CBT making things worse!!

[jody_h]

hey, ive been doing a cbt course for a few weeks now, im on my fourth week, but things arent going to well, infact there worse. Its made me more aware of all the negative thoughts that i have and has even made me have new ones which ive not had before. The anxiety has got 10 times worse and so has the negative thoughts, im worried that nothing is going to help!
has anyone else had this issue? or am i just a lost cause? :( :(

[Dahlia]

I feel the same way. I've had a few sessions of CBT and it seems the more I think and talk about my panic and anxiety, the worse it gets. Like it's almost better if I keep it hidden and try not to acknowledge it. I wonder if it's a case of it getting worse before it gets better with CBT. I guess we're facing our worst fears. One thing my therapist said yesterday is to start small and build up. Rome wasn't built in a day!

Dahlia

[joannap]

i think this is normal and should be seen as a breakthrough - i have never seen a therapist but started to take note of how i spoke to myself/my thought patterns and i was so shocked and upset!!!!! i felt like this for a few weeks but at least it gave me the chance to start and correct them! x

[jody_h]

i try and correct them but i get voices in my head laughing at me, telling me im always going to be like this so i may aswell get used to it. part of me just wants to give up. how do you go about seeing a therapist? the doc just told me to register of this site and they sent me a cbt book to do, i think talking to someone might help...well i hope anyway!

[nomorepanic]

CBT is hard work - that is the point of it all really.

To get you to face things and understand.

It is not a miracle cure and you do have to work at it to get over the hurdles.

The end result is worth it though

[jude uk]

CBT is hard work just as going to the gym is hard work but the results are worth it. As nic says " its not a miricle cure and we have to put in the hard work but you will come through the other end feeling better. So stick with it and give it 100%

[lalala]

I have had this too. It really IS hard work. The thing that made me turn a corner was realising that I didn't have to STOP the thoughts straight away - I could just decide to postpone them until later.

I basically say to the thoughts, "I'm not discussing this with you whilst you're like this." and then I go and do a breathing exercise or whatever to try to calm down. Mindfulness meditation has really helped with this.

I'm still finding it tough going though.

[davey]

Are you actually seeing a therapist for your cbt or from a workbook? I found mine through a charity & im feeling the same-I posted a few days ago saying a similar thing......I believe things have to get better before they get worse,however if your not seeing a therapist I think you should.

[borderfox]

Hi all. I had about 5 sessions with a cbt specialist. I could talk about my condition with him without any problems whatsoever. However, when it came to the point of him telling me, I had to deliberately put myself into a scenario where anxiety would kick up, I just couldnt do it - not voluntarily! At the time, my meds were alleviating the problem where I felt it most (at work) - but putting myself into this state outside of this...i found that difficult to do.
As it happens right now, my meds are not working very well (as i am trying to kerb the quantity used) - so I am finding myself in that situation.
However, whilst he said that I have to stop 'doing the things i do when i get into this state', I don't know how I can do this! The other thing he mentioned was to let the situation just happen - and wash over me - and that this would help.
I really don't know how to change my stream of thought that I get knotted up in when I get into this state!
I felt so frustrated when I stopped going for the sessions (he said there was no point in coming if i did not put myself into these situations) - I hate to give up on things (and thats not something I would normally do) - but I couldn't see myself making this work!!

So frustrating...

[xfilme]

CBT is difficult because usually with social anxiety, the coping mechanism is to sweep the issues under the carpet and pretend they are not there. I solved 90% of my health anxiety in one 50 minute session. In saying that, I know it would be just as easy to apply it to my social anxiety, but its so crippling having to try and challenge it that Im still too afraid of implementing it. Catch 22.