View Full Version : Will CBT really help? Feel like it doesn't even touch the anxiety
I have been trying to do my cbt homework but I feel it isn't working. I am trying to challenge my negative thoughts but I feel like I'm. It even processing what I'm saying when my anxiety is at its strongest. Any tips?
snowghost57
13-05-17, 17:46
Oh I use my CBT all the time. I didn't like writing down my thoughts cause I felt like what was the use? My therapist suggested this, put a rubber band around your wrist and every time your thoughts wander snap it and bring your mind back to what you are doing. It really helps! Also, there is Mind Bell you can add to your phone, it chimes a soft sounding bell to make you think, "what are my thoughts right now, how am I feeling?" I used both for a while and now when a silly thought comes into my head, I just ask myself, "wow where did that come from" and just nudge it out of my mind and then I center myself and focus on the now, the NOW is all we have, the next moment will be in the now and the now is all we can deal with. Hope this helps!
Hello. I relate to how you feel. How far are you into your CBT therapy?
Learning to hear your own thoughts is a long slow process. It's like any skill - it's really hard at the beginning, but it gets easier. It's worth putting the effort in, because being able to hear your thoughts and challenge your negative thoughts is how you can recover from anxiety.
It is hard work, I understand. But it IS worth it.
Hang on in there. It might not seem like anything is changing, but you are building a skill that is the long term solution to your anxiety.
It takes a long time to change thinking. Think of it like losing weight. It's not going to happen unless you make some important changes and stick with it. Changing your thoughts is the same.
Sometimes when I've been really bad off, I've needed medication IN CONJUNCTION with therapy to change my thoughts. The medication has helped me not dwell on the uncomfortable thoughts, while the therapy helps me deal with them. It's how I've gotten through my PTSD to this point. It might be a convo you want to have with your docs.
what meds are you taking and how much,CBT is hit and miss , having good meds on board helps, if you taking CBTwith the NHS i found it hard work with 12 in a class, some even dropped out halfway through, i would like to say it helped me but, i found it a bit slaphappy and poorly presented . 1 on 1 would be better:shrug:
Luna-Diana
18-05-17, 10:53
When I 1st began CBT I was a little doubtful about whether it would actually help but looking back on it i'm so glad I stuck with it!!
I used to go once a week and think i had around 7-9 sessions before reducing to a check in once a month and now i've been without one for around 3 months now. I still get dips in my mood and waves on anxiety sometimes but i can handle things a lot better than before i went!
One of the best tools for me was De-catastrophizing. If you are having a "what if" change it to a statement i.e "What if the car crashes" = "The car will crash".
If you look up De-catastrophizing sheets they will give you steps to work through i found helpful (can't link as i don't have enough posts yet)
I still use it if i get a "what if" feeling. I know CBT doesn't always work for everyone though as well of other types of counselling (I tried counselling before CBT and if anything is made things worse :( ). It can be frustrating but stick with it and see if you gain any benefits. If not there are always other options.
Good luck :)
**Edit - I did CBT in conjunction with medication too.
Hi there
If you can get aCess to ACT therapy it might make more sense. You dont try amd challenge negative thoughts which in reality dont jurt go away, you make rOm for them and accept. Importantly its done in conjunctgon with mindfulness tn help you learn how to stay in the present.
You can find full CBT therapy online, no need for scary encounters at the hospital. :shades:
You can find full CBT therapy online, no need for scary encounters at the hospital. :shades:
True BUT... many are not in the right frame of mind to effectively self-teach the techniques. Going to a therapist or group holds one with some stake in accountability. It's work and if no one is watching?.... There have been members who "said" they were working on-line in one sentence and the next was right back to their reassurance seeking obviously negating their previous statement.
CBT is a vey good tool to deal with irrational thoughts. It takes practice and hard work but it's worth it. Meds can be helpful in quieting the mind chatter allowing you to focus on the work. I used CBT techniques in dealing with the aftermath of my cancer and still use some of the techniques to this day as they are useful in every day life experiences. Bottom line is it takes work and time.
Positive thoughts
True BUT... many are not in the right frame of mind to effectively self-teach the techniques. Going to a therapist or group holds one with some stake in accountability. It's work and if no one is watching?.... There have been members who "said" they were working on-line in one sentence and the next was right back to their reassurance seeking obviously negating their previous statement.
CBT is a vey good tool to deal with irrational thoughts. It takes practice and hard work but it's worth it. Meds can be helpful in quieting the mind chatter allowing you to focus on the work. I used CBT techniques in dealing with the aftermath of my cancer and still use some of the techniques to this day as they are useful in every day life experiences. Bottom line is it takes work and time.
Positive thoughts i am glad it helped you it did sweet fa for me
Has not been very useful for me either. Has sessions for over 2 years.
Sorry I don't really get this regarding de- catastrophising. How does changing the statement of "what if the car crashes" to "the car WILL crash" help? That would make me worse.
I wonder if cbt didn't work for me because I get anxious about specific personal events and their consequences, rather than being anxious for no specific reason.
Maybe my understanding of cbt is all wrong.
I second the suggestions of looking into ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy) ... a "third wave" psychotherapy that I think can be useful if CBT is not cutting it.
I think no matter what therapy you engage in, you have to have the right mindset. With any therapy, you will only get out of it what you put into it. So many people start therapy with the belief that anxiety is out of their control--that they can't do anything to change it. If you truly believe that you have no influence over your own body, then therapy will not work for you because therapy is all about learning how to take back control, putting your mind over your matter.
Good point Antsy, but how do you change the philosophy that anxiety is out your control to believe it is within your control?
I think that's the million dollar question, Jebdog. Therapists have tried getting people to find their locus of control for years. I think maybe the only way to convince people is for them to see others who have gone through that journey and have been successful at it.
I think finding the right therapist goes a long way. If you trust the individual and can relate to them it goes along way to believing what they are telling you. We are individuals and a great therapist for one person could be poor for another. The best therapists can probably adapt their styles to the individual.
A lot of good points. From my own personal experience, what you put into it is what you'll get out of it and more. I believe and know it's a matter of mindset and severity of the illness. For some it's not enough and for many, it's what they need at the time.
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
30-05-17, 02:10
Sorry I don't really get this regarding de- catastrophising. How does changing the statement of "what if the car crashes" to "the car WILL crash" help? That would make me worse.
I wonder if cbt didn't work for me because I get anxious about specific personal events and their consequences, rather than being anxious for no specific reason.
Maybe my understanding of cbt is all wrong.
But that's just part of the exercise. The first section on here shows where you do that and how the followng sections aim to decatastrophise it:
https://psychologytools.com/decatastrophizing.html
I can understand what you say because I used to feel like that too but it's like in an exposure exercise, the earlier part of it is always going to raise anxiety because you are confronting it.
Idon't understand how a shrink that has never been mentally ill, tell you how you feel, then proceed to completely mess with your head in the name of science:lac:
MyNameIsTerry
30-05-17, 12:26
Idon't understand how a shrink that has never been mentally ill, tell you how you feel, then proceed to completely mess with your head in the name of science:lac:
The same way any doctor does. Everyday they treat people for things they've never suffered.
Even if you've had anxiety you won't know how everyone else feels as it's too diverse. But having experienced something of it would help them understand more that it's not as simple as the text books say.
The same way any doctor does. Everyday they treat people for things they've never suffered.
Even if you've had anxiety you won't know how everyone else feels as it's too diverse. But having experienced something of it would help them understand more that it's not as simple as the text books say.
A doctor can see a broken leg , he cannot see inside a broken mind :wacko:
snowghost57
30-05-17, 19:09
It does take work. My therapist gave me the same instruction. It wasn't exactly decastrophizing as it was worded here but the same concept. What I call Challenge Stinking Thinking, I created a thread on it so I'm not going to repeat myself. Fish you are right, I have not been in a right state of mind and just tell myself what's the use. I realize if I'm going to change I HAVE TO WORK ON THIS. Dippy me thought I was to use it only when I had a major event in my life. My therapist informed me that I must use it at least 10 times a day to challenge my negative thoughts in addition to "what if" I will never change my thinking pattern if I don't work on this.
Luna this is the link that I found for a pdf download https://psychologytools.com/decatastrophizing-free-en-us.pdf Hope this helps.
MyNameIsTerry
31-05-17, 01:32
A doctor can see a broken leg , he cannot see inside a broken mind :wacko:
It's like how they can observe as many mental health sufferers as they want but will never know how it actually feels. They have nothing to compare it to...otherwise they are trying to compare twisted ankles to broken ones when never having had a broken one.
Many therapists have experienced anxiety and other mental conditions in their lives (or they have loved ones that do)...that's why they often become therapists.
Some people prefer working through self-help books rather than therapy. I find both useful. A book I work with a lot is the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Bourne. I've used it with and without therapy. Maybe give it a shot?
MyNameIsTerry
31-05-17, 05:10
I learnt my therapist used to work at a local charity prior to completion of her training. When I joined the charity I learnt that all staff are existing or recovered anxiety/depression sufferers.
There were several in the meets that were starting out training in this area. The more the merrier!
But don't assume experience means everything. Unless you've had every form of disorder, to every severity level, with every theme you will have gaps in your knowledge. That's easily shown in forums like this. The cycles may be the same under a label but there can be many nuances. I've found this true of OCD and it can mean different strategies. So, training is still very important, as is ongoing supervision.
It's like how they can observe as many mental health sufferers as they want but will never know how it actually feels. They have nothing to compare it to...otherwise they are trying to compare twisted ankles to broken ones when never having had a broken one.
TERRY dont fall in love with your therapist like a lot do . They depend on there every word and become obsessed, They finish up they cannot go a on without there weekly therapy fix it becomes never ending and expensive and the therapist knows it. AT the end of therapy they feel like they have lost there soul mate and crash into depression, Its happened many time on forums ladies who fall for the therapist because unlike the husband he listens and they fall totally in love with them telling there inner secrets that they would tell know one else, male to male therapy not so much unless the patient is gay, Therapy is a minefield of money ,lust, unfaithfulness, and the odd time HELP:bighug1:
MyNameIsTerry
05-06-17, 01:58
TERRY dont fall in love with your therapist like a lot do . They depend on there every word and become obsessed, They finish up they cannot go a on without there weekly therapy fix it becomes never ending and expensive and the therapist knows it. AT the end of therapy they feel like they have lost there soul mate and crash into depression, Its happened many time on forums ladies who fall for the therapist because unlike the husband he listens and they fall totally in love with them telling there inner secrets that they would tell know one else, male to male therapy not so much unless the patient is gay, Therapy is a minefield of money ,lust, unfaithfulness, and the odd time HELP:bighug1:
Cheers Brian. Mine ended years ago and no one would offer anything further so I went my own way with the NHS.
I've seen it on here where a therapist becomes a friend to lean on.
But my therapist was a rather attractive lady...:winks:
:yesyes:
Cheers Brian. Mine ended years ago and no one would offer anything further so I went my own way with the NHS.
I've seen it on here where a therapist becomes a friend to lean on.
But my therapist was a rather attractive lady...:winks: i have been offered therapy with the NHS a lady came to see me , she was a young girl and i just new she would quote out the NHS bible they are taught from. robot therapy is not my thing : shades:
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