It is difficult to be precise about who can benefit from CBT, because every patient is different.

In the NHS, CBT is mainly used for psychological conditions like the ones in the following list. Each medical term in this list describes a particular diagnosis by a doctor, but you do not necessarily need a diagnosis by a doctor in order to benefit from CBT:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Depression
• Anxiety and phobia
• Eating disorders

CBT is also used for other conditions that are not psychological, but that can have a psychological component, like:

• Chronic pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Brain injury or stroke
• Chronic or terminal illness

To read more detailed information about CBT for chronic fatigue (CFS), see: Information for CFS sufferers

CBT can be helpful if you have a psychiatric illness — for example, psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder or a personality disorder.

CBT can help you to overcome emotional trauma, such as bullying or harassment in the workplace or at home.

And CBT can be helpful for less severe conditions brought about by life events such as illness, loss, or other life changes.