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Trying to take care of myself

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Life would be so nice if we came with a delete button. We could take all those core beliefs from child hood built on pressures we don't need and all those we build from peer pressure and delete them. We could start over with a clean slate.

Well we can't so that does only leave covering them up. Tough part is keeping them covered. I found knowing how core beliefs are built really helped. I also found how and why we store things helps. The thought triangle was a real eye opener.

Davit

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 5

Hello again, I meant to respond sooner but did not have computer access (only at work). So as for CBT - I first learned about it with a psychologist about seven years ago. She taught me that I needed to challenge my thinking and expose myself to things slowly (at this point I couldn't leave the house alone). I went on to see a few more psychologists over the years and each one applied the same approach. Recently however I tried a Neurofeedback Psychologist. She tried to help me figure out where my anger and certain emotions came from. It seems my anxiety was built up since childhood, so our sessions focused more on that; how people made me feel, how I saw myself, how certain family members made me feel, etc. I cried most sessions, but we seemed to make progress. Anyways, I have since moved and am waiting to see a new psychologist (when I can afford it). The CBT that I taught was quite similar; taking a negatice thought and challengin it, turning it into a positive one. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat until it is engrained and your thinking chanegs, therefore having an effect on your emotions. Sounds easy, but is hard to do if you have so many negative thoughts and beliefs!

I realize I can only change myself and not others, but it can be sad and difficult when others see you as the problem, regardless of your efforts.

So, to take care of myself, I am learning more about my anxiety, trying to medidate and trying to be more aware of my negative thoughts.

Erin

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Robbie

What form of CBT? It is a catch word for a lot of techniques. CBT is a combination of two techniques because it was found that together they work better. Cognitive therapy doesn't work very well with out behavioural therapy and vice versa. Relaxation and coping skills (behavioural therapy) works very well for some people but with out the change of thought patterns it doesn't last (cognitive therapy) So the two were put together. I know people who only do the first half, some because they can't get past that. I also know therapists that only teach the first half. I not only had a therapist that taught the whole thing and the importance of it but also fed me buckets of information on how the thought side of the brain works. It was quite an eye opener.

At the expense of making you mad at me I have to say you are shooting yourself in the foot. Anxiety is not hereditary. It is conditioning you learn from example and can be unlearned.* You do not have to be stuck with it and you do not have to learn to manage it you can go past that point, but to do that you need to thoroughly understand core beliefs core thoughts and how memory plays a part in our actions. Every thing else is just coping.

You realize that if you teach CBT to others you are very prone to picking up their anxiety. I do this all the time. fortunately it doesn't affect me very much any more or I wouldn't be able to be here.

The mind works more like a computer than how we think, (used to in my case) nothing is random, everything has a reason. Because of this if the reason (core belief) is wrong it will stay wrong. **

This is a forum and the above is my opinion as I learned it nothing more. It is only information as is the triangle I posted a few times on her too.

* Attachment theory.

** Thought triangle.

Davit.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 5

Reading another post reminded me that I also feel like I am constantly being judged and I am very hard on myself. I tend to tell myself things like I am a loser, I don't fit in, I don't work hard enough, I don't look good enough, etc, etc

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 5

Hi, thanks Ashley. I understand CBT very well; in fact I teach it to the offenders I work with. For myself, I am able to do it to an extent, but then the anxiety and frustration takes over. I get frustrated and tired from constantly talking myself down and just managing the anxiety. Since it came back with a vengeance last year, I was so angry; I thought I was doing everything right: exercising, eating well, adopting my dog, etc. But it STILL came back and I was so angry, frustrated, sad. The disorder runs in the family, so I guess that is why no matter what I do, it can still occur and I just need to learn to manage it. But like I said, it gets tiring. Right now I am taking medication (Cymbalta), but would like to come off it or try something else as I feel it is not working. There is this constant feeling of underlying anxiety, like a constant presence that I just deal with from day to day. What I would like to work on is maybe learn more about what is going on in my brain and understanding it. Also, maybe I need to learn to just accept it?!

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11216

Welcome Robbie!

What did you get out of the CBT you have done in the past? What do you think you still need to work on?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Welcome Robbie

I'm sorry to hear CBT didn't work for you. It certainly worked for me. But there are a lot of things called CBT.

Maybe the program will work for you.

Davit

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 5

Hello all, I discovered this site after attending a work-related event where a speaker talked to us about mental illness. It made me question why I haven't been taking better care of myself. My doctor has diagnosed me as having a panic/anxiety disorder, which makes sense as most family members on my dad's side have it too. So I guess I have had it my whole life, but only really noticed it in my teen years (I am 32 now). I sort of just "dealt" with it on my own, thinking it was because I experimented with drugs and this is what happens. When I began to understand it was anxiety, I sought help with my doctor and did CBT with a psychologist. When the anxiety got so bad that I could not work or leave the house, I succumbed to taking medication. It worked, but I wasn't dealing with the rest of it (thought's, experiences). So here I am today, on medication again (I go on and off), which I do not feel is working. I still feel a constant underlying anxiety that I guess I have just learned to deal with. After hearing the speaker yesterday, I asked myself why I am just living with it and not trying other, new things (like this site and maybe massage or acupuncture). So I am giving this a shot and hope I can find a better way to live with this. thanks

Robbie

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Trying to take care of myself