[karenj23]

Hi all,
Does CBT really helps? even though I had attended 3 sessions of it, i didn't feel any difference. I can't even open up with my therapist. He is advising me all the time and I can’t digest her thoughts, thus I stopped it. But I have read so many success stories of CBT. One of my friends suggested me to change my therapist. She also recommended me to consult Dr. Eliana cohen in Toronto for this therapy. But you know, I’m already fed up with this therapy. Should I take another chance? What are the things to be considered before choosing a good therapist? I’m depressed and confused. Please help me.

[TheOriginalMe]

I tried CBT and I just didn't get it. The examples that the therapist gave just didn't resonate with me. If your depression is characterized by lots of negative self thought - "other people hate me" and that sort of thing then it will probably help you more than if your depression is the crushing suffocating millstone that feels like a physical burden following you everywhere.

That is my experience. There is a forum for psychotherapy and I am sure that you will find some helpful advice there. Psychotherapy - Forums at Psych Central

[Fizzyo]

CBT helped me quite a bit. It's not the whole answer, but it can help you not to cause unnecessary pain to yourself. It takes quite a long time to make a dramatic difference, it takes time to challenge a lifetime of thinking habits.

You may want to look at this site, it is free to anyone, it is on a university site and is reputable. You can work at your own pace. I found it helpful if approached with an open mind. It's NOT just positive thinking, I have little time for some people's interpretation of that.

https://moodgym.anu.edu.au

I would also recommend trying again with someone else. Honesty is important, or they won't be able to adjust it to what you need.

Good luck.

Do you have the option of seeing a psychologist or other psychotherapist for a diagnosis?

Like TheOriginalMe said, I think CBT can help if you are having specific problems. If you find that you have lots of negative thoughts about yourself, it can help with those.

I think you can probably do some reading, either online, or in a book about CBT, to figure out if you think it will help you.

Here's one very basic summary of how CBT works, and here's a list of "thinking errors" or cognitive distortions. There's more than one list of these floating around. I personally think the list of cognitive distortions is very helpful, even for people who aren't having mood problems. Most of us do at least one of these things and it can be liberating to realize it.

I don't know how bad your depression is. I went to a cognitive therapist the first time I had an episode of depression, and that alone was not enough to help me. I needed meds as well, and I think I would have done better with a therapist who used a blended approach of different therapy methods.

[Tsuki632]

CBT is a long term mindset shift. It took years to entrench the distortions we hold as truths. It's going to take a long time to change them.

Good luck.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am into week 5 of CBT and it has really helped me a great deal already. It does however require a great deal of daily homework. Don't expect it to automatically change your thoughts and thinking.

In my experience thus far it has been an excellent tool in examining my life, my thoughts, my motivations, and triggers. It has allowed me to better wage the war against anxiety and I've had some major wins against it. These wins have resulted in a more elated mood which in turn has really quite helped with the depression.

But with that said, it's not for everyone. It is pointless if you are not going to do the homework, not one for reading or digesting a great deal of information, or if you are not the type to wrap your head around information including confusing terminology. It is not the usual therapy of sitting in a chair discussing feelings or what your week was like.