Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Arthritis: Does It Work?

By
Mary Desroches
-

3Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Arthritis

Cognitive behavioral therapy may provide the following benefits for people with arthritis:

Manage Pain

Cognitive behavioral therapy may show you how to learn useful skills that can help manage pain associated with arthritis. These techniques involve change the ways you respond to painful sensations, both in terms of your emotions and thoughts. For instance, the therapist may teach you some self-management skills for relaxation training, goal setting, coping thoughts, or activity pacing. You may also learn how to improve social support, challenge negative thoughts, avoid distraction, sleep well, increase positive activities, and boost assertiveness. These benefits may be comparable to the use of a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug without the risk of side effects linked to these pain medications. However, it may take time until cognitive behavioral therapy works for arthritis. [4]

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