# Cognitive behavioral therapy



## lilprincess9031 (Mar 14, 2010)

could someone please elaborate what it is and how it works? is it possible to be done on your own or is a psychiatrist necessary...i went to this doctor, she was pretty vague about stuff, and i don't want to go see another psychiatrist...i just felt it was such a waste of time! >.<


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## wxolue (Nov 26, 2008)

CBT basically says that our thoughts influence our actions, emotions, and feelings and vice versa. Someone with SA will think negatively about themselves or a situation, will go there and feel nervous because of how they think, and the negative experience they have will reenforce their thoughts. It's a vicious cycle. 

Heres an example. I am going to a party on friday. For some reason or another, I believe that I don't fit in at parties. Im just not cool enough and I have no sense of fashion. Everyone will see how much of a loser I am and won't want to talk to me. I go there, get incredibly nervous, am unable to talk to people, and barely last the night. The next day my thoughts of how poorly I fit into parties are reenforced because of my negative experience at one.

CBT seeks to reverse our negative thoughts, which eventually changes our beliefs, actions, and emotions. In addition, we are re-exposed to situations that would previously trigger anxiety in order to recondition our beliefs about how we react to them. In other words, we expose ourselves to situations that we would previously associate with anxiety in order to break that association.


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## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

wxolue, I couldn't have described it any better!


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## lilprincess9031 (Mar 14, 2010)

thank youu! =)


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

wxolue said:


> CBT basically says that our thoughts influence our actions, emotions, and feelings and vice versa. Someone with SA will think negatively about themselves or a situation, will go there and feel nervous because of how they think, and the negative experience they have will reenforce their thoughts. It's a vicious cycle.
> 
> Heres an example. I am going to a party on friday. For some reason or another, I believe that I don't fit in at parties. Im just not cool enough and I have no sense of fashion. Everyone will see how much of a loser I am and won't want to talk to me. I go there, get incredibly nervous, am unable to talk to people, and barely last the night. The next day my thoughts of how poorly I fit into parties are reenforced because of my negative experience at one.
> 
> CBT seeks to reverse our negative thoughts, which eventually changes our beliefs, actions, and emotions. In addition, we are re-exposed to situations that would previously trigger anxiety in order to recondition our beliefs about how we react to them. In other words, we expose ourselves to situations that we would previously associate with anxiety in order to break that association.


I've tried this but I have occasional situations that lead to drastic panic attacks. I want to try listening to some tape while sleeping, but don't know how I would go about.


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## vxkens (Nov 21, 2009)

You really don't have to see a therapist to do this, but you have to be disciplined enough to learn the techniques and implement them on your own. Just do some searching around on the internet... maybe try typing "diy cognitive behavioral therapy" into google. Read as much as you can about it and follow the advice you see.


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## lilprincess9031 (Mar 14, 2010)

vxkens said:


> You really don't have to see a therapist to do this, but you have to be disciplined enough to learn the techniques and implement them on your own. Just do some searching around on the internet... maybe try typing "diy cognitive behavioral therapy" into google. Read as much as you can about it and follow the advice you see.


thank youu! that helped! =)


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## wxolue (Nov 26, 2008)

Positive said:


> I've tried this but I have occasional situations that lead to drastic panic attacks. I want to try listening to some tape while sleeping, but don't know how I would go about.


You have to claim victories where you can. CBT is basically taking automatic thoughts that have sat in your brain for years and completely turning them around. You are taking control of your brain. That takes time. The good thing about CBT is that the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Try to conquer your thoughts at home first. Once you become comfortable there, it will become more natural when you move out into a public setting. the biggest thing you have to do after you have a panic attack is to push it out of your mind. Having a panic attack doesn't set you back, but dwelling on it and becoming depressed over it (even in the short term) will. Try to remember that all emotions are generated out of our thoughts, especially anxiety.

Moodgym (google it) is a great website for personal cbt, although i personally think a therapist, or an SA CBT group is still superior.


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