# CBT question



## Lifegoeson20 (Nov 23, 2012)

I just started using a cbt app and wrote my first journal. Now all im suppose to do is keep reading the same positive challenges everyday while making new ones? Is it really that simple? I read all the articles and it seems so... but I cant believe it. Im stubborn like that. I always feel like nothing will work on me ever since i was a kid. I cant believe how simple it is.


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## kiiinglouie (Jan 12, 2015)

Lifegoeson20 said:


> I just started using a cbt app and wrote my first journal. Now all im suppose to do is keep reading the same positive challenges everyday while making new ones? Is it really that simple? I read all the articles and it seems so... but I cant believe it. Im stubborn like that. I always feel like nothing will work on me ever since i was a kid. I cant believe how simple it is.


unless you have some advance level of depression or anxiety then meds should be used along with CBT
i have mild to moderate anxiety and CBT does work but i go to a lady i dont do it on my own 
and things can be simple but if you are a closed minded person and always thinking its not gonna work then plain and simple its not 
if you actually put in work and actually try.. CBt can be helpful


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## versikk (Nov 25, 2013)

The point of CBT is to make a list of challenges and do them in order of how much anxiety they give you. Keep doing them over and over for as long as you feel like. You can also do challenges that wouldn't make sense "in the real world" like acting out in public just to be able to deal with people's reactions. Typical example of this is to go into mcdonalds and ask where mcdonalds is, or order something they don't have on the menu and keep persisting that they have it.


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## Lifegoeson20 (Nov 23, 2012)

versikk said:


> The point of CBT is to make a list of challenges and do them in order of how much anxiety they give you. Keep doing them over and over for as long as you feel like. You can also do challenges that wouldn't make sense "in the real world" like acting out in public just to be able to deal with people's reactions. Typical example of this is to go into mcdonalds and ask where mcdonalds is, or order something they don't have on the menu and keep persisting that they have it.


Isn't that exposure therapy? From what I read, cbt is writing down situations that made you uncomfortable or regret and then writing down more rational thinking to replace the irrational thoughts.


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## versikk (Nov 25, 2013)

Lifegoeson20 said:


> Isn't that exposure therapy? From what I read, cbt is writing down situations that made you uncomfortable or regret and then writing down more rational thinking to replace the irrational thoughts.


Yes, and then put those into practice by exposing yourself while doing those "rational" thoughts to counteract the anxiety spikes


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## VanDamme (Jun 8, 2004)

versikk said:


> Yes, and then put those into practice by exposing yourself while doing those "rational" thoughts to counteract the anxiety spikes


:agree
Otherwise, how would you know if you succeeded with the change.


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## MylesB93 (Feb 25, 2014)

There's a bit more to CBT I think. I learned that it's focused on challenging the negative thoughts and beliefs that you have about yourself. So if you believe say, "I am completely worthless", then you would, for example, make a list of all of your redeeming qualities to disprove the fact that you're worthless. Once you've convinced yourself that your belief isn't true, you would then take action and do something that your original belief prevented you from doing and then keep doing it until it was no longer a problem.


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## versikk (Nov 25, 2013)

In that case my therapists have been crap at CBT-ising me


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## VanDamme (Jun 8, 2004)

versikk said:


> In that case my therapists have been crap at CBT-ising me


Actually, it's a combination of both what you and others said. CBT can be used to deal with any aspect of anxiety issues, such as: thinking (beliefs, thoughts about self, others or situations) and fear (i.e. situations where you *feel *the physical symptoms).

Though from my and others' experience, as far as the fear part is concerned, CBT mostly works for mild to moderate intensity. For higher intensity fear, other approaches tend to work.


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## versikk (Nov 25, 2013)

What I mean is that my therapists have basically equated CBT with exposure therapy as if they were one and the same


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## VanDamme (Jun 8, 2004)

Since my recent return, I've been reading CBT related topics on this forum. Seems like there are many "variations" of CBT. 

Maybe your therapist was focusing on issues that require the exposure therapy.


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## kiiinglouie (Jan 12, 2015)

i've been doing more exposure therapy im no longer thinking negative thoughts or thinking oh **** i'm gonna die while having an anxiety attack 
my anxiety levels have decreased but i still get intense anxiety attacks 
for a long time agoraphobia got it's hands on me 
after using exposure therapy i can leave the house now i still got a long way to go but i'm making progress


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Your goal isn't to create positive thoughts with CBT, it is to create balanced thoughts. With enough repetition, you will start to believe them in a month or two. It is certainly to be expected that your subconscious will not believe them at first.


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