Posted by zeugma on October 31, 2003, at 20:44:24
In reply to Re: Psychotherapy Nonsense « glenn, posted by Dr. Bob on October 31, 2003, at 10:38:33
> > I atually went to a very good therapist and was so impressed I trained to be one for 3 years, I have to say however that it did not help at all when I became severely ill and cbt was like standing on the side of a motorway trying to stop cars by putting out my hand ( ie stopping "ants")automatic negative thoughts as they call them, if I ever managed to stop one there was a whole load more coming through.
> > Medications are not perfect but at least they cannot tell you that you are denying, repressing,or not wanting to get better, and charge you plenty of money for the priveledge.
> > The probem seems to be that there is very little to indicate who, or what conditions might benefit from one as opposed to the other ( or both!)
> > It does appear this may be changing as ptsd seems to be made worse by therapy so at least some progress has been made.
> > My own view is that a good relationship with a good therapist is great for interpersonal relationship difficulties but is maybe not such a good idea for sreious depression/ anxiety.
> >
> > GlennSadly, the guru of CBT would not agree with this last sentence (I am in complete agreement though!) This is an objectionable quote from "Feeling Good":
"Anxious individuals who face their fears often feel tremendous relief because they discover their fears were not realistic in the first place. This realization may not occur if you are simply taking tranquilizers and not facing your fears."
This is a ludicrous statement IMHO when applied to the bulk of anxiety sufferers. He makes it sound like someone who has severe social phobia just doesn't get out much. I spend every day 'facing my fears' in this sense, in that I work with others and interact with them constantly. I still feel debilitating anxiety regardless of the fact that I interact with them- and no, I am not on any 'tranquilizer.' His argument is also made incoherent, in that he has no objections to anyone's taking medications for depression. In fact he recommends that patients do so, in spite of the fact that it could be just as easily argued that someone taking an antidepressant is not 'facing her fears' by exposing herself to the situations that presumable cause depression.
It's unfortunate that Burns takes this kind of line, because it plays into the prejudice that depression is a 'serious,' 'biological' disorder, while anxiety is just a matter of having 'unrealistic fears.'
>
poster:zeugma
thread:275234
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031030/msgs/275396.html