CBT Questions

[nomorepanic]

I found out that I can't get CBT on my partner's health care cos I have an existing condition (for over 2 years) - damn!

Radar - I spent 9 months with a psychotherpaist - what is the difference between that and a psychiatrist?

Nicola

[Laurie28]

In my experinces with CBT the onus is basically pushing you to do things u should be doing and documenting how u feel. I know I should be doing everything he is telling me to do i just haven't got the courage to do them. I know however alot of people have benefited from it . In my case it won't help me unless i get off my ass and work(i'm getting very pi***d of with myself).

Is psychotherapy going into your background?I'm not sure what it and I have never had it.

Good Luck whatever u choose

luv
lucky

[Meg]

Psychiatrist - assesses , prescribes and deals with illnesses and disorders of the mind

Psychotherapist - works with you to get you to recognise your issues and resolve them.

Psychologist - study of essentially healthy minds - like ours - that just need a bit of temporary help .

There is loads of overlap in all these Psychiatrist is a medical doctor - the others are not . The price paid will reflect this to !!!!

One guy I wanted to see was £400/hr.
His terrific secretary told me I sounded far too rational and well to spend that on a bit of reassurance that I was doing all the right things and the rest was down to time ..
She could do that for nothing.. . We had quite a chat and I felt much better.

I've met him since in passing for one of my projects and he laughed and said that with my newly acquired knowledge I should be helping him as he's never actually had panic or anxiety himself and just does his best to reassure panicers.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[twister]

Hi

I have read a CBT book though and do a lot of the techniques - exposure, distraction etc. so I wonder if this will help me. I try not to avoid doing things I think I may suffer more from GAD with panic attacks in times of stress. Maybe I have an underlying reason for this and a psychotherapist can get to the bottom of it....

[nomorepanic]

Radar

Thanks for clearing that up. I think I was lucky cos I got to see her very quickly and spent 9 months before I discharged myself - she was willing to carry on for ever!!


Nicola

[twister]

we learnt on my course that Psychotherapists are liable to see patients for an average of 5 years!!!

There is a new breed of them now that set limits apparently

[nomorepanic]

wow Twister.

I signed myself off cos the childhood regression stuff was not working for me and I felt it never would! I cannot change the past so why go there.

I would like to go back again but I understand the waiting lists are enormous now!


Nicola

[diana]

Hi Meg,

So which one of these Psychs. would one see for CBT? I am interested in trying this method myself. Do you feel that this is the best way to go?

Diana xxx

[Meg]

Hi Diana,

Lots depends on what you expect from them and what issues you need to work on.

Therapy can be great BUT you should see chinks of progress within 4 sessions. Staying in therapy long term is not proved to be beneficial.

Generally courses of 12 weeks are considered valuable. After that you should have the tools to help yourself for a while and just go back for topups as necessary.




Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Lottie32]

I have been successfully attending CBT, arranged by my local GP with the Community Mental Health Team.

I mentioned psychotherapy to both my GP and my CBT counsellor with regard to dentists, and they both advised me against it. The reasons for this were:
a. CBT works, and has been scientifically proven to
b. there is no definitive proof that psycotherapy works - it does for some and not for other
c. there are lots and lots of different organisation putting forward "qualified" psychotherapists - some have degrees in psychiatric related subjects, some just have organisational qualifications
d. there are no recognised governing bodies
e. private consulations are very expensive, and it's easy to get "hooked" on a person providing a cure, and spending a fortune.

My GP advised me to try it if I really wanted to, but as the CBT was working, to just stick with that, and see what happens.

He also pointed out that if you "overload" yourself with too many things at once, you won't know which work for you and which don't. And CBT is more about learning life skills which will give you permanent ways to deal with your issues.

I'm not being negative - I've never tried it myself, so can't say if it works or not, but I decided to give CBT my full attention first, and can happily say its (very slowly) working!!

Good luck, and I hope you find something that helps you

Charlie