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    Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

    Also known as CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy

    Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy in which a therapist helps people change how they think and act.[1] WHO says CBT-based therapies have the most evidence across anxiety disorders, and a 2018 meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials found a moderate overall effect, largest for GAD and OCD.[2][3]

    Editor reviewedStrict sourcingUpdated WikiMental health, Health and medicine
    Key facts

    Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a structured talking therapy in which a therapist helps people change how they think and act, and it is used for many mental health problems.[1] WHO says CBT-based therapies have the most evidence for treating a range of anxiety disorders.[2]

    This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about whether CBT suits you.

    How it works

    NIMH says CBT helps people become aware of automatic thoughts that are inaccurate or harmful, question them, see how they affect emotions and behaviour, and change self-defeating patterns.[4] A core technique for anxiety is exposure: WHO describes exposure therapy as learning to face one’s fears.[2] For panic disorder, interoceptive exposure deliberately brings on the bodily sensations of panic so people learn to react to them differently.[5] NICE recommends that CBT for GAD be delivered by trained practitioners.[6]

    What it treats

    The NHS lists CBT as a recommended treatment for depression, anxiety disorders including social anxiety, phobias and OCD, PTSD, eating disorders and other conditions.[1] NICE recommends it for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder, with a version built specifically for social anxiety.[6][7][8]

    Evidence

    A 2018 meta-analysis of 41 randomised trials (2,843 patients) compared CBT with psychological or pill placebos. It found a moderate effect on the target disorder (Hedges’ g 0.56), with large effects for GAD, OCD and acute stress disorder and small-to-moderate effects for PTSD, social anxiety and panic disorder.[3] Exposure-based treatments tended to have larger effects, though the difference was not statistically significant.[9] For GAD needing high-intensity treatment, NICE says there is no evidence that CBT or medication is better than the other, so the choice should follow preference.[10]

    Formats and access

    FormatDetail
    One-to-one, high intensityNICE: usually 12 to 15 weekly one-hour sessions for GAD[6]
    Self-help and guided self-helpNICE’s low-intensity first-line options for GAD, based on CBT principles[11]
    Online and appsWHO says CBT-based help can be delivered online and through apps[12]
    Prescription appDaylightRx, FDA-cleared in 2024 for GAD in adults 22 and older[13]

    In the UK, CBT is free on the NHS for many problems, and adults in England can refer themselves to NHS talking therapies, though waits vary by area.[14][15] See the anxiety treatments guide for how CBT fits alongside medication, and types of therapy explained for how CBT compares with other talking therapies.

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    Questions readers ask

    What is CBT?

    The NHS describes CBT as a talking therapy in which a therapist helps you change how you think and act. NIMH says it helps people notice and question inaccurate or harmful automatic thoughts and change self-defeating behaviour.[1][4]

    What conditions does CBT treat?

    The NHS says CBT is a recommended treatment for many problems, including depression, anxiety disorders such as social anxiety, phobias and OCD, and PTSD.[1]

    How many CBT sessions are needed for anxiety?

    For generalized anxiety disorder, NICE says CBT usually consists of 12 to 15 weekly one-hour sessions. For panic disorder it recommends 7 to 14 hours in total.[6][7]

    How effective is CBT for anxiety?

    A 2018 meta-analysis of 41 placebo-controlled trials found a moderate effect overall, with large effects for GAD, OCD and acute stress disorder and smaller effects for PTSD, social anxiety and panic disorder.[3]

    Can I get CBT for free?

    In the UK the NHS says CBT is free for many mental health problems and adults in England can self-refer to NHS talking therapies, though waiting times vary.[14][15]

    Sources

    · 15 claims from 7 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      The NHS describes CBT as a talking therapy in which a therapist helps people change how they think and act, recommended for depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD and other problems. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    2. [2]

      WHO says the psychological treatments with the most evidence across anxiety disorders are based on cognitive-behavioural therapy, including exposure therapy, in which people learn to face their fears. confirmedas of 2026-09-15

    3. [3]

      A 2018 meta-analysis of 41 placebo-controlled trials (2,843 patients) found CBT had a moderate effect on anxiety-related disorders (Hedges' g 0.56), with large effects for OCD, GAD and acute stress disorder and small-to-moderate effects for PTSD, social anxiety and panic disorder. confirmedas of 2018-06-01

    4. [4]

      NIMH describes CBT as a research-supported psychotherapy commonly used for GAD that helps people notice and question inaccurate or harmful automatic thoughts, and calls it the "gold standard" psychotherapy. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    5. [5]

      NIMH says CBT is commonly used to treat panic disorder, and that techniques include exposure therapy and interoceptive exposure, which exposes people to the bodily sensations associated with panic attacks. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    6. [6]

      NICE recommends that people with GAD who choose a high-intensity psychological intervention be offered CBT or applied relaxation, usually 12 to 15 weekly one-hour sessions delivered by trained practitioners. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    7. [7]

      For panic disorder, NICE recommends CBT of 7 to 14 hours in total, usually weekly sessions of 1 to 2 hours completed within 4 months, delivered by trained and supervised therapists. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    8. [8]

      NICE recommends offering adults with social anxiety disorder individual CBT developed specifically for social anxiety (based on the Clark and Wells or Heimberg models), and not routinely offering group CBT in preference to individual CBT. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      In the 2018 CBT meta-analysis, treatments that mainly used exposure had larger effects than those using cognitive techniques, though the difference was not statistically significant. confirmedas of 2018-06-01

    10. [10]

      For GAD with marked functional impairment or no response to low-intensity help, NICE recommends offering either a high-intensity psychological intervention or drug treatment, based on preference, because there is no evidence either is better. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    11. [11]

      For GAD that has not improved after education and active monitoring, NICE recommends offering low-intensity psychological interventions as first line, guided by the person's preference - non-facilitated self-help, guided self-help or psychoeducational groups. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    12. [12]

      WHO says psychological treatments for anxiety can be delivered individually or in groups, in person or online, and through self-help manuals, websites and apps. confirmedas of 2026-09-15

    13. [13]

      In September 2024 the FDA cleared Big Health's DaylightRx, a prescription app delivering CBT, as the first FDA-cleared digital treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, for adults aged 22 and older as an adjunct to usual care. confirmedas of 2024-09-05

    14. [14]

      The NHS says CBT is available free on the NHS for many mental health problems without a diagnosis, though waiting times vary by area. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    15. [15]

      In England, adults aged 18 or over can refer themselves to NHS talking therapies for anxiety without a GP referral, according to the NHS. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Apr 11, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/wiki/cognitive-behavioral-therapy

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