cognitive behavioral therapy - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

mayjk19 · 07-07-2009, 07:38 PM

my therapist suggested I try cognitive behavioral therapy to alleviate my depressed thinking. I'm finally at the point where I can think straight enough to understand the ideas behind it. Of course, when you're so depressed you can't see straight, let alone analyze your thoughts, this kind of therapy is useless.
has anyone else tried this? does it work? are there better forms of therapy for bipolars?
mayra

Bunnylover · 07-07-2009, 11:00 PM

It never did me any good, but I only tried it for anxiety. As soon as I learned to cope with one trigger, I would develope another one.

I can't imagine this working for depression, but that's because when I'm depressed I can only do what is absolutely necessary to stay employed, etc. When I see my pdoc's those times, I pretty much just sit there unless asked direct questions.

But maybe it works better for other people--I know it has a really good track record of dealing with the kind of insomnia where people have trouble falling asleep. For that it's better than drugs.

irishwriter · 07-08-2009, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayjk19

my therapist suggested I try cognitive behavioral therapy to alleviate my depressed thinking. I'm finally at the point where I can think straight enough to understand the ideas behind it. Of course, when you're so depressed you can't see straight, let alone analyze your thoughts, this kind of therapy is useless.
has anyone else tried this? does it work? are there better forms of therapy for bipolars?
mayra

hi mayra, i have worked with cbt for many years and find with meds it has been of tremendous value. it has given me many tools to distract from ideation when i am really bad. my pdoc is available most times of the day and is so good i am always glad i found him (i have been through some idiots!) cbt allows one to deal with current issues rather than the past while acknowledging the influence of past with current events and choices being made now. i agree that when you are v. down the motivation to even talk to anyone is non'existant. these are the times that being able to reach pdoc by phone (mostly he calls me once he knows where i am at) is invaluable. good luck with it.

iw