# question about CBT and video feedback



## scaredtolive (Mar 19, 2009)

Has anyone beeni through CBT therapy where you are videotaped in order to see yourself during social interactions to see how you really look amd act during social situations? Alot of the problems I have relates to how i percieve my expressions and appearance during social interaction. Does anything think it would be benifitial to see the truth on camera and perhaps dispel some of the perceptions we have of ourselves. Has anybody that has done CBT group theraPybeen a part of something like this?


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## hobnob (Oct 21, 2012)

It may be 3 years later, but I am also very curious about this, and video feedback in general. Do people think they'd like to have video of them in the social situations that cause them anxiety? Or maybe audio would be enough to compare what you think happened to what actually happened? I think it could have helped me.


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## jimity (Jan 12, 2011)

I think it could help to see yourself how others might see you.


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## nelby (Mar 16, 2011)

Coincidentally, this is what I have agreed with my CBT therapist to do this week as my homework.

Because I keep telling her how much I think I negatively affect other people because of my 'anxious behaviour', she has suggested filming myself to prove that actually-when I am anxious-I don't seem that different at all to others, despite my feeling I am behaving like a complete fruitcake and freaking everyone around me out.

I am going to film myself at work (teaching):

once when slightly anxious
once when slightly anxious and purposefully over-doing safety behaviours
once when quite anxious (and presumably doing safety behaviours)

The thought of seeing how I behave and come across when I am feeling anxious seriously makes me cringe, but I guess I am willing to give it a go. My therapist swears it is an extremely valuable learning experience.

(If you want to see how I get on with it, I'll post about it on my blog here next week.)


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## Wren611 (Oct 19, 2012)

My therapist was going to do this with me...

She called me up the evening before a rearranged session, I think, or like a couple of evenings before, and asked if I was going or not. I said I was, and she said 'I have something planned... an experiment', and that's all she said about it.
Well, I had next to no sleep the next night/s, panicking about this 'experiment', and the afternoon following, my mum was round and I came downstairs to explain I didn't want to go to the next session. I explained about the phone call, I began crying, I then had a massive panic attack. I can't even remember what happened after that at home, I think I had it rearranged again because I was in such a state... so it must have been the day of the session when my mum came to pick me up.
When I eventually got to the second rearranged session, my therapist treated me as though I'd wasted her time... saying that she'd had all this planned for me and I didn't show up. She went on to say that she'd bought a camcorder out of her own money specifically for me to do this, and she hadn't 'bothered' to bring it to this session because she didn't think I'd want to do it at all... then she asked me how she must be feeling... I thought 'well, you don't spring surprises on people like me in the first place!' She asked if I'd be interested in doing it another time, and I said I wouldn't, not after all that.
If she'd explained it to me properly, and let me have a chance to think about it, I'd have been able to choose whether or not to do it, as it does sound a brilliant idea. The session after, I did say this to her, but it didn't seem to register. It's annoying because I got on with her so well at the beginning and I lost all trust with her after that


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## scaredtolive (Mar 19, 2009)

nelby said:


> Coincidentally, this is what I have agreed with my CBT therapist to do this week as my homework.
> 
> Because I keep telling her how much I think I negatively affect other people because of my 'anxious behaviour', she has suggested filming myself to prove that actually-when I am anxious-I don't seem that different at all to others, despite my feeling I am behaving like a complete fruitcake and freaking everyone around me out.
> 
> ...


Nelby please let me know when your blog is up. I'm vey curious to see how this may help you. I find the idea of vidio/audiofeedback fascinating. I hope it helps dispel some of the false beliefs you may or my not have about yourself. Best of luck


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## nelby (Mar 16, 2011)

UPDATE:

I filmed myself twice (well, three times but the first time I placed my iPad too far away so you can't actually see my face).

The second time, I was feeling significantly anxious. I was absolutely dreading seeing the video back.

I was extremely surprised that I didn't look anxious at all. Also, the room seemed really quiet and peaceful which I found surprising, maybe because when I am anxious there is so much going on in my head it feels chaotic.

The only way I could tell I wasn't being myself and was anxious is that I rarely smiled.

The third time, I was extremely anxious-almost to overwhelmed level.

I was totally paranoid and self-conscious, and had full-blown physical symptoms going down. I felt dreadful.

I was absolutely dreading seeing that one back, and had to have a drink before I could bear to do so.

I was completely taken aback that I didn't look anxious AT ALL. 

In fact, while talking it over with my therapist, she was congratulating me saying how it was really noticeable how much my anxiety had gone down; I felt like I bummed her out by telling her I had been horribly anxious and was still depressed about it.

Anyway, those videos were definitely food for thought and definitely helped me see that my anxiety is far less noticeable to others than I think it is.


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