Cognitive behavour therapy?

[dhwhoooooooo]

Anyone know anything about it - what it is, what it achieves?

Thanks

[Enid]

it is a very effective form of counselling which helps you to break negative cycles of thinking in practical ways. It doesnt necessarily rake up your past.

[Baconbaps]

As far as I'm aware it's based on changing your patterns of thinking and how you view things to avoid negative thoughts. E.g Your normal pattern might be something like 'Why did that shop assistant look at me like that? > It must be something I did > It's all my fault > I'm such a horrible person.' Would be turned into 'Why did she look at me like that?> She must be having a bad day > Ah well we all have them.'


V simplified version there!! It's useful but quite challenging. I was upset to learn that I tend to have a negative outlook (worsened by depression) as I wouldn't class myself as a negative person. I tend to internalise and blame myself for things rather than blame the rest of the world. It's quite hard to change the way you think about things but if you can stop the pattern it can help stop the feelings and thoughts spiralling out of control. I only had a few sessions and wish it had carried on for longer.

I'm sure someone will be along (or has been while I've been typing) to explain it all much better!

[anniediv]

In a nutshell, you can't change what's happened to you, but you can change how you think about it.

Can be very effective.

HTH.

[dhwhoooooooo]

thanks - what fantastic nut shells there!

[ginmummy]

It challenges the thought processes that make you think the way you do. To start with, I was told about the tree and how certain events affect how we are now, and then I was told to write down statements that I thought about myself, for example, things like 'I'm a bad person' or 'I'm a bad mother' and it then asks why you think that, how you can back up that thought with real reasons - as it was put to me 'would those reasons stand up in a court of law?'

CBT worked for me but I'd warn anyone about to try it that it is emotionally tiring so don't plan anything heavy for afterwards as you'll need space to gather your thoughts.

[Baconbaps]

When I said I blamed myself rather than the rest of the world I didn't mean either of those things is the right thing to do! That's what it looked like when I just read the message again. Gah! I definitely need more sessions!

[ginmummy]

baconbaps - your examples were about spot on.

When you're depressed you tend to see things in a very negative light and simple things that we would normally not think twice about are suddenly magnified into great big issues that you then in turn put another negative slant on, for example, that it's your fault that x has happened because you're such a horrible person. CBT asks exactly why you are such a horrible person. It's easy for someone who's depressed to make sweeping statements like that without actually realising that there are no solid grounds for the way they're thinking, if that makes any sense?!