Hello,

Thanks for your query.

Yes, cognitive behavioural therapy can help you overcome the thoughts which you have associated with your nervous breakdown.

A nervous breakdown can occur due to excessive stress, anxiety disorder and depressive disorders. This condition is frequently associated with cognitive distortions which cause the symptoms and distress to persist. Cognitive therapy can help identify these distortions which are exaggerated and irrational thoughts which perpetuate some psychological disorders. A therapist will help you provide a solution and also provide an effective vent.

CBT which corrects these cognitive distortions can lead to change in maladaptive behaviour. Eliminating these distortions and negative thoughts is said to improve mood and nervous breakdown.

The process of learning to refute these distortions is called "cognitive restructuring". Your therapist will identify if any cognitive distortions are present and would help you deal with the same.

Common cognitive distortions are:
-Personalization – When you hold yourself personally responsible for events over which a person has no control.
-Magnification and minimization – a situation can be exaggerated or minimized so that it no longer is in sync with the reality.
-All-or-nothing thinking – This occurs when you always think in absolute terms, like "always", "every", "never", and "there is no alternative".
-Catastrophizing – When you only see the worst possible outcome, however unlikely it may be.
-Overgeneralization – when you extrapolate limited experiences to broad generalizations.
-Disqualifying the positive – Discounting positive experiences for arbitrary, ad hoc reasons.
-Emotional reasoning – Experiencing reality as a reflection of emotions, e.g. "I feel it, therefore it must be true."

I hope this answer your query.
Wish you good health.
Regards,

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