What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)?

It is an enduringly effective alternative treatment for sufferers of common mental health problems irrespective of ability, culture, race, gender or sexual preference. CBT therapists are usually psychologists, doctors, nurses, social workers and counsellors. CBT helps sufferers achieve desired change by focussing on current difficulties to identify personalised, time-limited therapy goals and strategies which are continually monitored and evaluated. CBT usually improves common neuroses enduringly after 6-12 sessions with a clinician.

What is Computer-aided Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CCBT)?

This is a new method for delivering CBT via a computer (standalone PC or internet). Research has shown that CCBT improves anxious/depressed patients as much as face to face therapy, but is also more cost and time efficient without any side effects. It provides a solution for many sufferers who often prefer its convenience, confidentiality and reduction of stigma.

Is CCBT effective?

Yes. Extensive research has found that CBT/CCBT is effective for the alleviation of many problems such as:

anxiety & panic disorders

phobias (e.g. agoraphobia, social phobia, specific phobia)

obsessive-compulsive disorder

post traumatic stress disorder

depression

What is FearFighter?

FearFighter is an online method for delivering CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).  The course of therapy is a treatment for patients suffering from panic/anxiety & phobia and can offer help where anxiety is comorbid with depression. It requires only one hour of support for a course of treatment.

FearFighter helps sufferers to work out exactly what brings on their fear, thus they can learn how to face their fear until it subsides. This is called "exposure therapy", i.e. facing fears for long enough to get used to them.

It provides treatment with the same efficacy as existing CBT services and is a 9-Step practised-based self-help treatment system. During the 9 steps, FearFighter (FF) allows patients to identify specific problems and to develop realistic treatment goals.

Has FearFighter been clinically proven to be effective for the treatment of panic and phobias?

Yes, FearFighter has undergone extensive testing and trial pilots involving 700 patients and has received an endorsement by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) as being proven to be clinically effective as well as cost effective.  In the NICE Final Appraisal Determination (FAD), FearFighter has been recommended as an option for delivering CBT in the management of panic and phobia. A copy of the NICE FAD can be found on the following website address: http://www.nice.org.uk/pdf/CCBT_FAD.pdf. 

If I would like to try FearFighter, what happens next?

FearFighter is suitable for patients suffering from panic, anxiety or any phobia and often patients who have chronic somatisation may also be helped.

The usual process for obtaining FearFighter is by GP referral.  To do this, the GP has to come under a Primary Care Trust that has purchased licences for the use of the software.  GP's refer generally to their Primary Care Mental Health Team, Graduate Mental Health Worker or FearFighter service provider. 

Then what?

Once a username and password has been issued, FearFighter can be accessed from the surgery/home/work or from any PC having internet access. FearFighter will help overcome anxieties or phobias.

The patient is supported by telephone throughout the treatment by their allocated Support Worker.

Support

As a trained Support Worker you will have been given log in details to the Patient Progress Monitoring System (PPMS).

To log in to PPMS :  go to www.fearfighter.com and click on "clinical log in".   Enter your given user name and password where indicated.

1. During what hours can I phone CCBT Ltd for technical support?

You can call CCBT Ltd Monday to Friday from 0900-1700.

2. Is there a fee for telephone technical support?

This is provided free of charge