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Effective Treatment for Mental Illness
Many people suffer from mental illness. The National Institute of Mental Health has reported that In any given 1-year period, 9.5 percent of the population, or about 18.8 million American adults, suffer from a depressive illness. Mental illness strikes people in all ethnic, social, and age groups. These diseases include depression, anxiety, psychosis, and childhood behavioral problems. Furthermore, people also experience distress in their marriages and families, as well as, their personal life.
Fortunately, a scientifically based treatment is available. It is called Cognitive Therapy (CT). Research has demonstrated that CT is the most effective treatment for the vast majority of psychological disorders. Butler and Beck’s (2000) recent study has shown CT to be the most effective form of treatment for depression, anxiety, marital problems, and chronic pain. It is also an effective part of the treatment for schizophrenia, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and drug abuse.
HOW COGNITIVE THERAPY WORKS
Research has shown that the reason we have certain emotional and behavioral reactions to events is due to what we tell ourselves. Often what we tell ourselves is distorted and inaccurate. The goal of CT is to help people become more aware of their thoughts and beliefs and then modify them so that they are more accurate and helpful. CT is about giving people the tools they need to cope with life.
HOW IS COGNITIVE THERAPY CHRISTIAN
The biblical basis for Cognitive Therapy is found in the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:2 when he states, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Another biblical concept rooted in Cognitive Therapy is the word Repentance. In the Bible, the word for "repentance", metanoia, means to “change your mind.” The goal of Christian-Oriented Cognitive Therapy is to help people grow in Christ by learning to discipline their minds.
Butler, A. C., & Beck, J. S. (2000). Cognitive therapy outcomes: A review of meta-analyses . Journal of the Norwegian Psychological Association, 37, 1-9.
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