what else?

[nightfalls]

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Edited December 5, 2008 by nightfalls

[Mark]

It is both a virtue and a weakness of CBT that it is very focused on a particular thing at a particular time. Your CBT right now is focused on your anxiety and helping you get a grip on the thoughts that lead you to experience anxiety feelings that become paralyzing. So much for the good, but that may not help with depression moods, etc.

CBT is very workable for depression as well, but the types of thoughts to look for are a little different than those for anxiety. The anxiety thoughts tend to be about danger, whereas the depression thoughts tend to be about hopelessness and beakness and low self-worth. I'd talk with your therapist about at some point adjusting the CBT therapy to refocus on the depressogenic (depression causing) thoughts, if and when that is appropriate. You don't want to short change your anxiety work! CBT is short term in most cases (taking place over the course of several months) so you should not need to wait very long.

The other thing is to explore other ways of lifting the mood. CBT is a cognitive therapy which tries to change emotions by altering the thoughts that give rise to the emotions. It is good at helping derail emotions from occuring in the first place, but not so good at helping mange emotions that are already present. Other therapies or activities can be useful when that is the case (such as exercise, journaling and venting, and psychiatric medications in some cases). Some of these things you can explore without the aide of a doctor or therapist and some you need the doctor to help with. Perhaps you can have a conversation during therapy about what might be best ways to approach the problem. At the very least, your therapist needs to know that your issues are wider than s/he is treating (as is usually the case).

Mark

[nightfalls]

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Edited December 5, 2008 by nightfalls

[Guest ASchwartz]

Hi forgeting,

For those people who are on medications for mood problems or other mental health issues it is common to have both a psychiatrist and psychotherapist. The role of the psychiatrist is to regulate the medications, making certain that issues of side-effects are taken care of and managing the medications if the patient experiences increases in symptoms. Sometimes that involves changing medications or regulating the dose and even adding a new medication in some cases. When you have a therapist there is no need to go into detail with the psychiatrist as this is not his role. I am not sure why the psychiatrist makes you feel nervous except that you may misunderstand his role.

As for your therapist, who does CBT, you need to tell that person how you are feeling. Let him know that you are not sure he understands you.

By the way, just to clarify, the CBT should be addressing both the depression and anxiety.

Allan

[nightfalls]

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Edited December 5, 2008 by nightfalls

[Guest ASchwartz]

Hi forgeting,

If the group is so very structured that members cannot discuss what is on their minds and if you do not have a personal therapist then it is time that you had one so that you can discuss all of these issues. Hiding what you are thinking and feeling is not healthy and is non therapeutic. Perhaps you need to talk to the therapist who leads the group to discuss just what is happening to you and then get advice about what you should be doing in the group and in terms of individual therapy.

Forgeting, my thought about you now is that you would probably do better in long term psychotherapy rather than cognitive behavior therapy. You need to be talking to a psychologist or clinical social worker who will listen to you and discuss all of these awful feelings of not being wanted.

Feeling not wanted is a common feeling that comes up in therapy. Right now, you not appear to have a therapist you can discuss it with.

What about a private consult with the group therapist??

Allan

[nightfalls]

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Edited December 5, 2008 by nightfalls

[Guest ASchwartz]

Hi forgeting,

Ah, yes, wouldn't life be easier if our doctors and loved one's were mind readers? Then, they could satisfy all of our needs without us having to make any effort. Believe me, you are not alone in wishing that could be true, from time to time.

Well, don't give up on therapy. Yes, things can get pretty confusing and not just for those in therapy. Life, itself, can get confusing.

I guess my point is that your feelings are not "crazy" and you are not the only one. It can help a lot to know that. It normalizes what you feel, or, at least, I hope so.

I agree with you about your CBT and you should stick with it. On your own, you can learn and do meditation, Yoga and listen to soft, nice music, even for just a few calming minutes each day.

Allan:)

[nightfalls]

Thank you Allan and Mark for the responses.