Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Hi all - usually I'm found on the Chronic Pain forum, but I've ventured down here in the hope that maybe some of you can give me some feedback/input.

I've struggled with depression on and off for a few years - a few 'bad things' in the past, but mainly I guess a reactive depression secondary to my CP and other chronic illness issues.

To say I've had a bad run with psychologists and psychiatrists is to put it mildly. The first I ever saw was a senior with a pain management unit - who looked at my medical history and - if any of you have ever heard the expression along the lines of "looked like he'd been slapped in the face with a wet haddock" - that was this bloke. I didn't like him, forced myself to talk to him, decided after two sessions I wasn't going back. He harassed me by phone, wrote letters to my GP, saying what a mistake I was making. Second was a psychiatrist - changed my meds and went AWOL. Meds didn't go well with me, caused my depression to become a lot worse as can sometimes happen and I nearly came to serious harm. My GP had me stop them - psych at the next appointment yelled at me for stopping them without talking to her. Changed meds again - this time I was falling unconscious within half an hour of talking them. Again unable to get in contact, again lectured for stopping without her 'permission'. Experience three - I have gastroparesis, which two years ago was so bad I was at death's door. Naturally, as a young woman and excruciatingly thin, I must be suffering an eating disorder, someone called the psych team in on me. I was so sick and weak I couldn't move, and four of them stood over my bead and interrogated me. Four - another pain guy - psychiatrist rather than psychologist this time. Charged me $250 for an hour long consult. He spent the first 1/2 hour bad mouthing my pain doctor, my physio, my GP, the other half hour telling me how wonderful HIS team were and how they would improve me - all the while refusing to tell me how they'd actually do it.

With apologies for the ramble - my question proper... Maybe it's because of all the above idiots, but I hate CBT with a passion. Even trying to use it myself, it does nothing for me and I don't want to have anything to do with it. I've had a little luck with self-taught Mindfulness techniques, but I'm going through a really bad patch again with pain and illness, being housebound, grief - basically one great big mess. My PM doctor has suggested Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I'm awfully sceptical about seeing someone else, but the premise of ACT sounds reasonable. Wondering if anyone has tried it and if you've had any success with it?

Thanks,

Laura

You might benefit from this book Laura, It is called "feeling Good" by dr. David Burns. It is about cbt therapy but in a different way. You read as you go. I got it back in the 80's and then purchased it again as my copy got ruined.

This way you can study it as you like. I don't think you got very good psychologist and psychiatrists. Try again with a counselor and see what happens. They don't prescribe meds. cbt can be done without meds.

I hope that this helps some. I hope that you feel better soon.

Hugs, Karen

acceptance and committment therapy is the newer version of dialectical behaviour therapy. with healing compassion, jamie

your welcome