CBT for anxiety: what the research says

CBT has good evidence for worry and anxiety. It is usually offered first in the UK. Long-term results are less studied.

What a session is

A talking therapy where a trained therapist helps you change unhelpful thoughts and habits. For anxiety, this often means learning to spot worry patterns and to face feared situations step by step. You usually have 5 to 15 sessions and practise skills between them.

What the research says

• Worry and anxiety (generalised anxiety): CBT is usually offered first for anxiety in the UK. In a Cochrane review, people who had CBT were more likely to feel less anxious at the end of treatment. The review is old and looked only at short-term results, so long-term benefit is less clear. Good evidence it helps · WHO, 2026 · NHS, 2024 · NICE, 2011 · Cochrane, 2007 · IQWiG, 2024

In the UK, CBT for anxiety is usually done with a therapist's support, on your own or in a group. NHS, 2024 We have not separately rated self-help or online CBT for anxiety.

Our checked sources cover generalised anxiety (long-lasting worry). We have not yet rated CBT for panic, social anxiety or health anxiety. Your GP can tell you what is recommended for these.

More on each need: Feel calmer

Read more about this method: CBT: what the research says

Is it safe?

Facing difficult thoughts or fears can feel unsettling at first, so tell your therapist if it does.

If you have bipolar disorder, psychosis or an eating disorder, talk to your GP first. NHS, 2025

Sessions on Sissoo complement medical care and never replace it. Please don't stop or change any treatment without talking to your doctor. If you feel very low or think about ending your life, call your local emergency number now.

Checked 25 October 2026. Next check by April 2027. How we rate the evidence.