Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is currently one of the first-line treatments for outpatient depressive and anxiety disorders, and over the last few decades, it has been adapted for the treatment of more severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and more chronic or treatment-refractory mood disorders. This great effort by the community of psychologists has positioned CBT beyond an adjuvant treatment, i.e., in combination with pharmacotherapy. The severe limitations of pharmacotherapies today have promoted the demonstration that CBT has added clinical effects, a fact that will have important implications for the improvement of public health.
Recently, the journal World Psychiatry, one of the most renowned psychiatric publications internationally, has highlighted the effectiveness of psychological interventions in the treatment of severe mental disorders given the lack of new drugs that act effectively. Furthermore, the psychiatric community confirms the wisdom of choosing CBT as the first option for the treatment of depression and anxiety, and assures its clinical benefit as a complement to treat severe schizophrenia or drug-resistant mood disorders.The expansion of CBT as a first-line treatment option in cases of severe mental disorders leads to the need for specialized training to meet the growing demand. If both outpatient medicine and psychiatry currently support the effectiveness of this therapy, psychology professionals are positioned as first-level health promoters, increasing their social recognition.
CBT is presented as an indispensable tool to face the future of the profession and respond to the trust that the healthcare sector is demonstrating towards psychological care as a source of health.