Posted by bell_75 on September 28, 2004, at 7:01:31
In reply to CBT discuss, posted by paulb on September 26, 2004, at 15:09:42
Hi
Thanks for starting this thread because I know its not easy to take steps like that or to talk out about difficulties with depression and social anxiety.
I have and still do suffer from depression and social phobia and like my therapist has explained...they're like best friends. They go hand in hand.
I have been in therapy for a year and a half and not all of it but most was CBT. And I found it to be great and very helpful.
I'm not sure if you're familiar with it..but I found the ABCD process of challenging your thoughts to be really helpful anytime anyplace when you're feeling really depressed.
Its quite simple but for me its been effective. I was taught the written version but i adapted it to be able to do in my head. Long story short...you identify exactly what event to the last detail that has upset you/made you depressed or what was happening when you noticed you were depressed. Then you write the feelings associated with that event, then the thoughts, then a challenge to one or two of those thoughts.
I know thats a rather crude way of explaining a professional therapuetic technique but I just wanted to say, that one has really helped me.
With social anxiety, i learned to challenge and change the thoughts i had that made me anxious and I still suffer from social anxiety but it helps to talk about it and have someone encourage you to break through the pain of social phobia.
Id love to help you out with anything you wanna know about CBT. I dont want to sound preachy or anything but I just know the struggle of depression and social phobia and if I can help anyone else out with their struggle I'd love to.This place is a good place to come for help.
As for CBT...I advise that you stick with it.
Take care hun.
Keep us posted!
poster:bell_75
thread:395348
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040925/msgs/396170.html