How has CBT changed you and your way of thinking?
Want to know people's experiences - how has CBT changed you and your way of thinking?
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I didn't have the full therapy as the waiting list was too long but I was taught the basics by my counsellor at the time. It changed me a lot and completely for the better. Before I would always think negatively and assume the worst and then I realised after a while that I was starting to look at other approaches to situations and that my attitude was a lot more positive. 4-5 years on and I now feel pretty happy with the way I deal with and look at things.
Original post by hannah_dru
I didn't have the full therapy as the waiting list was too long but I was taught the basics by my counsellor at the time. It changed me a lot and completely for the better. Before I would always think negatively and assume the worst and then I realised after a while that I was starting to look at other approaches to situations and that my attitude was a lot more positive. 4-5 years on and I now feel pretty happy with the way I deal with and look at things.
That's great
CBT didn't work for me at all, I'm not someone who can easily change negative thoughts into positive ones. So I quit going and found a new therapist. Some events that have occurred in my life will never ever be considered as positives and I don't wish to think of them in that way. Act and being mindful have probably helped me more, I'm beginning to realise although I cannot change the past and I cannot take away what has happened I do have the choice not to let it ruin me or have an impact on my everyday life now. It's not been a fast process by any means but it has been the best approach for me.
I was referred for CBT at the beginning of December and I'm still waiting for my letter to come through for my appointment details 
how long did it take for you guys to be referred?
how long did it take for you guys to be referred?Original post by Anonymous
CBT didn't work for me at all, I'm not someone who can easily change negative thoughts into positive ones. So I quit going and found a new therapist. Some events that have occurred in my life will never ever be considered as positives and I don't wish to think of them in that way. Act and being mindful have probably helped me more, I'm beginning to realise although I cannot change the past and I cannot take away what has happened I do have the choice not to let it ruin me or have an impact on my everyday life now. It's not been a fast process by any means but it has been the best approach for me.
I thought CBT was meant to help you with irrational thoughts and negative thinking? There are really bad things which I've been through which have caused negative thinking. I would never look at those events as a positive or a good thing.
Original post by Anonymous
I was referred for CBT at the beginning of December and I'm still waiting for my letter to come through for my appointment details how long did it take for you guys to be referred?
how long did it take for you guys to be referred?I don't know how long it will take, but it may take a while...
Original post by Dee Leigh
I would never look at those events as a positive or a good thing.
I dont think the aim of CBT is for you to look back on your life and think its was completely wonderful, i dont think that would be respectful to the negative impact of that life experience. I think its meant to help try and change the pessimism people have about life because of the things they have been exposed to, for future experience.
I know when i was suffering with depression, i would let loads of little things get on top of me. CBT (i didnt know it was CBT at the time) opened my mind to the way i was reacting to things. It showed me that i do have control over the way i feel about general everyday stressors. I dont think it aims for you to the see the silver lining on big life changing things (i wont give an example just incase its a trigger).
Original post by darthgirlie
I dont think the aim of CBT is for you to look back on your life and think its was completely wonderful, i dont think that would be respectful to the negative impact of that life experience. I think its meant to help try and change the pessimism people have about life because of the things they have been exposed to, for future experience.
I know when i was suffering with depression, i would let loads of little things get on top of me. CBT (i didnt know it was CBT at the time) opened my mind to the way i was reacting to things. It showed me that i do have control over the way i feel about general everyday stressors. I dont think it aims for you to the see the silver lining on big life changing things (i wont give an example just incase its a trigger).
I know when i was suffering with depression, i would let loads of little things get on top of me. CBT (i didnt know it was CBT at the time) opened my mind to the way i was reacting to things. It showed me that i do have control over the way i feel about general everyday stressors. I dont think it aims for you to the see the silver lining on big life changing things (i wont give an example just incase its a trigger).
Ok I understand
I think I was trying to make this point before....or was I?But I know I do need CBT...a couple of people I know have picked up on the way I am and have suggested that maybe I should try CBT. I've done my research and I am willing to try it, especially after what I've been through and the massive detrimental effect it has had on my mental health.
It taught me about the way my brain works (e.g. I have seriously black and white thinking. The only time that I allow there to be grey is in academic debates) and in turn how that impacts upon my life (e.g. I like to compartmentalise things). It also gave me the tools to talk back to the voices I hear and to counteract negative thinking spirals 
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
It taught me about the way my brain works (e.g. I have seriously black and white thinking. The only time that I allow there to be grey is in academic debates) and in turn how that impacts upon my life (e.g. I like to compartmentalise things). It also gave me the tools to talk back to the voices I hear and to counteract negative thinking spirals
Anyone else?
Original post by Kash:)
It didn't
Oh really? Could you elaborate please?
I guess what works for one person will not work for another...I don't know when I will have CBT but I've done research and I am really hoping it will work for me...
Original post by Anonymous
I was referred for CBT at the beginning of December and I'm still waiting for my letter to come through for my appointment details how long did it take for you guys to be referred?
how long did it take for you guys to be referred?Same here
Original post by Anonymous
CBT didn't work for me at all, I'm not someone who can easily change negative thoughts into positive ones. So I quit going and found a new therapist. Some events that have occurred in my life will never ever be considered as positives and I don't wish to think of them in that way. Act and being mindful have probably helped me more, I'm beginning to realise although I cannot change the past and I cannot take away what has happened I do have the choice not to let it ruin me or have an impact on my everyday life now. It's not been a fast process by any means but it has been the best approach for me.
This.
I did four years of CBT and it was brilliant for me. I hadn't been through any horrible experiences like the above posters, I was essentially just a person who would latch onto thoughts and allow them to become terribly self-destructive. Nowadays, whilst I can't stop myself from the thoughts appearing, I can cope with them. For example, if I say something to someone which comes across as stupid, I once would have allowed that to circle and tighten in on me, going over and over it for days in my brain and would usually wind up with the conclusion of 'you're so stupid to have said something like that. No wonder you failed that exam/your friends didn't want to hang out with you last week. You're just such a worthless human being. Just stupid and pointless and pathetic' - over hours, days and weeks it would eat me up and I would usually wind up self-harming quite horribly.
Nowadays if I say something stupid, I still think to myself 'oh god, that was such a stupid thing to say, you sounded like an idiot, oh god, what if that person's judging you...' but manage to keep a handle on it. Instead of letting it get to the point where a week later I'm still thinking about it, hating myself and self harming, CBT has helped me to stop, take a step back from the situation and try and see it in an objective light. Instead of letting it overtake my way of thinking, I think about how illogical it is to let things decend into that. I sit down and reason with myself about how little I would have thought about it if the other person and I were in each others' shoes, and how I'd have forgotten about it ten minutes later. Basically, it stops me from decending into the thoughts that tell me I'm worthless and stupid and pathetic and pointless because I don't let them get to that point any more. I sit down, talk myself through it, and it doesn't hurt me as much.
N.b. I must add that the great counsellor who took me through those four years was my second, and I tried one after she left who was also rubbish. In order to do CBT you need to have an outstandingly good professional taking you through it, and whilst I'm not saying it would work for everyone, regrettably I think there are some for whom it would work if it wasn't pedalled like mad by a significant number of counsellors who think that it's just a question of acting like Pollyanna and going 'Everything is wonderful!'. It's not about thinking things are great when they're not, it's about finding the objectivity and structure that your thoughts are missing.
Nowadays if I say something stupid, I still think to myself 'oh god, that was such a stupid thing to say, you sounded like an idiot, oh god, what if that person's judging you...' but manage to keep a handle on it. Instead of letting it get to the point where a week later I'm still thinking about it, hating myself and self harming, CBT has helped me to stop, take a step back from the situation and try and see it in an objective light. Instead of letting it overtake my way of thinking, I think about how illogical it is to let things decend into that. I sit down and reason with myself about how little I would have thought about it if the other person and I were in each others' shoes, and how I'd have forgotten about it ten minutes later. Basically, it stops me from decending into the thoughts that tell me I'm worthless and stupid and pathetic and pointless because I don't let them get to that point any more. I sit down, talk myself through it, and it doesn't hurt me as much.
N.b. I must add that the great counsellor who took me through those four years was my second, and I tried one after she left who was also rubbish. In order to do CBT you need to have an outstandingly good professional taking you through it, and whilst I'm not saying it would work for everyone, regrettably I think there are some for whom it would work if it wasn't pedalled like mad by a significant number of counsellors who think that it's just a question of acting like Pollyanna and going 'Everything is wonderful!'. It's not about thinking things are great when they're not, it's about finding the objectivity and structure that your thoughts are missing.
(edited 12 years ago)
What is CBT?
Original post by Dee Leigh
Original post by Dee Leigh
Oh really? Could you elaborate please?
I guess what works for one person will not work for another...I don't know when I will have CBT but I've done research and I am really hoping it will work for me...
I guess what works for one person will not work for another...I don't know when I will have CBT but I've done research and I am really hoping it will work for me...
It was a few years ago, and I saw quite a few people. A lot of the time was spent in silence and I started to feel worse. Like it was my fault I was depressed and whatever I felt or thought was wrong and I should just get over it. And because I wasn't getting better it was my fault because I apparently wasn't trying and I 'enjoyed feeling like this'
