Just jumping in about the controllability of thoughts -- CBT doesn't work for everyone because changing thoughts doesn't work for everyone. I have OCD and I CANNOT control certain thoughts at times, even thoughts that might not be related to OCD. I find it very difficult to control my thinking, especially when I try to get my thoughts to go away. But this is seen in research.. thought suppression (i.e., DON'T think of a white bear! Oh wait, I'm thinking about it, crap) has a paradoxical effect. Some people in CBT don't get caught in this loop, but I can't get out of it. So there is this issue with CBT for me.. I'm told, certain thoughts are irrational, stop thinking this way, but then those thoughts end up in a loop.

Trying to change my thoughts by calling them irrational does not make them dissipate for me -- in fact, it puts me in a bad cycle. I have this thought which might be an OCD thought (i.e., a disturbing sexual thought, or the thought that I said or did something inappropriate even though it was not inappropriate) or might be a thought related to something else (i.e., nobody likes me, I will never find love). I say, "No, that thought is irrational, think (insert positive thought) instead!" Then the thought comes back. "Crap, (positive thought!! positive thought!!)" "Crap, the thought is still there! Why won't it go away?? POSITIVE THOUGHT POSITIVE THOUGHT POSITIVE THOUGHT WHY WON'T MY THOUGHTS GO AWAY??? I am going crazy because I can't control my thoughts, wait that is an irrational thought too! Crap my WHOLE HEAD is irrational! I'm an insane person! No I'm not, that's irrational too. See, look, I'm ALWAYS irrational! Aghhhhh!"

You see?