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CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy)

Buz89

Hi everyone my names Scott busby I’m 32 and I was diagnosed with slight Asperger syndrome yes “slight” I don’t know what that means either, I’ve struggled  with anxiety, panic attacks and depression, I have trouble having conversations and understanding people, I’ve been having CBT for the past 3 weeks now every Monday and becoming more difficult every time as I’m having to complete the questionnaires every time about mood, emotions, feelings, I get homework every session and we go through what situations I've experienced, it’s got to the point I think that I’d be better off speaking to the nas (national autistic society) I’m not sure where to go. Just wondering if anyone else with AS has been through CBT. 

Parents
  • Buz89 said:
    becoming more difficult every time as I’m having to complete the questionnaires every time about mood, emotions, feelings

    Do you know what is difficult about it?

    I've found things don't fit in the boxes and get far too complicated.  And I don't think mood, emotions, feelings are very apparent even to me and may be different from what the therapist expects.  I have had to explain 'alexithymia', not knowing what you're feeling to several therapists.  Plus getting around to the forms or remembering to do them when distressed.

    The basic ideas of CBT, Five Areas model and so on, makes sense to me, and reading CBT books wasn't time wasted. For example it can explain why ruminating is unhelpful and forcing yourself to do activities you should enjoy is worthwhile for energy and motivation.

    I do think there should be CBT that is more flexible for autistic people, but there isn't in my area, and you just have to hope the therapist understands or ask for another one.

Reply
  • Buz89 said:
    becoming more difficult every time as I’m having to complete the questionnaires every time about mood, emotions, feelings

    Do you know what is difficult about it?

    I've found things don't fit in the boxes and get far too complicated.  And I don't think mood, emotions, feelings are very apparent even to me and may be different from what the therapist expects.  I have had to explain 'alexithymia', not knowing what you're feeling to several therapists.  Plus getting around to the forms or remembering to do them when distressed.

    The basic ideas of CBT, Five Areas model and so on, makes sense to me, and reading CBT books wasn't time wasted. For example it can explain why ruminating is unhelpful and forcing yourself to do activities you should enjoy is worthwhile for energy and motivation.

    I do think there should be CBT that is more flexible for autistic people, but there isn't in my area, and you just have to hope the therapist understands or ask for another one.

Children
  • in reply to Cassandro

    I’ve been given these sheets to do called “thought diary” and underneath in boxes along the page are -

    SITUATION. EMOTIONS/MOODS. PHYSICAL SENSATIONS. THOUGHTS/ IMAGE ABOUT SELF. THOUGHTS/ IMAGE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLES EVALUATIONS OF MYSELF 

    The other page has in boxes 

    SITUATION  >  THOUGHTS/IMAGES >
    BEHAVIOURS>            PHYSICAL SENSATIONS >EMOTIONS 

  • in reply to Cassandro
    Cassandro said:
    I have had to explain 'alexithymia', not knowing what you're feeling to several therapists. 

    I find that worrying. Aren't they supposed to know and be the ones to explain it to us?

  • in reply to Cassandro

    The thing is, I know when I'm ruminating, I know the thoughts are illogical, I can analyse the thoughts but it doesn't stop them. I know when it's black and white thinking but just identifying it as an unhelpful thought pattern doesn't help. 

    There was an element, in parts, of "going through the motions" in CBT but it still was very useful.

    Also, a lot of my physical feelings were not on the predetermined list for anxiety symptoms....maybe I was interpreting them differently but my explanations and feelings didn't match with typical anxiety symptoms. However, these intense anxiety symptoms have reduced to almost nothing now from the therapy I had.