit.

Modelling: To achieve the desired behaviour change, the client will try to imitate or shadow the movements of the person they consider to be their role model.

Some other behaviour therapy techniques are Token economy, differential reinforcement, the principle of reciprocal inhibition, systematic desensitisation and negative reinforcement. 

Cognitive-Behavioural therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a well-known psychological therapy in which patients must attend structured sessions with a therapist. It is used to treat mental illnesses such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders.

CBT takes a biopsychosocial approach to defining psychopathology. It incorporates cognitive therapy as well as behavioural techniques. It addresses biological aspects through relaxation procedures, psychological aspects through behaviour therapy and cognitive therapy techniques, and social aspects through environmental manipulations, making CBT a comprehensive technique that is simple to use, applicable to a wide range of disorders, and effective.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy is a method of cognitive behavioural therapy.

The main goal of this therapy is to teach people how to regulate a person’s emotions and live healthy lives.

It can benefit people who struggle with emotional regulation or engage in self-destructive behaviours.

Comprehensive DBT focuses on four areas for improving life skills:

• The first area is distress tolerance, which teaches not to react impulsively or resort to self-injury or substance abuse to relieve distress without the ability to feel intense anger without reacting.
• The next one is Emotion regulation, which is taught to recognise, label, and adjust emotions.

• Mindfulness is the next focus of DBT, where a person becomes more aware of oneself and others and pays attention to the present moment.
• And the last focus is interpersonal effectiveness, where you Navigate conflict and interact assertively are examples of interpersonal effectiveness.

Some stages of DBT are:

Stage 1: Most self-destructive behaviour is treated, such as suicide attempts or self-injury.

Stage 2: Focuses on quality-of-life skills such as emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Stage 3: Emphasises better relationships and self-esteem.

Stage 4: Encourages more joy and connection with others.

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced world, mental illness is common, as are feelings of stress, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, as well as self-destruction and self-harming thoughts in today’s generation, particularly among youth. As a result, the demand for mental therapy grows in lockstep with time. Understanding these therapies takes an hour, as does dealing with them. We’ve talked about behaviour therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, and DBT. These therapies have various patterns and techniques, methods and stages for various mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, etc. They help you gain self-esteem, confidence, and self-care.