There is often a link between mental health issues and memory, and this can unfortunately deeply affect individuals suffering from mental health issues.
What is cognitive remediation therapy?
Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) refers to treatment aimed to improve memory skills and cognitive abilities. Its goals are to improve memory and intellectual abilities and raise awareness of functional thinking and was first developed to treat people suffering from schizophrenia.
Issues with cognitive thinking can be or start off as mild. However, if it starts to interfere with serious daily activities or progressively worsens, then it is important to step in, monitor, and treat it as necessary.
What are examples of CRT exercises?
Specialists work with their clients using either computer-based or paper-and-pen treatment plans, or a hybrid of both to conduct CRT exercises. These deal with building memory, planning, and concentration. Often, these exercises are repetitive and increase gradually in difficulty to allow people the chance to get accustomed and review.
They help improve and work on skills related to planning, organization, and problem-solving in addition to remembering and information processing. This proves to be especially helpful for people dealing with schizophrenia.
Various therapy techniques include errorless learning and targeted reinforcement exercises, both of which benefit memory and concentration. Visual reading tasks help with memory and reinforce learning patterns.
It’s important for these therapies to be specifically targeted towards the individual’s goals. A personal treatment plan involves effective communication between the client and specialist, consistent observation, and necessary intervention to update or adapt the treatment plan as needed.
What is the link between cognitive abilities and social skills?
Social skills are affected by a number of things: lack of a traditional or stimulating environment or even positive role models can all hinder social skills. Unfortunately, even suffering from mental health issues can negatively affect this.
In addition to helping with memory and concentration, CRT is also beneficial for developing personal social skills.
Studies conducted with young children indicate that certain physical trends relate to social skills. Specifically, these involve the eye-like stimuli; there is a strong link between head and eye orientation and understanding of the social world.
Therefore, there is a primal and deep-set connection between physical orientation and social skills. It is therefore important to ensure that the physical trends of clients aren’t in any way inhibited by mental health issues for optimal social skills. Studies and implemented exercises have demonstrated the strong link between cognitive abilities and social skills.
Without a doubt, CRT is beneficial for people suffering with mental health issues to help them maintain appropriate social responses and cognitive abilities.
