When you have arthritis, the chronic pain can be overwhelming. Although medications handle the physical aspects, some psychological factors still affect how well you can manage the pain. Thankfully, there are some options, with cognitive behavioral therapy being one of the predominant ones. More commonly known as "CBT," it's a type of counseling service that's been known to assist with pain management, stress, and other emotional issues. Like many other variations of talk therapy, adding it to your current treatment plan has been shown to mitigate pain. Here's what you need to know. 

CBT Basics

The foundation of CBT rests on the idea that thought patterns significantly influence emotions and, subsequently, behaviors. During a session, a therapist will help you uncover what kind of negative thoughts tend to pop up for you, then teach you how to spot and reframe them. 

Many people tend to make hyperbolic statements in their head; for example, if something unpleasant happens, they can fall into the trap of telling themselves that something awful "always" happens and that they should have expected it. This negative thought could prevent them from trying something that has a good chance of being beneficial in their lives. 

Through CBT, a therapist will guide the patient into understanding that may not have been as common as they assume or that so many factors could have affected the trajectory, so there truly was a good chance it could have gone the other way. While this may be similar to other counseling services, CBT emphasizes the ability to detect the pattern and change it. Once the patient has that understanding, then the therapist will show them how they can reframe any future situations that may be similar. 

CBT and Arthritis

For patients with either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, sometimes known as "inflammatory arthritis," CBT has been proven to help in multiple ways. With CBT, patients can better manage the stressful thoughts surrounding issues like getting things done, having social support, and the perceived extent of the pain. CBT helps them realize that certain bouts of pain may not be as hindering as they may have thought or that they're capable of doing more than they assumed. 

Finding a CBT Therapist

Many medical professionals practice CBT; psychologists, counselors, social workers, etc. Your primary care doctor or rheumatologist might even have a recommendation for you. But if not, many therapists will mention whether or not they specialize in this counseling service on their website or listing. 
 

If you suffer from arthritis, Feinberg & Associates can help. Located in Lexington, KY, their highly trained team of psychologists offers a variety of counseling services for individuals, couples, and families. You can learn more about their staff and their methods on their website but if you have any questions, call (859) 233-3390 today.