You Need to Be Vulnerable To Get Better, & CBT

Hi everyone, it is my belief and observation that we need to be vulnerable to get better. Its important to get down the root of the problem you are having and to determine what supports it. For example, one person I know is phobic because of his blushing. Whatever it is, we can use COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY to

(1) Identify the harmful thoughts,
(2) Find the distortions
(3) Reframe the Thoughts, and
(4) Dispell the anxiety.

However, we cannot do this easily by ourselves. This thread is for those who would like to OPEN UP about any problem they are having. I know I will.
:

Here are some coginitive behavioral techniques which we can use:

http://www.anxietynetwork.com/hcbt.htmlhttp://www.anxietynetwork.com/hcbt.html


1. The Vertical Arrow Technique

Thought ---> Why Do I Think This? ---> Justify It ----> Why Do I Think This?

Repeat until you get down to a thought that you ACCEPT as FACT. Then Ask yourself if your assumption or observation makes sense.


2. Reframe by Example

If your way of thinking about an issue is different from others, then you cant be right at the same time that other people are right, its not logically possible. Find out from others how they think, and compare your way with theirs. Can you find a flaw in yours?


3. Identify the fear & Debunk the Evidence

Write down your list of fears. Then ask yourself if any of these are really varients of the same idea. Then write down the list again consolidating all similar ideas together. Keep doing this until you can't any more. Now, you have found your underlying fearfull beliefs. Ask yourself what evidence supports your beliefs, and make a list of everything you can think of. Then systematically debunk each piece of evidence using vertical arrow, or reframing by example, or another technique.


4. The "So What?" Technique, Aka, the Paradox Therapy.

Many times our fears are really just assumptions that dont hold up when thoroughly examined. But you have to be willing to admit that they could be real before you can beat them. Imagine that you are in a courtroom and are standing trial, being judged by all of society. Pretend that the prosecutor is reading out the list of charges: Each time they read one out, say to yourself "SO What?". Challenge the prosecutor to prove that the charge is valid or significant. Would it convince the court? Would they really convict you? On what grounds?


I hope these techniques help. They have worked for me. If anyone has additional methods, please post them and I will add them here.:) I look forward to working with all of you.
 
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dream

Well-known member
Ty, for posting the cbt's:) I have always had a desire to get to the root issue of my existing problems.What else has helped you?
 

DillJenkins

Well-known member
I have been in therapy for years....we do some of the CBT. For me I can never get myself to refute the negative beliefs I have aboot myself.

I have tried exposure therapy somewhat as well: example: I went to pick up job application cause I was afraid of even pickup up the app. Unfortunately, I felt even worse after cause I was so anxious and I was thinking about what the job application people thought of me.

I feel exposure can work if you can prevent this negative post-evaluation and do it many times. CBT can work to if you can get yourself to refute your belief system...

I guess my brain is just stubborn...
 

Jake123

Banned
Every time I let myself be vulnerable I just end up getting hurt and another mental scar is tacked onto my already damaged self.
 
I have been in therapy for years....we do some of the CBT. For me I can never get myself to refute the negative beliefs I have aboot myself.

I have tried exposure therapy somewhat as well: example: I went to pick up job application cause I was afraid of even pickup up the app. Unfortunately, I felt even worse after cause I was so anxious and I was thinking about what the job application people thought of me.

I feel exposure can work if you can prevent this negative post-evaluation and do it many times. CBT can work to if you can get yourself to refute your belief system...

I guess my brain is just stubborn...


I agree with you. Its working slowly but Im having many frustrating moments. Dill, do you have an idea why you are stuck? Would you like to share your belief system with us?
 
It's not possible to get better

Jake it is possible. Ive gotten much better. Im still sick but not nearly as bad as before. Many people have recovered, most actually, like 80%. Who knows how many more over time. Jake, why dont you try sharing here? Thats why this place exists. Just start with something small and work your way up as you feel comfortable.
 
I agree I am alot better than I used to be. Few years back I was really bad, then got better, And just recently I am MUCH better.
 

Jake123

Banned
Jake it is possible. Ive gotten much better. Im still sick but not nearly as bad as before. Many people have recovered, most actually, like 80%. Who knows how many more over time. Jake, why dont you try sharing here? Thats why this place exists. Just start with something small and work your way up as you feel comfortable.

Okay, let me rephrase. It's not possible for me to get better.
 
Okay, let me rephrase. It's not possible for me to get better.

Prove it. :D I don't believe you and I doubt anyone else does either. WHat makes YOU so special? Why are YOU so much more ****ed up than the rest of us? Prove it to us Jake. Come on, let's see what you got. What makes you so awful and unrepairable? How do we know youre not just being draconian? Lets see if we cant fix at least one issue. You cant just say shit like that and not give us a crack at it. :cool:
 

Jake123

Banned
Prove it. :D I don't believe you and I doubt anyone else does either. WHat makes YOU so special? Why are YOU so much more ****ed up than the rest of us? Prove it to us Jake. Come on, let's see what you got. What makes you so awful and unrepairable? How do we know youre not just being draconian? Lets see if we cant fix at least one issue. You cant just say shit like that and not give us a crack at it. :cool:

You can't repair the kind of psychological damage I have.
 
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