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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. 

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  • 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.

  • 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 Dawn

    That would be good if mental health professionals knew about such things, and had a better understanding of autism in general that they could convey to their patients.  There are projects seeking to adapt CBT to autistic people that may take into account alexithymia.

    I am mostly aware of using words and concepts that aren't in everyday currency and get various reactions when hoping to discuss an opinion or aspect of treatment: 'just because it's a word in psychology doesn't mean I as a therapist have heard of it', but then sometimes a psychiatrist has taken offence by me explaining what I mean by a word like 'epiphenomenal' as if I intended to 'talk down' to them.  You can't win.

    Psychiatrists in particular need more training from people from the autistic community.

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  • in reply to Dawn

    That would be good if mental health professionals knew about such things, and had a better understanding of autism in general that they could convey to their patients.  There are projects seeking to adapt CBT to autistic people that may take into account alexithymia.

    I am mostly aware of using words and concepts that aren't in everyday currency and get various reactions when hoping to discuss an opinion or aspect of treatment: 'just because it's a word in psychology doesn't mean I as a therapist have heard of it', but then sometimes a psychiatrist has taken offence by me explaining what I mean by a word like 'epiphenomenal' as if I intended to 'talk down' to them.  You can't win.

    Psychiatrists in particular need more training from people from the autistic community.

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