All you need to know about Behavior Therapy

Did you know that 1 in 4 people are prone to suffer from a mental or neurological disorder? Yes, you heard that right. 

According to WHO, 450 million people are affected by brain-related conditions worldwide every year. And a staggering two-thirds of them don’t seek any medical support. They hold themselves back mostly due to the stigma and discrimination attached to such conditions and poor accessibility to mental health care and Behavioral Therapy. 

At Plexus, we fully recognize the astounding gap that plagues the healthcare system. And we’ve taken it upon ourselves to bridge it by providing world-class care at affordable costs. We do this with our unique and well-rounded approach that places equal impetus on the physical and emotional wellbeing of our patients through various behavioral therapy services.  

Read on to gain an in-depth understanding of what we do. 

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In a day, a thousand thoughts cross our minds. And believe it or not, these thoughts have a great impact on how we behave and feel about ourselves. Take for instance how we consume news. A negative news piece is bound to dampen our spirits while a positive news article makes us feel uplifted. And the same holds true for pleasant and unpleasant circumstances we find ourselves in throughout our lives. They play a huge role in shaping our personalities and behavior. Now the negative emotions are what we need to be extra cautious of. While most overcome them some tend to give in. But the good news is — we can break-free from it by seeking Behavioral Therapy.

How is Behavioral Therapy going to help?

Behavioral Therapy is an overarching term used for different kinds of therapy, that help patients identify, understand, and address their negative thoughts and behaviors. And interestingly it stems from a school of thought that dictates — all behaviors are learned and therefore can be changed over a period of time. 

Behavioral Therapy is known to be effective in treating various conditions such as: 

• Depression 
• Anxiety 
• Anger issues 
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and more. 

Here are different types of Behavioral Therapy: 

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy attempts to change the way a patient thinks. And it’s done by challenging an individual’s beliefs about the self and the world. In other words, it involves identifying negative behavioral patterns and its root causes.

Oftentimes, the treatment is short-term and problem-focussed. Thereby, helping patients identify the current problem, build coping strategies, and minimize or eliminate the effect of negative patterns. This improves moods, develops self-awareness, and promotes mindful living. Many lifestyle conditions such as depression, anxiety, obesity, etc are treated through CBT, making it a popular choice. 

• Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT)

Commonly used with children, CBPT is an adaptation of CBT, where the treatment is conducted in a play setting. The physical space of the therapy plays a crucial role in giving therapists an insight into the needs of the child. 

The treatment takes a 4-stages 

• Orientation
• Assessment
• Middle
• Termination

The orientation and assessment stages involve understanding and diagnosing the issue. The middle helps the child overcome the trigger to the undesired behavior. And finally, the treatment is terminated when the child becomes self-sufficient.  

The structure varies from child-to-child based on an individual’s unique problem. In addition, CBPT also involves parents during the activities to help children learn the right behaviors and incorporate them in real-life settings. 

• Aversion Therapy

Aversion Therapy is based on the theory of Classical Conditioning — where one action (stimulus)  is associated with another unrelated action (stimulus), to break the behavior. For example, a person suffering from alcohol or substance abuse is exposed to an electric shock or a foul smell in order to create an aversion. The end goal is to help patients break-free from their negative habits. 

• Systemic Desensitization

Much like Aversion Therapy, Systemic Desensitization also draws its principles from Classical Conditioning. It focuses on removing patients’ phobias or anxieties by substituting their fears with a positive thought (stimulus). 

The patients are equipped with many relaxation and breathing techniques to help them calm down. By the end of the therapeutic process, patients tend to overcome their innate fears and lead a happy life. 

Behavioral Therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Behavioral Therapy is one of the most common interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There are various kinds of Behavioral Therapy available, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy, and more. The choice of treatment depends on the need of the child. 

After undergoing Behavioral Therapy, most of our patients with ASD have shown promising results* with improved ability to: 

• Communicate
• Care for the self
• Participate in academic activities 
• Socialize 

*At Plexus, we employ Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy, along with Behavioral Therapy for treatment of Autism.

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Plexus Neuro and Stem Cell Therapy Research Centre offers behavioral and cognitive behavioral therapy for many mental and neurological disorders. We also provide Autism treatment in Bangalore and Hyderabad with several other services. 

Through Plexus, Dr Na’eem Sadiq, an award-winning neurologist and Founder of Plexus hopes to help all his patients lead a happier and healthier life.