Did CBT work for you ?

[bitingthepea]

Im starting CBT in 2 days, quite excited but also quite nervous incase it doesn't work.
Just wondered what it involves and how was your experience with CBT ?

x

 

[bitingthepea]

And what did u have it for , thanks people

 

[Danfalc]

I have done c.b.t twice now, as in two courses. I find it really hard as you have to challenge your thinking patterns, this is difficult when you have been thinking a certain way for a long time.

It's also hard because a core principle of c.b.t is exposing yourself to the situations you normally avoid and dropping safety behaviours.

As for did it work, well it's been a slow process for me, I don't think it's something you do then suddenly feel cured and anxiety free. But it has helped me a lot. Personally I think it's a treatment which does help, but you really have to practise it a lot and stick with it.

 

[chris11]

It worked really well for me my freind.

 

[bigcat1967]

Part of my CBT experience was to take a notebook around - and in my free time, write down my thoughts and "think them through". CBT helped me a little bit...however, positive thinking along with Bible reading has helped me a lot.

My wife has even said that she has noticed a difference when I got married to her and now. So there has been major improvement.

 

[decadeOfSA]

How many sessions of CBT are usually required for social phobia? I saw a therapist for 10 sessions and we barely scratched the surface. The therapist was more of a general therapist though.

 

[healingmyheart]

Although my therapist has not told me the technical term for the approach we have been using, I believe it to be CBT. He has been having me think through the moment when I start feeling anxious in social envir.
He also has had me journaling my feelings, thoughts, etc for well over 2 years, part is that I live in a whole different part of the country than him, and we have to do phone sessions. The other is that I can see my thinking in my worse of times, and then rehash how to handle that situation.
I feel like I have come a LONG way using CBT, to the point where I actually
can go into a new social setting, and interact on what to appears to be a normal level.
Inside, I am still nervous, but I am cognativly(sp?) working myself down, to where I can talk rationally with others that are new to meeting me.

 

[Kiwong]

I'd like to try more of it, with someone who is expert at it. I am aware of the concepts behind it, but I need to practice it some more.