Cognitive behavioural therapy has changed the game.
I am a sucker for personal development. Hence this whole entire blog! I have been on my healing journey for some time now and it has definitely been a rollercoaster.
Life is full of ups and downs which is to be expected. Throughout my twenties, I have been searching for ways to improve my symptoms of anxiety and depression without resulting to medication.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with medication but I would prefer to resort to other holistic options. I have heard that medication works wonders and is a staple in people’s lives. Although, what may work for some may not work for others. So please do ample research and consult with your doctor prior to consuming medication.
During 2020 and with all that is going on, I had a lot more time on my hands. With ample time, came a lot of thinking and self-doubts. Work was no longer so I had time to focus on me. And that meant no longer hiding behind my busy schedule but focusing on the root of the problem.
I talked to my doctor and she insisted that I make a referral to an IAPT (Improving Access To Psychological Therapies) service in my local area. Within a couple of days, I spoke to a medical professional who confirmed my symptoms. I was experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression.
After my initial consultation, CBT was a viable option.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychological form of treatment, which is also referenced as a variation of talking therapy. The aim of CBT is to identify negative thought patterns whilst looking for practical ways to improve our thoughts and break them down into more manageable segments.
Depending on the needs of the individual, 6-20 sessions are available and sessions may be provided in group and/or individual formats.
I decided to choose CBT as I learnt about CBT for many years through my undergraduate and masters program. I had tried counselling before which I found beneficial but I thought CBT would be useful to enable me to identify and disscet my negative thought patterns.
Cognitive behavioural therapy has been shown effective for reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and is said to be one of the most effective forms of therapy for treating depression so I decided to give it a go. I had nothing to lose.
Due to COVID, I was offered online sessions using a fairly new template; silver cloud. Silver Cloud is an online resource which helps you to manage anxiety, depression and stress. The course is tailored to the needs of the individual and lasts for approximately 8 weeks.
The first couple of sessions consisted of discussions regarding the issues that I would like to focus on. Prior to every session, I would complete a questionnaire focusing on my emotions and moods over the past couple of weeks. This would give an indication as to whether my moods have altered over time.
Silver cloud was a great tool as it required me to work on things during my own time whilst using the techniques that I learnt about.
After my time with silver cloud came to an end, I was then referred to telephone CBT sessions as I was still presenting symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Utilizing both forms of CBT has taught me so many useful tips to enable me to analyse my thoughts:
- Worry time
Scheduling a set time each day to assess my worries. I would write my worry down and see if it was a hypothetical worry, whereby you focus on things that might happen; things that we do not have control over or practical worry- specific worries that have a likelihood of taking place i.e. ‘ I am worried that I’ll get stuck in the rain as I didn’t walk with my umbrella today’.
- Mindfulness
When I find myself getting anxious, I take my time to focus on my breathing. I inhale slowly for 7 seconds and I exhale slowly for 11 seconds. This helps to stablise my breathing which tends to get rapid when I become more anxious.
- Problem solving
During my worry time, I would write down my problem and assess if it is a hypothetical or a practical worry. I would then identify possible solutions and make a plan to tackle the problem.
- Working on ACE activities
ACE represents A-achieve i.e. work, C-connect i.e. spending time with friends and family and E-Enjoy i.e. play and pressure. I discovered that most of my day was focused on achieving things. Thoroughout summer, I was working on thesis almost everyday. I rarely spent time connecting with family and friends and enjoyment was limited. Now, I make an effort to schedule in time to enjoy and connect with my loved ones.
Therapy will differ between every individual as it is catered to your specific needs.
Here are my likes and dislikes of CBT:
- Homework- after each session I was required to work on what we discussed. This helped me to put the techniques I learn into practice.
- Think deeper- Throughout all the sessions, my therapist and I would think about the source and cause of problems and how they presented themselves.
- As mentioned prior, I was taught a range of different techniques such as mindfulness and problem-solving in order to combat my symptoms and to make them more manageable.
- Unlike counselling, I didn’t feel like I could really discuss my inner thoughts as much as I hoped to. CBT was more so focused on solving the issue and sometimes I like to talk about it more before finding ways to solve the issue.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy sessions only lasted for 30 minutes which I felt went by very quickly. Before we got to the ‘meat’ of the session, it was over! Counselling sessions can last up to an hour and I found that was a suitable amount of time.
I would like to further reinstate that this was my experience which is unique to me. You may have a different experience!
With regards to my furutre, once I sustain a permanent job (with permanent income) I will definitely go back to counselling. I would prefer face to face counselling which may be on hold for some time but counselling is a great way for me to vent and get things off my chest. Talking therapies all the way!
As for right now, I will continue to use the techniques that I have learnt and stick to it! I have come so far and made a lot of progress. Of course, life is not full of sunshine and rainbows and there will be times when I feel like crap but that is ok! That is life! It is all about how you cope and recover from the not so nice moments.
I aim to implement techniques such as worry time and ACE into my daily routine. Actually, I already have! I have a reminder on my phone which alerts me every afternoon at 5 pm to assess my worries.
I am on the road to progress and I am so proud of all my accomplishments; big and small.
I am not perfect nor do I claim to be but I know my strengths. Drive, passion and determination. Life is for living and I will continue to hold myself accountable.
Depression and anxiety has been a part of my life for some time but I know how to live with it.
To all those who may be struggling with their wellbeing, I hope this post provides you with insight into therapy.
Thank for reading and take care.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I have experienced anxiety for years and had face to face talk therapy for a few years. Since covid I have not had any therapy. Reading posts such as yours is helpful to me! I like the idea of having a set time daily to assess your worries. I will try this!
Thank you for reading! I appreciate you for sharing also. COVID has definitely taken a toll on all of us. I hope you are able to incorporate self-care into your daily routine!