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.
(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.
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