 Module 34, Psychological Management, Cognitive Behavior Therapy So when we talk about the psychological management, we discuss the cognitive behavior therapy. Cognitive behavior therapy basically focuses upon how the person can change the thinking pattern so his or her life become more comfortable. They focus more upon the problem-solving techniques. You can understand this very easily in this video. There are certain thoughts which are unhelpful and the cognitive behavior therapist basically trying to alter those unhelpful thoughts into the helpful pattern. They were discussing those unhelpful thoughts as the automatic negative thought pattern. What they said that the human beings in their brain under certain circumstances different types of thoughts automatically generate which can be negative. And since that negative thought process is there, that's why it disturbs any person's behavior pattern and because of which the disturbed behavioral pattern is exhibited. So what they are focusing upon is that if you change your thinking pattern into more helpful thought process and more positive and more helpful things then your life and the problems you are facing in life can change. So they are basically focusing more upon the solution. So that's why we say that this coping strategy helps children at some time. When we talk about cognitive behavior therapy, the most important factor is how to record the thought pattern. Why is it important to record the thought pattern? It's because if you don't record the thought pattern, then how to change it? How to teach the child how to change the thought pattern? The thought pattern has associated feelings as well. Because when the child reports that he is depressed, the child and the parents mostly report first the feelings. So after that you have to dig out the thought pattern. For example, the child's event is that he has failed in one exam. Now because of failing in that exam, the feelings of disappointment are developing in him. And his negative thought pattern is that I am so stupid. I can't do anything right. Now this thought pattern cannot be known until the child tells you. So it is very important that the feelings related to that event and the thought related to that event are recorded. When you give a chart like this that you have to record the event, you have to record the feeling, you have to record the negative thought. So this will help us guide the child that how to change the thought pattern. You can add dates and time to this. You can also measure the intensity of this thought or the intensity of the feeling. One means that disappointment works and the other means that disappointment is too much. So you can also monitor these things. You can also monitor how many times a day he has got this thought or frequency. One or two or ten times a day. It all depends upon you what things do you really want to be taken. When you have this thought pattern or this record then you have to challenge your thoughts. The automatic negative thoughts of the child you have to challenge them. Now how do you challenge them? What is the procedure that you have to do with the child? You will ask the child is this thought helpful? Is it helpful for the child? So explain it. So for example, the child has said that this thought is not helpful. It does not make me feel good and it is not true. So when he will explain you then this will help the child to change his or her already existing thought pattern. Similarly, another way to challenge his or her thoughts is are my thoughts based on facts or are they just my opinion? So mostly the children absorb things like this without doing any sort of critical thinking. So you need to develop that thing so that they get the idea that what they are thinking is not as it is. In fact, it also has some other factor or other things which they need to be observed. So there are different ways through which you can challenge their thoughts. Then I will try to explain this to you through a situation that for example there is a situation here that you have had a bad day feel fed up so go out shopping as you walk down the road someone you know walks by and apparently ignores you this starts a cascade off. What is a cascade off? Your thoughts have started that she or he must be ignoring me because he or she does not like me How did your emotional feelings develop? Low, sad and rejected Physical symptoms may be stomach rampage, low energy level or feel sickness What is the action? Go home and you will avoid everyone. So this is an unhelpful thought procedure which started developing only by ignoring one person. Now what is a helpful thought? If you want not to think like this then the helpful thought might be the other person who ignored you for some work and because of this he or she could not attend you and because of that your emotional feelings will be positive because you are concerned about the other person Physical complaints will not come in this situation and what is the action when you go and get aloof you will try to get in touch with that person So with the help of that you will get to know if the other person had any problem So unhelpful thoughts are changed in helpful thoughts So this is the procedure which we usually have to teach the children so that their unhelpful thoughts do not disturb them and they will alter them in helpful thoughts. Thank you