What is your experience with CBT?

[Bulletin_Board_Archive]

Originally posted by: Jemma on 12 February 2013

Hey Friends, I posted on here about August last year with details about my blue days and my journey with depression and anxiety. Today I finally found myself a doctor who listened and valued me. I didn't get pushed out the door with a pill to fix the problem. Today I started my mental health plan- feeling hopeful about what the future holds! Whilst I was waiting for the doctor I got the usual sweaty,trembling hands and heart palpitations. After about 5 minutes of discussion I felt like a huge weight was lifted of my shoulders and I was being taken seriously. Now to the crux of my post. I have been referred to start CBT. What are peoples experiences? What can I expect? Do I have to pour my heart out and tell my life story? (It could take years). I kinda feel anxious even thinking about it. I haven't been on medication for 18 months as it impaired my memory and concentration- which is essential being a uni student. May have to go back on the meds if it doesn't work out. Would love to hear about anyone's experiences!

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Originally posted by: des on 12 February 2013

jemma the only way to approach it is to be absolutely open and honest with your counsellor.....try not to hold back....I have found it helped me with two psychologists to approach it that way....and I used to come away from my sessions feeling better for having opened up...all the best....

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Originally posted by: David Charles on 12 February 2013

Dear Jemma, I've never tried CBT but I don't think it's a bad thing from reading the Board for a few years. The thing is that you're going to be anxious about any new form of treatment (especially if you think the drugs will be re-introduced if you fail). Don't you get 10 free CBT treatments on the plan ? I'm currently doing 10 free psychologist sessions and loving it. In all fairness to yourself try ANYTHING ! Adios, David. PS You should read my post about "fake tv reality show: MY MENTAL STATE RULES" as you would be a good candidate. The thing is to keep searching and capitalise on any failure. Adios, David.

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Originally posted by: Stephen on 12 February 2013

Dear Jemma, May I say first of all well done and congratulations on taking the best step you'll ever take. Now the next stage is to learn how to communicatE your deepest darkest secrets. You don't have to go in and blurt it all out at once. I ddon't believe that is possible anyway. I have been on cat for quite a few years now. My psychologist is very competent and extremely professional. At first I had to learn to trust him and let him guide me on a healing journey. I also have a psychiatrist but I've found that a psychiatrist is more for the medication side of things where as I just offload every fear and memory of trauma on him and to be honest I am all cbt'd out and I have not experienced any anxiety or depression for some 4 months now. Please don" t think cat will be a quick fix that will work overnight or weeks for that matter. It is a long drawn out process where you must learn to trust. I believe that if there is something that has happened to you that you cannot bring yourself to tell anyone, I think you'll find that that is what is the crux of the problem and the only way to deal with it is let it out when you feel ready and act on the psychs advice to the letter. May i add I once went to a psychologist that spent all her time telling me her life story. I think this is the sign of a bad psychologist. If they have some empathy and mention some of their experiences that is ok because they are just trying to show you that they have some empathy and build a professional relationship. If after a few visits you do not feel comfortable please keep trying but if it's not working out go to a hundred psychs if you have to until you strike one you feel you can trust because I am convinced cbt is deff innately the best medicine. I personally need my meds but I was a pretty serious case. But please please keep up with the treatment and never give up, you have done the hard and most important bit by accepting there is a problem, you just have to learn how to get all that crap off your chest once you do I promise you you will not regret it. Happiness is achievable and once you talk about all that negative stuff and learn how to deal with it you will never look back. Good luck Jemma your a wonderful person that deserves a happy healthy life, you will achieve it with cbt.

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Originally posted by: geoff on 14 February 2013

dear Jemma, CBT is where the therapists seek to learn what their clients want out of life and then help them achieve those goals, and if you have a great repoire with them and have confidence with them, it just flows along and is a very good type of therapy. All the best. Love Geoff. x

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Originally posted by: scotty on 14 February 2013

Hi Jemma imho 10 is not enough, depends on your situation really, I wonder though if in 10yrs time they will look back, and there will be some other therapy out?. I dont mind the Mindfullness stuff, much of the stuff you can learn online to. Whats the real diffference between "disorders" and "problems"? Whether the problem is solved or not, it's resolution involves fairly clear realistic or even ideal alternatives. Getting depressed because you can't find a job, or because a friend died, or because you're lonely, is a problem. Being depressed for no reason at all, getting anxiety without ever consciously trying to, those are disorders. What's the % recovered from CBT?, I'm not sure, but depends on many factors, other health issues, etc. Good Luck anyhow long as you keep pushing TC.

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Originally posted by: scotty on 14 February 2013

Hi Jemma again i forgot to add, Another option is ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). it focuses, not on logically arguing destructive thoughts and feelings, but accepting them, and learning to live a full life in spite of them. If you're interested, there's a couple of good books by Russ Harris. Because of it's more action-oriented approach that emphasizes personal values and goals. The problem with how a lot of CBT is being carried out these days is that it has become the go-to "brief therapy." Basically, success is defined as how fast the therapist is able to get the patient up and functioning again -- not on the specific problems and path of healing that you might need as an individual.This is really a shame because the original forms of cognitive therapy, those developed by Drs. Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis, et al., are actually pretty brilliant. But it REALLY gets watered-down and over-simplified by therapists who, much of the time, haven't actually received much training in the nuts-and-bolts underpinnings of cognitive theory. So what you get, much of the time, is basically someone who present you with a grab-bag of different techniques to counter your thinking patterns... but it's extremely superficial. You just have to find what works for you, and be honest with yourself, like a pair of shoes shop around for the right size

[HA1]

Found this thread in the archives!

I will be starting CBT in a few weeks and quite looking forward to it from an 'interest' perspective.  I will it it my best shot, but can't feeling a little sceptical as to how successful it will be.

Any success stories out there?  

How was your experience with CBT. 

K

[Donnie001]

Firstly, CBT is a great way of changing behaviour and learning new ones, plus it has the cognitive side of the therapy. As humans we tend to rely on learned behaviour, thus, we tend to neglect the use of our cognitive reasoning/thinking. In CBT the therapist with teach you some strategy on how to deal with situations and help you to rely less on your learned behaviours and use more of your cognitive reason, most specially in situations that are anxiety or stress provoking. Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.Therefore, to help you learn new behaviours you must learn to "Think" and "not rely on old worn out behaviours". By doing so, you avoid making the same mistakes. In social science more so in sociology/criminal justice we learned that people that often rely on behaviours alone will end up making the same mistake or what is called recidivism. So through CBT you'll learn to recognise your old behaviours and hopefully learn new behaviours through cognitive reasoning. All the best and good luck! There are other forms of psychological, psychotherapy and counselling strategies you can try if CBT does not work for you. Remember that seeing a professional is like shopping. You try something and if it does not work for you try another until you find what is best for you. No one person is the same thus, the therapy that might work for someone may not work for another. There is no magical one-size-fit-all therapy. The journey is part of the healing process, so don't be dismay! 🙂 

[HA1]

Thanks Donnie for responding - much appreciated.

Over the last few days I have read up a fair bit and it does sound interesting.  Just doing some of the 'homework' on thoughts is helpful (and a journey of discovery).

Take care

K