1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Discussion in 'LGBT Later in Life' started by Dragonbait, Oct 15, 2013.

  1. Dragonbait

    Dragonbait Guest

    So, a couple of people briefly touched on this subject in one of my earlier threads - but I'd like to hear more. If you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd love to hear...

    Comments, impressions, experiences, concerns, studies, debates, the good, the bad, the ugly... whatever you've got on the topic. I know you folks are a wealth of knowledge and I'm trying to educate myself.

    Thanks all! (&&&)
     
  2. Rose27

    Rose27 Guest

    For me its retraining negative thought process. When I'm depressed/stressed I have thought patterns that were influenced by/drilled into my head during my Craptastic childhood. That person has not been in my life for many years but the ghosts of the words are there. The CBT makes me conscious of this. Sometimes just changing 1 word in a sentence in my head changes it to a positive. Not sure If that makes sense. I recently got (mostly) rid of a sentence "tic" that was negative and self abusive. It's a big relief to have power over it and other stuff I have/had let control me for decades.
     
  3. Chip

    Board Member Admin Team Advisor Full Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    Messages:
    16,551
    Likes Received:
    4,750
    Location:
    northern CA
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    CBT is an extremely effective way of dealing in-the-now with issues such as anxiety, depression, specific fears, and the like. It doesn't address at all what the root causes of a given situation is, it deals specifically with the symptoms and feelings resulting from it.

    For non-specific anxiety and depression and the like, it can be a Godsend and a lifesaver.

    For someone dealing with the issues of shame and difficulties accepting oneself as gay, and dealing with the complexities of dealing with family and friends... it is not a good solution. It might temporarily help with the symptoms, but if one doesn't take the time to explore, understand, and reframe the root issues that are causing the difficulties, they will just come back.

    The best therapists make use of CBT where it is appropriate, but are also and also deeply skilled in various forms of insight-based therapy (humanistic, existential, transpersonal, etc.) and other modalities that help the client to best understand him or herself in the context of his or her experiences, present and past.

    I would definitely want a therapist who was skilled in CBT. Under no circumstance would I go to a therapist who specialized in it.
     
  4. BookDragon

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2013
    Messages:
    4,605
    Likes Received:
    12
    Location:
    Cambridge, UK
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I've found it really really helpful, but like Chip says it's not going to be the cure-all without a little extra work.

    Personally, I found all the things I learned in CBT really helpful while coming to grips with myself. If nothing else, when I was trying to work my way to understanding my gender issues, it helped my keep my mind clear. I had ways to cope with the anxiety and depression that came with each step of realisation. But it was really hard work! If you have the time and are up to the task of thinking through your own problems independently then CBT is an excellent tool to use! But it always helps to have some extra guidance.
     
  5. palimpsest

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2013
    Messages:
    212
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vermont
    I don't want to steel the direction of this thread, but I too want to work on some issues, not exclusive to orientation, but certainly that is wrapped up in it all. The problem is, since just coming back from Europe and having to medical at the moment, I don't have access. Has anyone found a good solution to use in between? CBT is something that does interest me. My mane drive is actually to get my emotional connections with my kids back on track, that is where the closet has hit me the hardest I think.