Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Hi everyone! I have learned a LOT from my last couple of CBT sessions, and I see a lot of confusion and desperation on the forums, so I thought I could share some of what I learned and give some hope to some people. So if you're struggling with panic, anxiety, and the negative thought patterns that come with it, this is the post for YOU! (Also, keep in mind I am NOT a therapist, but I've been going to CBT for years and have learned a lot.)
Okay, so CBT is all about fixing negative thought patterns and turning them into positive ones. Believe it or not, this is considered a BEHAVIOR. Even thoughts can be habitual, and you CAN control them, rather than letting them run amok in your mind. (If you're a person of faith and you don't believe me, look up 2 Corinthians 10:5. If not, you can disregard.)
So how do we go about controlling our thoughts rather than letting them do our physical and mental selves harm? It's difficult, but is achievable if you just stop and THINK about the way you are thinking.
First off, humans are emotionally vulnerable under certain conditions, and you can remember these conditions using the acronym HALTS.
H - HUNGRY; are you hungry? If you are, eat something. Easily resolved and low blood sugar can depress your mood.
A - ANGRY; are you angry about something? Sometimes, simply recognizing that you are can help reduce anger. If not, though, keep in mind that anger is a secondary emotion, meaning that it is cause by one of three things: fear, hurt, or frustration. If you can identify which of these it is, you can resolve it.
L - LONELY; are you lonely? If so, reach out to someone. Call or text, e-mail, chat, hang out with a close friend or family member, talk to someone who cares about you!
T - TIRED; if you are tired, REST! There's nothing wrong with taking a short nap, or if you can't nap, just relax and enjoy the fact that you are lying down and that you are alive and breathing. Nothing wrong with rest even if you can't sleep.
S - SICK; this is a tough one because it isn't easily resolved. Don't consider your panic or anxiety as an illness. I'm talking about physical sickness, like cold or flu or something that just makes you feel icky. Obviously, you can't have immediate results with this, but focus on things that you know will make you feel better, whether that's seeing a doctor, taking medicine, making yourself some soup, whatever.
So the next time you're feeling especially emotionally vulnerable, depressed, panicky, or anxious, I hope you will keep these things in mind. Most of the time, if you can pinpoint what's causing you to feel a certain wait, if can make a huge difference in your mood.
The second thing I've learned in CBT is how to separate thoughts from feelings. You may be thinking, "But aren't those the same thing?" And I shall tell you a resounding NO! They are two very different things. You never EVER want to base decisions/behaviors on feelings, whether good OR bad.
In my book, there are FOUR categories: thoughts, feelings, truth, and decisions.
Thoughts
opinions, facts, perceptions
"I think...."
Feelings
emotions
"I feel ____." (ONE WORD ONLY- No saying "I feel like blah blah blah blah." When you say that, it is a thought, not a feeling!)
Truth
*This is an optional category. If you are a believer in Truth with a capital T, as in universal or ultimate truth, then this category can be very useful, no matter your belief system. If you don't, then this category doesn't need to be used.
Decisions
behaviors, choices
As I said before NEVER EVER let your feelings influence your decisions. I know, easier said than done, but your brain is kind of like a muscle where if you train it enough, it will get stronger, and fighting off negative thought cycles will get easier.
So here's an example of how this might be used in an everyday situation.
"I feel like everyone is mad at me."
First of all, analyze the thought. There should be no "all or nothing" type of thinking. There's no WAY that EVERYONE is mad at you. After all, you don't even know everyone. So make it more specific.
"I feel like my brother and my mom are mad at me."
Okay, but remember there is no saying "I feel like..." That phrase is NOT allowed in your thought vocabulary! So by now, you should be able to answer the first question:
What am I thinking?
"I think my brother and my mom are mad at me."
Okay, good! Onto the next question. You may have more than one answer but always remember it should fit into the pattern of "I feel ____."
What am I feeling?
"I feel frustrated. I feel misunderstood. I feel intimidated."
Now we're getting somewhere! You have identified your thoughts and feelings very well. Third question!
How does this line up with truth and facts?
Well, this answer can vary quite a bit. The best thing in this situation would be to call your mom and your brother and talk to them. Ask them if they are mad at you and why! If they are, talk it out with them and attempt to resolve it. If not, well then you just did all that worrying for nothing.
So when you finally make a decision, you will be able to only let facts and truth influence it, hopefully.
I REALLY hope that this is some useful information for people struggling with anxiety, depression, and panic. I struggle with all three, along with mild health anxiety, and being able to identify how I'm feeling versus the facts has helped me tremendously with my recovery.
Cheers!
Sarah
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