# Starting CBT next week (advice)



## Bosko (Nov 9, 2007)

IM starting CBT next week and im pretty uncomfortable about it all. I dont really mind telling my therapist how dreadful life is for me atm but I just dont think it's going to help me at all. So im going in to it with a pretty close minded attitude. Plus I really only have one problem to talk about, i dont see what we are going to discuss for an hour. Last time I went to see a therapist, we talked absoloute crap for an hour about my childhood and God. She was a lovely woman but I got the feeling she thought there were underlying issues but its not the case. I smoked weed for a few years (heavily) and now I feel like this. I was the happiest i had ever been before this thought problem happened, part of that was due to weed, then i just woke up one day feeling schizophrenic. It sucks because I don't want to waste her time, but im so desperate for my thought dissociation to stop im trying everything. PLus im the type of person who will just nod and smile if she starts going on about random stuff. I think a lot of talk therapy is really personnel stuff, and i dont want to talk to someone about it if its not relevant.


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## Thunderlordcid (Feb 2, 2010)

dancingwobbler said:


> IM starting CBT next week and im pretty uncomfortable about it all. I dont really mind telling my therapist how dreadful life is for me atm but I just dont think it's going to help me at all. So im going in to it with a pretty close minded attitude. Plus I really only have one problem to talk about, i dont see what we are going to discuss for an hour. Last time I went to see a therapist, we talked absoloute crap for an hour about my childhood and God. She was a lovely woman but I got the feeling she thought there were underlying issues but its not the case. I smoked weed for a few years (heavily) and now I feel like this. I was the happiest i had ever been before this thought problem happened, part of that was due to weed, then i just woke up one day feeling schizophrenic. It sucks because I don't want to waste her time, but im so desperate for my thought dissociation to stop im trying everything. PLus im the type of person who will just nod and smile if she starts going on about random stuff. I think a lot of talk therapy is really personnel stuff, and i dont want to talk to someone about it if its not relevant.


Hey there. I don't really know a lot about the whole CBT thing but I do know one thing about getting better though. No matter what you try do to to help yourself you have to do it with a positive attitude. If you keep thinking, not saying your are, "Oh, I'm never going to get any better and I'll be like this for the rest of my life" then you will stay messed up for as long as you think that. No matter how shitty you feel you have to always have optimism about DPD or you'll always stay distorted. I'm now starting to see that and I can see a very distinct light at the end of my tunnel. Hell from what I've read you can still smoke weed/drink as long as you have a good mind set about it and not think about anything in a negative way. Well anyway, I hope this helps. Peace.


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## Bosko (Nov 9, 2007)

[quote name='Thunderlordcid' date='03 March 2010 - 01:49 PM' timestamp='1267638579' post='183608']
Il definitley apporach with an open mind. It's just logic/instinct is telling me that it will be a waste of time. Id go skydiving if it helped in my recovery, but I dont think it would help, just as i dont think this will. im not being negative, because im looking forward to having someone to talk too, but i dont see how it can hlep my route problem. Maybe it will be useful for other things though


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## DiscoStick (Dec 13, 2009)

How does CBT help Depersonalization? Or are you going for something related to DP/DR? 
I'm genuinely interested if it can help DP because I'm starting six weeks of CBT for OCD soon and it would be hella nice if they could get my DP fixed, just I'm unsure because it seems like they stop you from thinking irrational things by banging into your head that they're ridiculous. Now I know I can force myself to not touch something twice or whatever even if it's really difficult, but I can't force myself to just jump back into reality&#8230;
I just don't see from my understanding of CBT how it is relevant.


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## Thunderlordcid (Feb 2, 2010)

dancingwobbler said:


> Il definitley apporach with an open mind. It's just logic/instinct is telling me that it will be a waste of time. Id go skydiving if it helped in my recovery, but I dont think it would help, just as i dont think this will. im not being negative, because im looking forward to having someone to talk too, but i dont see how it can hlep my route problem. Maybe it will be useful for other things though


Actually believe it or not talking about the problem openly to someone else can help. I didn't believe it until I talked to my best friend about it and it honestly made me feel a lot better. I mean, everyone from what I've seen has some specific symptoms as to what exactly they are feeling. Like me I didn't understand why I subconsciously did things and why the brain goes on auto pilot mode, but when I told my friend about it he re assured me that nothing was wrong with me and it helped me, a lot. Also, don't go in thinking that it won't help. If you go in with that mindset about everything then nothing is going to help you. What I'm now starting to learn about beating this DPD is beating it by dealing with the underlying Anxiety (Constantly thinking to yourself "Am I ever going to be better?")by any sort of means. Another thing I picked up is constantly listening to good music. The really helps distract the brain.


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## Mario (Oct 26, 2009)

Hey Kane
You are just killing your best hopes thinking like that.Stop being so negative in advance.I'm telling you this because i know perfectly well the feeling of self discourage as well,but i somewhat have learnt that in spite of everything,we must always keep a positive attitude towards things,even if your past experiences and the pain you are living tells you the opposite.Just go there with an open mind,open your heart to the therapist,tell her/him about your major concerns and then,just wait and see what happens. 
Maybe this is part of what you have been looking for.Who knows? But don't forget about taking the proper medication for your problem.
I'm convinced that CBT along with the proper meds,will make you feel better

All the best Kane and good luck on this new approach


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## Mario (Oct 26, 2009)

Hey Kane
You are just killing your best hopes thinking like that.Stop being so negative in advance.I'm telling you this because i know perfectly well the feeling of self discourage as well,but i somewhat have learnt that in spite of everything,we must always keep a positive attitude towards things,even if your past experiences and the pain you are living tells you the opposite.Just go there with an open mind,open your heart to the therapist,tell her/him about your major concerns and then,just wait and see what happens. 
Maybe this is part of what you have been looking for.Who knows? But don't forget about taking the proper medication for your problem.
I'm convinced that CBT along with the proper meds,will make you feel better

All the best Kane and good luck on this new approach


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## York (Feb 26, 2008)

I had CBT for about 10 weeks or so, and I believe it can help you if you do your homework and the therapist is good.

The good thing with CBT is that you DON*T talk about any heavy shit, it's all about re-training your mind to be realistic and positive and looking forward.

Examples are, 
Finding out what symptoms scare you, and do you really have to fear them?

When is your symptoms at their worst (You might say always, but after a while you'll see a pattern) and how can I control them?

Is it possible to have good moments in a day and focus on that, as apposed to thinking each day is hell because of dp?

Is there any activities you can start doing that you'd enjoy?

Are everything you experience dp, or might some of it be things everyone experience, say from lack of sleep, poor eating habits, exhaustion from other things in your life...? Separate dp from "healthy" responses, placing dp where it belongs.

Good luck with CBT, try and not focus too much on how bad you feel, but what you can do step by step to rid yourself of your stress and fear. Start with your physical world. (My advice anyway).


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## Bosko (Nov 9, 2007)

thanks people. Im not saying i am completley anti therapy, but I have always been cynical about it and it's hard to suddenly change that attitude. Im looking forward to getting some stuff off my chest though.


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## DiscoStick (Dec 13, 2009)

So how's it going so far?


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## Katezorz (Jan 10, 2010)

I'm going to San Francisco soon for CBT. It apparently helps many with mental disorders, without the help of medication. But sometimes medications can help during the process as well. You have to think on the brighter side because that is what CBT trains you to do. How is it going so far?


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