CBT - Am I missing the point?

[Ozpanic]

mindfullness i think is better then CBT look it up, i relate to it more and it make more sense Oz

[no-fear]

I think CBT works if you fully understand it, but like with medication, it does not work for everyone. Also I think it is easier to use it if your symtoms are not that bad, but when you are feeling really bad, it is very hard to use it and takes a lot of effort.

[PUGLETMUM]

hi i would just like to add that all cbt and or mindfullness take a long time to become natural - you have to act 'as if' fior a long long time.

the way my therapist put it to me was - its like walking a path in a corn field - you wear a path down - think how long it took to wear that path down and how long it will take to wear another one down and how unnatural it will feel for a good while until you become comfortable and familiar with the new path - it can work, but it takes faith and determination

i also feel mindfullness works better for me as it akes away the rejection element of our thoughts - you are 'allowed' to have all thoughts but you learn which ones to ignore and which ones to beleive to take yo towards a stronger future

[proccie]

I tried CBT and thought the same as you. I did find after about 6 sessions things did improve, although don't really know how. For one reason or another I stopped and now my symptons have returned. I am going to go back. Stick with it

Hi everyone,

There always seems to be such a big emphasis on CBT as a treatment and I know that NICE recommend it for various psychological problems including panic attacks, depression, OCD but for some reason it just doens't work for me. I am currently having therapy, it is my second attempt and I just don't feel that I am much better than when I started out. Does anyone else find that CBT hasn't worked for them? Most posts seem to be about successful CBT.

I do know that I am very set in my ways, it is not easy to change my opinions about my panic attacks, and my depression. I know the rational explanations for panic attacks and I understand why I avoid situations, I have tried to face situations and stuck with them until the end, but on the whole I am successful in avoiding most panic provoking situations still, and find it extremely difficult to face them. I know I will not die, or go crazy during a panic but that doesnt stop me from panicking.

I am pretty much resigning myself to having to accept that I have limited functioning or stressed out functioning forever. I just cannot bare to think what my future may be like, my children are getting older and I just feel like I let them down so much.

I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has had CBT.

Cheers.

Freaky

[tm_edinburgh]

I got worse before I got better, sessions 1 -2 for me where mundane, sessions 3-6 were pretty horrible and then 7-8 have been really good.

[Snowshadow]

I can't say enough good things about CBT... but it does take time and a LOT of practice. Six sessions isn't nearly long enough. I went to a group for CBT that was three months long. Then a year later I took it again. Amazing how it changed my life. Please don't give up on it... it's so worth it. But it does take time and practice. I love the analogy to the corn field and the path. How very true that is! We can't expect to change our thinking overnight... Good luck!