Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

[bicentennial_baby]

Hi all. I'm looking into CBT for my Hypochondria, or Health Anxiety, as I like to call it. Just wondering if anyone here has done it, and what your experiences were, good or bad.

Thanks! :hi:

[no name no slogan]

1. I did it last year in a partial hospitalization program

I did a three-week program that used CBT after last year's nervous breakdown (heh, seems to happen every year, lately). IIRC they originally developed it for people with Borderline Personality Disorder, but they've also used it for people with depression, bipolar and other mood disorders.

I thought it was good, but I wish I would have followed up on it more. The skills are very useful; however, it helps if you get reinforcement and continue to use them-- otherwise you do forget them.

I'd give it a try, since it can't hurt. :hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

2. Thank you friend!

There's a study going on at Brigham and Women's Hospital here in Boston that uses both CBT, Prozac, Placebos, Traditional therapy, to work on Hypos like me. I think I'll try it. :)

:hug:

[no name no slogan]

8. Prozac + CBT would probably be the best combo

I'm in a day program (again) right now, and we talked about how the best treatment for depression is drugs + psychotherapy (CBT counts). Definitely go for it!

:hug:

PS: Best of luck on the upcoming nuptuals!

[bling bling]

3. From what I've heard there's a lot of homework involved.

It's supposed to be very effective. But the way I understand it, you don't just go to a session a week. You have to do work at home, too. I believe the Feeling Good book by, I think it's David Burns, is based on CBT. I couldn't keep up with the exercises in that book. But then I was depressed at the time so I couldn't work up the energy to do much of anything.

But overall I've heard very positive things about CBT.

[bicentennial_baby]

5. Thank you!

I think I'm going to try it. Anything to stop feeling like I'm dying works for me! :P

[MassLiberal]

4. my teenage daughter is doing it right now

after being diagnosed recently with OCD and generalized anxiety disorder. It's still early so hard to tell whether it's going to help her or not, but I'm told by everyone I mention CBT to that it is "miraculous" and "magical" in terms of how effective it can be for anxiety-related disorders. Here's hoping.

Good luck! :hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

6. I hope that they're correct.

My anxiety, not just about my HA, has been off the charts recently, and I have to get a handle on it. Thanks for your input, and SO much good luck to your daughter! :hug:

[MassLiberal]

9. sorry about your anxiety :-(

My daughter's has been pretty bad, too. I hope the CBT works for you, if you do try it. Have you tried other things to get it under control?

[EFerrari]

7. Doug and I went through the book "Feeling Good"

and did a lot of the exercises together. Great tools! :hi:

[Name removed]

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[EFerrari]

11. That sounds really good. I think I've heard of that program.

Does the cd do guided imagery?

[hashibabba]

12. Definitely work on CBT. It's well worth the time and effort it takes

you in the beginning.
I was really really sick when I first started CBT. But I worked on it and worked on it. It just wouldn't kick in, it seemed like it was hopeless, it just wasn't working. THEN I got on Prozac and all that training kicked right in. It was a miracle! So, yes, I'm an advocate of CBT and I'm sure I wouldn't be where I am today without it in addition to the meds.

[davidthegnome]

13. I have a little experience with CBT

It didn't work for me, I'm one of those.. hmm, "un-responsive" patients, I guess. I have panic disorder though, somewhat different. I think one of the main reasons it didn't work so well for me is because my case really isn't limited to specific phobias, some times I'll go into a fit for no apparent reason at all. Not sure if that's true or not, just a theory I have as for why it didn't help me.

What has helped me, aside from the medication I take (a combination of zoloft and ativan) is finding a focus. That is, finding something that requires my full attention to really throw myself at. For me, it's been my (very small) business. Is there anything your daughter really likes to do that you would consider a productive activity? My suggestion is to encourage that, while working with a therapist/Psychiatrist/General physician/whatever. It may help her to begin silencing all the constant fears and torment, it did for me.

One thing in particular to watch out for in any anxiety disorder, is a tendency to isolate. It's very easy for someone with these disorders to become agoraphobic. Sorry for rambling so much, you've probably heard of all of this before. I would recommend encouraging group activities as well - playing with friends, youth groups, sports, anything that encourages her to be around other people more often.

That said, CBT is usually very good, patients tend to respond much better than with other forms of therapy (or even medication) and I'm just one of the odd ones. One website that has been a great resource for me is http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk - it's a forum based in the UK, and there's a lot of great information there relating to many different forms of anxiety.

Best of luck to you, wish I could be of more help.


Dave