What is Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management?
Cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) is a form of therapeutic intervention that takes a short period. It focuses on the how people are affected by their thinking, emotional state and also how they behave. It is aimed at trying to influence the patient’s thinking while concentrating unequivocally on recognizing and altering manners and thought patterns. CBSM procedures give opportunities for the therapist to teach the patient new techniques, develop a patient’s interpersonal and emotional skills, and encourage them through the therapy. During CBSM treatment, a patient studies recuperation techniques that are helpful all through their lifetime. Skills and techniques that are obtained in the course of CBSM therapy facilitate observance of medical procedures and are shown to reduce seclusion and depression while enhancing the immune system. Most fundamentally, CBSM enhances the quality of life for patients (Hedman, et.al, 2014).
Most people who experience stress might put it off. They get used to the pressure and tend to put it off and learn to live with it. It is not right as people need to deal with stress so that they can live their lives well. Several situations can cause stress and it includes; first, an individual can have huge workloads that have to be completed with unrealistic deadlines. Thus this results in them feeling pressured and rushed, and they become stressed because they think they cannot achieve their given tasks in time. Another cause of work stress is situations where employees are not given enough work to cover their time. This makes them feel that their talents and abilities are not being utilized hence they feel underused, stressed and underappreciated. Next, when an employee feels that they do not have control over their tasks, it stresses them out. They get stressed because they cannot be in control of what they do while at work. Also when there is a lack of interpersonal relationships at work, people will feel isolated. When people are isolated especially at work, and they feel alone, thus leading them to be stressed thinking of why they are separate (Skogstad, Hetland, Glasø, & Einarsen, 2014).
Also if an employee has conflicts at work, they become stressed if these situations are not resolved. When there is a conflict with fellow employees, they will always be angry or nervous around them, and if someone is not calm, they will be stressed out about this. Next, when a worker works for a while in a company but gets passed over for promotions, they get stressed. They are depressed and overthink why they are not being promoted. Also, at times when a worker is promoted, but they cannot adequately fulfill their roles, they will get stressed due to this. Another cause is if employees are not kept in the loop about any changes in the company they will feel left out. Uninformed employees get stressed as they will feel uncertain about their future in the company. Finally, if the work environment is not suitable, this will affect the employees. If the office is overheated, lacks essential amenities or has malfunctioning equipment, they will not feel that its conducive to their work. Hence, they cannot comfortably do their job leading them to be stressed (Semmer, et.al, 2015).
Causes of Work Stress
Individuals who require cognitive behavioral stress management interventions may have the following cognitive stress symptoms. First, the stressed individual will be prone to memory problems. Since they will always be thinking of their problems, they will tend to be forgetful. Next, the stressed individual will be unable to concentrate on activities they are taking part in as they will spend their time thinking about their problems. Also, they will always see the negative side of things in different situations that they are faced with because of the stress they have. They will also be continually worrying and anxious because they think that everything that they do will go wrong. Finally, they will still have poor judgments of different situations that they are in (Fagundes, Glaser, Hwang, Malarkey, & Kiecolt-Glaser, 2013).
When individuals are faced with work-related stress, cognitive behavioral management interventions is an approach that can be taken to remedy the situation. These interventions include; first by recognizing the negative thoughts one has. The individual, should at different moments of the day, try and recognize their feelings and write them down. Also, they should note down what is causing them stress when they meet up with the therapist they will go through this. Next is that they should change the thoughts they are having. Once you have gone through the list of stressors, the therapist will work with the client on how to transform the negative feelings they have into positive ones. Also, they should learn problem-solving techniques. The therapist will help the client learn these techniques so that they can handle different issues that they might face. Hence these techniques will prevent them from getting stressed. Next, they should learn relaxation techniques. These techniques will let the stressed employee learn how to take rest and take care of themselves. They will learn to relieve their tensions and also how to calm themselves when they are agitated or stressed. They will also be exposed to these stressful work situations. When the face their stressors with the help of their therapist they can deal with these situations fully (Bhui, Dinos, Stansfeld, & White, 2012).
Using cognitive behavioral management interventions to resolve work-related stress is a practical approach, but it can also not be effective. Some of the ways it can be effective include; first, it is a relatively easy therapy to use as it has several instructions that one has to follow so that they can complete it. Most average people who face stress can follow these instructions, and thus they will be able to benefit from it (Orly, Rivka, Rivka, & Dorit, 2012). Next, cognitive behavioral management interventions are a form of therapy that focuses on someone getting better not just feeling better. Thus this ensures that any underlying problems are dealt with and thus gives a long-lasting solution. This ensures that the individual will not get stressed once more in the future. Next, this type of intervention is adaptable. This is effective in that it can be adapted to help someone facing different kinds of stresses. Thus many people can be helped, and it’s not restricted to just one person (Limm, et.al, 2010).
Symptoms of Cognitive Stress
Next, when cognitive behavioral management interventions are put into use, the stressed individual will get techniques to deal with different stressors. When they have learned this, they can handle these stressors if they happen in future. They will not need to seek therapy once more. Thus it will be useful to cope with future stress (Powell, & Enright, 2015). Another way this therapy is useful is that it is an intervention takes a short period. Therefore an individual can get the help they require as fast as possible. This is good for the employee as it means they will get help as quickly as possible then they can get back to work once more. Also, it is an effective method of intervening in stress where using medication has not worked. It will help out employees so that they can deal with their stress as a last resort. At times people do not want to use medications. Thus they can have an option of treatment (Hofmann, Asnaani, Vonk, Sawyer, & Fang, 2012). Finally, another way it is effective is that as it can be delivered as a therapy for a group, the patient can learn more skills. These skills include working as a group hence they will be able to work together with their coworkers in future with no problem. Also, this therapy can be given to a large group of employees when the management realizes there is a large group of stressed employees. It not only saves money for the company and also time but it ensures everyone can get the help for stress that they require (Cheng, Kogan, & Chio, 2012).
Using cognitive behavioral stress management interventions, however, is not effective in some cases. It can be ineffective in that for it to work one has to commit themselves fully to the process. Thus it needs an individual’s full concentration, and with work responsibilities, most workers do not have the time to go through with their therapy (Sarid, Berger, & Segal-Engelchin, 2010). Also, stressed individuals do not always want to get help, and with this course of treatment, the patient has to commit fully. Therapists only offer advice to patients on how to deal with stress but for it to work there should be full cooperation from the stressed individual who should put the things into action. Most people do this to please other, but they do not cooperate with their therapists as they do not view it as a problem. Another way is that cognitive behavioral stress management intervention is delivered in a structured manner. It means that those people using this type of therapy have to follow some set of guidelines so that it can effectively deal with stress. It makes it impossible for people with learning disabilities or mental health issues to use thus it does not effectively treat everyone who needs it (Reme, Grasdal, Løvvik, Lie, & Øverland, 2015). Another way it is ineffective is that it deals with a singular person’s stress and finding ways for them to deal and get better. What it does not deal with is those around the patient and if they need some help to know how to behave. Thus the patient will be returning to the same environment they were in, and they could face the same stressors and become stressed once more. Thus this becomes a never-ending cycle till this is dealt with also (Fjorback, Arendt, Ørnbøl, Fink, & Walach, 2011).
Interventions for Work-Related Stress
Next, it is also ineffective in that for it to work the stressed individual has to face their stressors and triggers so that the therapist will know what course of action to take. It means that the individual will face, in the beginning, many more periods of stress and anxiety. Some patients will give up because they are not getting better immediately and will prefer to pretend they are not stressed so that they do not face the stress head-on once again (Karlson, et.al, 2010). Also, as therapists assign tasks to their patients to complete such as listing their stressors while at work, it can be seen as a burden. Most people need a simple solution, and if you add on extra tasks, they will feel pressured leading to more stress and sometimes leading to them stopping the treatment. They do so so that they can focus on their work, not the tasks they view as unimportant. Finally, another manner that this type of intervention is ineffective is that most people are resistant to change. In that as this type of therapy require one to learn new techniques, they will be resistant as they are used to their old way of handling issues. Hence, most of these will put up a fight making the treatment last longer than it should and thus they do not get the help they need as fast as they could have (Manocha, Black, Sarris, & Stough, 2011).
In conclusion, cognitive behavioral stress management like other therapies is not 100% effective when dealing with stress. It has various determinants of its effectiveness such as the individual receiving the therapy should cooperate with the therapist for it to work. Also, they should be ready to learn and not that change because they have to learn new ways of coping with stress. Another one is that each is unique hence for the intervention to be effective it should be adapted to suit them so that they can take it on easily avoiding any more unnecessary stress. Time is another determinant in that this therapy should be structured in a way that it keeps the interest of the patients who are busy employees and ensures it is easy enough for it not to stress them (McIntyre, et.al, 2013). However, this is a useful intervention, and it should be put to use while employees are dealing with stress at work. A lot more people need to be informed of the dangers of stress and why there is a need for them to seek interventions when they get stressed. It is far more effective than ineffective, and it helps a lot of individuals to deal with stress but all that needs to be done is to remedy the issues that render it ineffective.
Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Management Interventions
References
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Cheng, C., Kogan, A., & Chio, J. H. M. (2012). The effectiveness of a new, coping flexibility intervention as compared with a cognitive-behavioural intervention in managing work stress. Work & Stress, 26(3).
Fagundes, C. P., Glaser, R., Hwang, B. S., Malarkey, W. B., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2013). Depressive symptoms enhance stress-induced inflammatory responses. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 31.
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