Answer this question to the best of your ability:
How does CBT help people challenge their anxious thoughts?
CBT helps people challenge their anxious thoughts by employing a technique called cognitive restructuring. This process involves several steps:

1. Identifying negative or irrational thoughts : The first step in cognitive restructuring is identifying the specific thoughts that contribute to anxiety and worry. These thoughts may be automatic, unhelpful, or exaggerated.

2. Evaluating the evidence : Once negative thoughts have been identified, they are evaluated for their accuracy and validity. This involves looking at empirical evidence, logic, or reality to determine whether these thoughts are helpful in coping with real-life situations.

3. Developing alternative, balanced thoughts : If negative thoughts are found to be unhelpful or invalid, people are encouraged to develop more balanced, adaptive alternatives. These new thoughts should reflect a more realistic, objective perspective on the situation at hand.

4. Reinforcing new thought patterns : Finally, once new, positive thought patterns have been established, they are reinforced through practice and repetition until they become ingrained habits.

By learning to challenge and replace negative or irrational thoughts with more balanced, adaptive alternatives, people can gradually reduce the frequency and intensity of their anxiety and worry.