# Is there ANY evidence that CBT or Exposure Therapy works?



## xMissChloex (Oct 7, 2012)

I sort of looked it up for a second but maybe you know more? I really want to know if it's actually PROVED to eliminate anxiety. Do you know what p!sses me off? Is that I know I have a good personality but sometimes it's really hard to be myself. I just want to show my true colours. All 4 of my siblings are cool/outgoing. But me.. I'm scared.. Everyday. But i'm not scared around older people or some immediate family. Or guys. Which annoys me. 

I also hope that there is proof that therapy eliminates SA because i'm prepared to try anything. ANYTHING. I'll even do it if there's 50/50 chance it will or will not work. 

Also.. Is there any proof that SA is caused by negative self image/beliefs. Because I think I know what mine are. Thank You!


----------



## TeenyBeany (Sep 3, 2008)

You know, I'm not sure if there is scientific evidence of CBT working... I do know that it worked for me. I thought I was a lost cause, but after 6 months, I was "normal" again. I am figuring out though that CBT is not just a one-time thing. I have to go back due to falling back into my anxiety. But yeah. CBT works. 
As far as exposure therapy, with my CBT, exposure came hand-in-hand... it SUX... I'm not going to lie, exposure therapy is hard... I hate it! But with the techniques learned in CBT, it helped me overcome a bunch of fears.


----------



## xMissChloex (Oct 7, 2012)

TeenyBeany said:


> You know, I'm not sure if there is scientific evidence of CBT working... I do know that it worked for me. I thought I was a lost cause, but after 6 months, I was "normal" again. I am figuring out though that CBT is not just a one-time thing. I have to go back due to falling back into my anxiety. But yeah. CBT works.
> As far as exposure therapy, with my CBT, exposure came hand-in-hand... it SUX... I'm not going to lie, exposure therapy is hard... I hate it! But with the techniques learned in CBT, it helped me overcome a bunch of fears.


Teeny I am so happy for you! So.. How did you find your negative thoughts? And in the beginning when you tried to find them did you find it difficult? Like at first you notice they just slip straight through your mind but you still realise they're there? Was it like that for you? Because i'm getting better at identifying my negative thoughts/beliefs. Thank You for your answer! And you just brightened my day!


----------



## watcher (Dec 24, 2012)

(First forum post, yay! )

I can't provide you with a link but I definitely have read about a number of scientific studies that have shown CBT is effective. Also, personally, I think I've made a lot of progress over the last few years, mostly through applying principles of CBT that I had learned from self-help books and audiotapes. I imagine doing CBT with the help and under the supervision of a trained therapist would be even more effective.


----------



## xMissChloex (Oct 7, 2012)

watcher said:


> (First forum post, yay! )
> 
> I can't provide you with a link but I definitely have read about a number of scientific studies that have shown CBT is effective. Also, personally, I think I've made a lot of progress over the last few years, mostly through applying principles of CBT that I had learned from self-help books and audiotapes. I imagine doing CBT with the help and under the supervision of a trained therapist would be even more effective.


Thank You! I'm glad your better than a few years ago. I'm going to try CBT with Exposure therapy. Like Teeny said it comes hand in hand so.. BRING IT!!!


----------



## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

I don't know but my doctor makes a point to emphasise how "_very _good" CBT is.


----------



## TeenyBeany (Sep 3, 2008)

Chloe17 said:


> Teeny I am so happy for you! So.. How did you find your negative thoughts? And in the beginning when you tried to find them did you find it difficult? Like at first you notice they just slip straight through your mind but you still realise they're there? Was it like that for you? Because i'm getting better at identifying my negative thoughts/beliefs. Thank You for your answer! And you just brightened my day!


Like you, I was already noticing my negative thoughts. She and I talked about that thought and came up with different solutions to eliminating those thoughts. The solutions could have been mental or physical. The "practice" was the exposure therapy. Some pracices, or exposures, were harder than others for me. 
When there was a negative thought that I couldnt identify on my own, it was almost like she knew what my fear was and would ask me clarifying questions to bring the thought to surface. 
Prior to going to see a therapist for CBT, I relied on self-help books, but in all honesty, self-help was a lot slower "healing process."


----------



## Nitrogen (Dec 24, 2012)

I don't know of any scientific studies, but I'm currently in a program for CBT, and it's worked wonders for me. I was sceptical on it when I first heard of it, but I went ahead and tried it anyway. It's helped me to learn to overcome many fears that I wouldn't have been able to subdue on my own. It's also great for me to get out how I feel, and I've noticed that I'm not as anxious in social situations like how I was a few months/years ago. I'd highly recommend it.


----------



## xMissChloex (Oct 7, 2012)

TeenyBeany said:


> Like you, I was already noticing my negative thoughts. She and I talked about that thought and came up with different solutions to eliminating those thoughts. The solutions could have been mental or physical. The "practice" was the exposure therapy. Some pracices, or exposures, were harder than others for me.
> When there was a negative thought that I couldnt identify on my own, it was almost like she knew what my fear was and would ask me clarifying questions to bring the thought to surface.
> Prior to going to see a therapist for CBT, I relied on self-help books, but in all honesty, self-help was a lot slower "healing process."


Awesome, Thank You so much! I am so happy for you  The thing is.. My negative thoughts just slip straight through my mind. I don't even get the chance to remember them. I only notice they're there because I catch them just when it's too late.  But i'll catch them eventually. How long does it take for CBT to take obvious effect?


----------



## xMissChloex (Oct 7, 2012)

Victini said:


> I don't know of any scientific studies, but I'm currently in a program for CBT, and it's worked wonders for me. I was sceptical on it when I first heard of it, but I went ahead and tried it anyway. It's helped me to learn to overcome many fears that I wouldn't have been able to subdue on my own. It's also great for me to get out how I feel, and I've noticed that I'm not as anxious in social situations like how I was a few months/years ago. I'd highly recommend it.


Thank You! I'm glad your doing well!


----------



## TeenyBeany (Sep 3, 2008)

Chloe17 said:


> Awesome, Thank You so much! I am so happy for you  The thing is.. My negative thoughts just slip straight through my mind. I don't even get the chance to remember them. I only notice they're there because I catch them just when it's too late.  But i'll catch them eventually. How long does it take for CBT to take obvious effect?


I'm not sure for other people, but I only went to therapy for 6 months and felt "cured." The first two therapy sessions were over the phone since I was "too scared" to meet my therapist face to face. I met her the 3rd time, which was the 3rd week. So, I would say: week 3 for me


----------



## xMissChloex (Oct 7, 2012)

TeenyBeany said:


> I'm not sure for other people, but I only went to therapy for 6 months and felt "cured." The first two therapy sessions were over the phone since I was "too scared" to meet my therapist face to face. I met her the 3rd time, which was the 3rd week. So, I would say: week 3 for me


That is SO awesome! I can't wait to start. Wow you must've had it pretty bad.. One more thing.. Did you ever feel comforted right after you fixed a negative thought with a positive one? Like yesterday for example.. I did catch a negative thought and replaced it with a positive and imedietely it drifted from my mind. I let it go. So.. Am I imagining things or was I actually feeling ''free'' for a moment? What I mean is.. The first time you ever used CBT on a negative thought did you feel a small difference immediately?


----------



## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

Chloe17 said:


> I sort of looked it up for a second but maybe you know more? I really want to know if it's actually PROVED to eliminate anxiety. Do you know what p!sses me off? Is that I know I have a good personality but sometimes it's really hard to be myself. I just want to show my true colours. All 4 of my siblings are cool/outgoing. But me.. I'm scared.. Everyday. But i'm not scared around older people or some immediate family. Or guys. Which annoys me.
> 
> I also hope that there is proof that therapy eliminates SA because i'm prepared to try anything. ANYTHING. I'll even do it if there's 50/50 chance it will or will not work.
> 
> Also.. Is there any proof that SA is caused by negative self image/beliefs. Because I think I know what mine are. Thank You!


what ive discovered through my life is that the things that most people are sceptical about are the things that work the best.

i've came across a lot of great things in my life, not just things to do with therapy. i've tried all of these great things that i've found and everyone of them has done what it said on the tin.

the funny thing about all of these things is that there is a great deal of contraversy surrounding all of them. these things are often refered to as cults, scams, quacks, B.S etc.... you name it. but they all work and are all safe which is more than can be said for things that are actually proven. take medication for example - it's dangerous. you are putting toxic chemicals inside your body.

the things i've discovered include cognitive behavoural therapy (cbt), neuro linguistic programming (nlp), hypnotherapy (this is actually a part of nlp), kabbalah, food combining, the ph miracle diet (i.e alkaline diet), thinkrightnow (www.thinkrightnow.com)

i know exactly what works for social anxiety. first you must change your diet, start exercising and get healthy. because you are only young i would reconmend body for life by bill phillips. if you was older maybe 25 or so i probably would have reconmended something more hard core like fit for life by harvey diamond or the ph miracle by dr robert young. but at your age i don't think those are nessecary just yet

once you have got yourself fit and healthy then do the following (i guarantee this is the best approach to overcoming social anxiety. ive put this together through experience and trial and error. i know what works and what doesn't. trust me ):

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com...ueprint-for-overcoming-social-anxiety-215454/

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com...ueprint-for-overcoming-social-anxiety-215455/


----------



## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

yes.
eliminate? i don't know about that. greatly ameliorate one's state? yes.


----------



## TeenyBeany (Sep 3, 2008)

Chloe17 said:


> That is SO awesome! I can't wait to start. Wow you must've had it pretty bad.. One more thing.. Did you ever feel comforted right after you fixed a negative thought with a positive one? Like yesterday for example.. I did catch a negative thought and replaced it with a positive and imedietely it drifted from my mind. I let it go. So.. Am I imagining things or was I actually feeling ''free'' for a moment? What I mean is.. The first time you ever used CBT on a negative thought did you feel a small difference immediately?


It sort of becomes second nature and you don't even notice the negative thoughts entering your mind after a while.
don't forget that I was a bad case so, although I felt accomplished the first time I met my therapist face to face, I was also a bit exhausted due to the "exposure."


----------



## xMissChloex (Oct 7, 2012)

TeenyBeany said:


> It sort of becomes second nature and you don't even notice the negative thoughts entering your mind after a while.
> don't forget that I was a bad case so, although I felt accomplished the first time I met my therapist face to face, I was also a bit exhausted due to the "exposure."


Yeah. I haven't got Social Anxiety THAT bad but it still bothers me. I seem to be doing better than my cousin who has it. I can sit and talk alot at a family gathering. In a public place when i'm shopping I don't really care much anymore except for the counter part. I hate buying stuff haha. Mainly because all I want is to buy clothes yet I feel I HAVE to talk to the counter person. So usually I just be polite and say ''good thanks, how are you?'' Not awkwardly though more angry (unfortunately) They just p!ss me off. Anyway.. Thanks for all of your advice and I will reflect it if I need to just for some insight. Thanks heaps!


----------



## No more Elysium (Oct 13, 2012)

Besides pretty promising numbers in clinical trial study's, the best evidence I found is, well, me . I've done CBT and currently doing exposure therapy, and yes, it works wonder. However, you have to be very willing to face your worst fears and do the things that scares you the most. If you are not, then it won't really work. So ask yourself the question "Am I willing to do what it takes?". In my case, as someone with BDD, it is chatting up random strangers and asking them how I look, going out without any grooming so I look like crap, etc. 
Things will get even worse soon, but I found that the stuff that scares me most is the stuff most worth doing. 

So in short, whether CBT / exposure therapy works depends for a large part on your willingness.


----------



## hopefulhere (Jul 4, 2012)

Regular old-fashioned psychotherapy helped me. It took about five years, but I was able to go from zero functioning to being a school teacher.


----------

