Behavioral Therapies

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Psychotherapy is a form of treatment for a patient with a mental disorder. The therapy allows the patient to help them comprehend their illness. It is then followed up with tools to treat their illness and behaviors. (NIMH) A type of psychotherapy is behavioral therapy, which the psychologist uses basic learning techniques to modify maladaptive behavior patterns by substituting undesirable thoughts with new and happier responses. (NIMH) Behavioral therapies are based on the theory of classical conditioning. The premise is that all behavior is learned, therefore creating the poor behavior. The therapy allows the patient to stop the behavior or to correct the behavior. (Simply Psychology)
Behavioral therapy is used for many different types of disorders, anxiety or other mental disorders. More specifically, it is used to treat anxiety disorders such as Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The behavioral therapy technique is also good to use when a psychologist is treating autism, substance abuse, and even eating disorders (healthline) For anxiety disorders, the treatment allows the patient to learn that the tools given to them to cope their fears, will eventually lessen the anxiety. Behavioral therapies has been deemed one of the better treatments for eating disorders because the therapy reduces the risk of relapse in patient who have the disorder as well as reducing symptoms of any other eating disorder that may not have. Schizophrenia patient learn a more helpful and realistic
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Understanding of events and learn coping techniques when the patient is dealing with hallucinations by using behavioral therapy. The patient also learns life s...

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...or a period of 12 months. (BBC)
Therefore, behavioral therapy can be used to treat multiple disorders, whether anxiety or mental disorders. The therapy also has limited side effects for participating in the therapy. If it weren’t for Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner, this therapy wouldn’t exist and psychologists would be unable to assist patients overcome their poor behaviors and introduce new ones in order to combat their disorders.

Works Cited

“Behavioral Therapy.” Simply Psychology. Saul McLeod. 2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
“Behavioral Therapy.” Healthline. Kristeen Cherney. 4 Jun. 2013.Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
“Behavioral Therapy.” The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th ed. Columbia University Press. 2012.
“Cognitive Behavior Therapy.” NHS Choices. N.p. n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
“Cognitive behavioural therapy 'can reduce depression'.” BBC. N.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

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