Will CBT help other faulty beliefs I carry and depression I have no other hope

[AnxietySincePreschool]

I don't really know why I am posting this because I probably won't get any replies or just a corny generic response if I do, but I guess I don't care anymore. I'm going to go to CBT for my anxiety, but over the past few years I think I have developed depression. I carry a whole host of faulty beliefs and patterns both taught from others and learned from spending too much time 'in my own head' with nobody to trust or bounce them off and correct them.

I don't know where to start. There is so much wrong with my life. Everything, in fact. The depression has crept up on me over the course of 2-3 years, I experience most of my non anxiety related problems with personal relationships - It means I have difficulties and incorrect expectations with making friends, relationships etc. I CANNOT stop comparing myself. I don't know my own identity any more, I have no idea who I am. I don't really enjoy talking about it mainly because I haven't but also because I am embarrassed and ashamed. I can't change any of this on my own as it is all so complex and intertwined.

I need to start CBT so I can control this anxiety and get over my fear of panic attacks and agoraphobia as I simply cannot do normal activities which in turn makes me depressed but I think I have created a series of very complicated beliefs and 'excuses' for these things I don't do, and I'm so unhappy. Nothing makes sense anymore.

Can I also speak about non-anxiety related issues to the therapist? Will it be too much?

I am worried there will be too much to expel, and worst it won't help (then I really will have no hope)

Do I also need to see a Psychologist or whoever else??? Thanks.

[allyml]

It definitely sounds like you are very anxious and worried! That's how my mind works, one things leads to another and pretty soon the entire world is exploding and I just want to curl up into a ball and sleep!

To be honest, CBT is a really great method. If you really want to stop your anxiety and are prepared to do the workload (I.e. writing down common thoughts and then correcting them, which can be a bit tedious for some), then it can really help. It basically just trains you how to change unhelpful and/or distorted thoughts into helpful and objective. And I think it's pretty doable.

As far as not knowing who you are.... I think that will come. When you're at a high stress level it's super hard to concentrate and think, or even get a sense of yourself, so.... You can give it time. And I would say also give yourself time, and a little break. Try to be nice to yourself as much as possible, an d be proud that you're taking steps to change things. I think if you try, it's nearly impossible not to see some change! So I wouldn't worry about nothing helping at all.

What happens in therapy usually is that someone asks what your main goal is, but you can also bring in other goals as well. For example, my main goal is to develop my coping skills as I look for a job (I.e I want to reduce my depressive and anxiety attacks when it relates to work and money). But I also have deeper issues that I'll bring up once in a while if they start to really bother me at the it me (e.g. I have family issues, so if I talk to my parents I might need to get that out). Your therapist should be flexible enough for that.

I would suggest either someone with a masters degree or someone with a lot of experience, or both. I would say find an LCSW if you believe environment impacts people more, or a psychologist if you believe biology is a larger component, since both people are trained differently.

Hope that helped! Hang in there!

[AnxietySincePreschool]

I would say find an LCSW if you believe environment impacts people more, or a psychologist if you believe biology is a larger component, since both people are trained differently.

Hope that helped! Hang in there!

Thank you very much for your reply!

I guess I am worried that I will not have time to cover many things which are feeding and interconnecting with my chronic anxiety and that if I dont sort those out it will still remain or actually 'flare up' after some months, especially I wonder if discussion in the space of an hour with one individual is enough I am wondering if maybe a two pronged approach might help? or maybe CBT would be enough I dont' know yet.

I am anticipating bad or inadequate things happening before I have got started because of living in England behing with the NHS means I can't necessarily be 'choosy' about who I see which I am concerned may have an impact and I end up with some less competent than I require but we will see...

What is LCSW???

[allyml]

Oh, I don't know how it is in England, but an LCSW in the US in a licensed clinical social worker. They're trained to take into account the environment and it's stressors more, while a psychologist would get more training on the individual. Right now I'm on Medicaid, which is public health insurance in the US, and I can still find people that are good. I think you can always switch therapists also if you feel like its not working out. I would just examine the background of the person you're going to and I think. It should be fine.

And depending on your plan and your needs, you could see if you could see someone bi-weekly if need be. There's always options. Plus I know there are many free support groups where I am, so you could even do group therapy on the side, and that may help too.