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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by chess on January 10, 2006, at 16:23:01
i'm taking xanax (.5mg XanaxXR, twice a day), my psydoc says i'm taking very little and that it shouldn't interfere with the learning i'm doing with CBT exercises, while my therapist says that benzos interefere with learning done during CBT exercises while SSRIs don't interfere.
anyone done CBT while on a benzo and then able to gain improvement from their CBT work while on the benzo and after discontinuing the benzo?
Posted by pseudoname on January 10, 2006, at 18:59:51
In reply to do BENZOS block or impair CBT learning?, posted by chess on January 10, 2006, at 16:23:01
> do BENZOS block or impair CBT learning?
Not unless you're unconscious or nearly unconscious from them.
My CBT therapist *told* me to get a prescription of Ativan (benzo) when we were doing weekly CBT.
Posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 19:58:06
In reply to Not at all. » chess, posted by pseudoname on January 10, 2006, at 18:59:51
Especially if you're just starting out. You will need one to help with anxiety. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by chess on January 10, 2006, at 22:11:05
In reply to Not at all. » chess, posted by pseudoname on January 10, 2006, at 18:59:51
my therapist says neurochemically there is a blunting effect that benzos make when forming new memories, maybe he's right and maybe not
*** i'm just trying to find out if anyone has ever done CBT for their anxiety while on a benzo and then after they discontinued the benzo their anxiety was still no longer the problem it was before?
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 11, 2006, at 0:39:51
In reply to Benzos and CBT, posted by chess on January 10, 2006, at 22:11:05
My understanding is that CBT therapy for some anxiety disorders involves learning to tolerate the anxiety. However, CBT therapy for other anxiety disorders involves minimizing the anxietys. So, I think your therapist should have valuable input about what is appropriate for YOU. If there is some confusion, maybe your T and pdoc can touch base w/ each other to help make the best decision for your situation.
Another thing to consider is if you have depression along with your anxiety. This may call for a different approach than anxiety alone.
Unfortunately, my thoughts on this matter are academic and not from my personal experiences. Sorry. Good luck to you.
Best,
EE
Posted by jonh kimble on January 11, 2006, at 17:43:29
In reply to Re: Benzos and CBT » chess, posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 11, 2006, at 0:39:51
Point: Im in a similar sit. and I wonder and speculate on the same thing. What I find is that when Im on my klono. I do things I normally wouldn't which youd think is good, but I attribute all the positive gains to klonopin entirely, and not me. So my klonopin pills must be very socially confident by now WHICH SHOULD BE HAPPENING TO ME!!
Counterpoint: At the same time, without them, the anxiety is so bad, well its more the shame from being anxious around others, that I just isolate or experience potentially suicidal distress when I do go in a social sit.
Then again thats me, and I have extremely low confidence of my natural abilities which any avoidance technique like benzoes, might make make worse in the end. Then again, whats the alternative?No, Im really not that pessimistic, I do have a ton of faith in cbt, just in not myself. I have to live my life, and for now Im takin the klonopin.
Tom
Posted by zeugma on January 11, 2006, at 18:07:03
In reply to Benzos and CBT, posted by chess on January 10, 2006, at 22:11:05
my therapist says neurochemically there is a blunting effect that benzos make when forming new memories, maybe he's right and maybe not>>
i don't go to CB therapists for neurochemical insights, actually i don't go to anyone for that because I didn't know the science was so far along.
But I do remember quite clearly that CBT practitioners don't like benzos. CBT's general aversion to benzos likely antedates recent insights into the mechanisms of memory formation.
They don't mind SSRI's at all, however. It would be interesting to conduct empirical research into which class of drugs exerts more "blunting" effects on the process of memory encoding. Except this would be unenlightening, since "blunting" can't be very precisely defined.
-z
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