Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-focused type of psychotherapy. Rather than exploring the past at length, it teaches practical skills: noticing unhelpful thought patterns, testing them against evidence, and changing the behaviors that keep a problem going. It usually runs for a set number of sessions, often with homework between them, and it can be delivered one-on-one, in groups, or through guided digital programs.

CBT is one of the best-studied psychological treatments. It is a first-line option for anxiety disorders and depression, a specialized version (CBT-I) is the recommended first treatment for chronic insomnia, and CBT is a leading evidence-based therapy for binge eating disorder. For people on a GLP-1, it can help with the parts a medication doesn't touch, such as emotional eating habits, body-image struggles after weight loss, and the thinking patterns that shape long-term habits. See body-image lag vs. body dysmorphia.

Related terms

Binge eating disorder (BED) — An eating disorder involving recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food with a sense of loss of control, and distress afterward — without compensatory purging.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) — A mental health condition marked by persistent, excessive, hard-to-control worry about many things over months, often with restlessness, tension, and poor sleep.

Related guides

GLP-1 medications and ADHD: what to know if you have both — ADHD and obesity often go together, so a meaningful number of people on a GLP-1 also have ADHD, and some take a stimulant. There are no trials of GLP-1s as an ADHD treatment, and they shouldn't be used as one. If you have both, three practical things matter: combining two appetite suppressants safely, the overlap between ADHD and eating, and the adherence hurdle a weekly injection poses when you have ADHD.

Getting mental health support while on a GLP-1: finding a therapist and the challenges to name — Losing weight on a GLP-1 changes more than your body. Appetite, self-image, coping habits, and how others treat you can all shift, sometimes faster than your mind catches up. This practical guide covers the mental-health challenges people commonly face on these medications, the kinds of professionals who can help, how to find and afford one, and the crisis resources to keep close.

GLP-1s and a history of disordered eating: what the evidence says about safety — If you have a history of an eating disorder, or are living with one, a medication that suppresses appetite raises real questions. This guide covers what the early, mixed evidence shows about GLP-1 safety, why an active restrictive disorder is a different situation, and why the decision belongs with a treatment team that includes a mental-health professional.

Talking to a mental health provider about body image or disordered eating history before treatment — If you have a history of body image struggles or disordered eating, bringing it up before or during GLP-1 treatment can help you approach it more safely. This guide covers when to raise it, what to share, and what to ask.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

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