Therapy methods other than CBT?
I've been doing cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety with this therapist for 4-5 weeks now, and I try to do everything she suggest and keep an open mind. But I don't think it's helpful. I know it takes time, but everything she wants me to do other than mindfulness meditation are things I already did as a first resort for my anxiety, and have for most of my life. I've already learned these things from when I was a kid and in therapy for depression. I tried to tell myself that it's going to be different, because I'm going through this as an adult instead of an uncooperative child being ruined further emotionally by SSRIs, but it's not true. I always try these ways of thinking and analysing. As an adult. I've been doing them since before I started with this therapist, so I must have been trying to use these for over ten years already.
The mindfulness meditation hasn't been helpful either and has been its own problem. Most times I can't focus on it to begin with. My mind wanders, but I never realize to bring it back to the meditation until I've spent hours doing something else. When I can focus on it I become extremely uncomfortable emotionally despite everything. I had a panic attack from this once. It made me think, "trying to stop outside of you feelings and observing them as they happen, isn't this enfrocing the separation between what you KNOW and what you FEEL?" This is why I have problems in the first place. Because what I know and what I feel are not able to communicate with each other, so I can't convince the part of me that feels anxious that it's going to be alright even when I know it really will be.
Does anyone have any experiences or information on other types of therapy besides CBT?
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"It's not your fault. The heart is like a beast."