Which of these is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique used to challenge negative thoughts?

Which of these is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique used to challenge negative thoughts?

• A. Psychoanalysis
• B. Cognitive restructuring
• C. Hypnosis
• D. Systematic desensitization

Answer: (B)

Cognitive restructuring, a technique used in cognitive behavioral therapy, targets how you think about events. It starts by noticing automatic negative thoughts that pop up in challenging situations. You examine the evidence for and against these thoughts, identify distortions like all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, or overgeneralization, and then replace them with more balanced, realistic statements. This process helps reduce emotional distress by changing thinking patterns, which in turn changes how you respond and behave. For example, after a poor test, you might think "I'm a failure"—you would assess the actual evidence (one setback doesn't define your ability), adjust the thought to "I didn’t do well on this test, but I can study and improve," and test the new belief in future situations. The other techniques listed aren’t focused on directly challenging and reframing everyday thoughts: psychoanalysis delves into unconscious conflicts; hypnosis is an altered state used for suggestion or relaxation; systematic desensitization combines gradual exposure with relaxation to reduce fear, not to restructure thoughts.

Cognitive restructuring, a technique used in cognitive behavioral therapy, targets how you think about events. It starts by noticing automatic negative thoughts that pop up in challenging situations. You examine the evidence for and against these thoughts, identify distortions like all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, or overgeneralization, and then replace them with more balanced, realistic statements. This process helps reduce emotional distress by changing thinking patterns, which in turn changes how you respond and behave. For example, after a poor test, you might think "I'm a failure"—you would assess the actual evidence (one setback doesn't define your ability), adjust the thought to "I didn’t do well on this test, but I can study and improve," and test the new belief in future situations. The other techniques listed aren’t focused on directly challenging and reframing everyday thoughts: psychoanalysis delves into unconscious conflicts; hypnosis is an altered state used for suggestion or relaxation; systematic desensitization combines gradual exposure with relaxation to reduce fear, not to restructure thoughts.