Metacognitive Therapy: New Ways To Overcome Negative Overthinking, Depression, And Anxiety

JAKARTA - Scientists believe a new technique called metakognitive therapy (MCT) can help fight depression and anxiety caused by overthinking or overthinking.

In a study published in the journal PLOS Medicine. The researchers analyzed how MCT can help patients who are undergoing heart rehabilitation while facing depression and anxiety.

Patients with heart rehabilitation are more prone to anxiety disorders and depression. Of course, having mental health problems can slow down the recovery process. Good mentality is very important to support total recovery.

Metakognitive therapy is the latest evidence-based approach to helping people with mental illness overcome overthinking and anxiety, positively. "Meta" here refers to the brain and not the mind itself. Developed by Adrian Wells, a professor of psychology at the University of Manchester, MCT is a promising method for managing mental health.

"We found some time ago that certain styles of thinking seem to make some people vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and trauma," Wells said, quoted by Medical Daily, Tuesday, July 25.

Thinking about past events is normal. But being obsessed with something irreversible has proven to be damaging to mental health. Overthinking often includes persistent negative thoughts about past events. It feels like thoughts are getting carried back into the past. And this could be a weakening condition.

In a study conducted between April 2017 and April 2020. The researchers divided 240 patients undergoing heart rehabilitation into two groups receiving various types of therapy. All patients suffer from cardiovascular disease and have had major heart problems such as heart attacks.

One group receives standard heart rehabilitation, focusing mainly on sports and lifestyle changes. Meanwhile, other groups get heart rehabilitation and MCT in the form of independent guidebooks.

After four months, patients receiving heart rehabilitation at the same time as MCT showed an increase in healing by 59 percent. Meanwhile, patients who only receive heart rehabilitation show an improvement rate of 36 percent. According to Wells, MCT does not focus on content, but how people manage their thinking.

The guidebook used for MCT in trials, tries to understand what causes anxiety and a low mood in patients to understand the reasons for the persistent pressure. After identifying some areas that need to be fixed, this guidebook teaches techniques to stop worrying and overthinking by replacing behavior that doesn't help with positive thinking. This process allows one to feel in control of their minds.

One of the reasons people experience anxiety and overthinking disorders is that they believe they have lost control of their thoughts. Which is actually a distortion because anxiety and depression do not cause a loss of control over thought. Maybe it feels like that, but it's not a reality, "explained Wells.