Struggling with Insomnia? Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Can Help

Insomnia affects each person differently, and it can be an isolated condition or a symptom of a deeper issue. Proper treatment requires a thorough diagnosis, and treatment can vary depending on what’s behind your sleepless nights. If your insomnia is caused by anxiety, depression, PTSD, or a rough patch in life, therapy might be the answer. 

At P.S. Psychiatry in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Dr. Mitchell Kho and his team offer various types of therapy to help you overcome issues and live your best life. If you’re struggling with insomnia, we can help.

Insomnia: symptom or cause?

When it comes to insomnia, it can be difficult to tell whether your restlessness is a symptom or the underlying cause. Insomnia has a way of worsening other mental conditions, which often leads to more lost sleep. 

This is why insomnia is not treated as a physical condition, but rather a mental or emotional one. Sleeping pills and other medications rarely address the root problem, and can lead to a dependence on prescription medication or overuse of supplements like melatonin. 

In order to properly address what’s keeping you up at night, you might need to work with a specialist to overcome your insomnia. 

How cognitive-behavioral therapy can help 

Three of the most common causes of insomnia are depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These conditions also happen to respond well to cognitive-behavioral therapy, which by extension make it effective against insomnia. 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a common type of talk therapy where you engage in structured conversations with a therapist. During these sessions, you will learn to recognize negative or recurring patterns in your thinking. With awareness and coping mechanisms, you can control these thoughts. 

CBT for insomnia also involves changing how you approach going to bed. Proper sleep hygiene means limiting screen time and caffeine at night, and establishing a routine that prepares you for rest. You’ll also learn how to wind down using meditation and muscle relaxation, which keeps you from falling into the mindset that keeps you awake. 

This is an important skill for those whose thoughts keep them up well into the night. Even if you wake from a nightmare or experience a flashback caused by PTSD (a condition well known to be linked to insomnia and restless or interrupted sleep), you can use CBT to calm yourself down and get back to sleep. 

Struggling to sleep at night? Schedule a consultation by calling 267-884-1824, or request an appointment online.