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My cbt success story in shorthand

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Posted 2/11/2008 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
I was in a group and we used the book by sam Obitz which is where I learned how to use the TEA forms and train my brain to think less emotionally and more realistically. I do my TEA's almost everyday to keep my inaccurate thoughts from taking hold and causing me stress and anxiety. In our group once we got good at using the TEA's we added some exposure therapy to build our confidence in our new ways of thinking and dealing which was great. I no longer have to take meds and am pretty much in maintenance mode now. I had tried just about every option my docs put in front of me prior to finding success with cbt and by then I had lost all hope so never give up!
Posted 2/11/2008 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
What is a TEA? :-)
Posted 2/11/2008 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
CONGRAGULATIONS BIGBEAR I POSTED A REMARK ON THE OTHER THREAD TO YOU!!! PLEASE READ IT!! I'M GLAD YOUR THERAPY IS WORKING!!! YEAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Posted 2/11/2008 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hey there, how long have you been doing the CBT? Also what meds were you able to come off of? Only if you want to answer
Thanks
Kitt
Posted 2/12/2008 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats Bigbear..I too am a AN AVID CBTer

Please share more if you care as Kitt has said

Lyn
Posted 2/14/2008 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
To save space I am going to try and answer everyone here in one reply :-)

Cary F- The TEA form is the main exercise used in CBT to get you to think more realistically which reduces anxiety and stress. It stands for Thought-Error-Analysis. They are wonderful once you get the hang of doing them.

Panike- Thanks so much and I will look on the other thread and reply there in a minute :)

Kitt- I started CBT nearly three years ago and keep practicing it to this day. The TEA forms have become part of my daily routine. I was on a lot of different meds over the years starting with Valium, noriniprimine, Tranzene, Prozac, Buspar, Zoloft, Xanax, Paxil, Seroquel and Klonopin. I may be forgetting one or two but I think that gives you a good idea. I also took many meds for IBS but once my anxiety got under control my IBS has disappeared too yeah

Lyn-Thanks and I love hearing others CBT stories so please share your here when you get a chance. It was a suggestion on another thread from either you or Kitt (my memory is not the best) that made me post this here and on the depression bb.
Posted 5/28/2008 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone. I have not posted recently but I have been thinking about you guys yeah   I'm doing well but real hectic recently (I need a vacation). I hope everyone is doing well tongue
Posted 5/28/2008 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
bigbear,

Lots of new members and veteran members too. Seems like life continues to have it's ups and downs.

Kitt
Posted 5/29/2008 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Bigbear,

I'm a CBT addict myself..it gets me out of so much "negative inward thinking". I am so glad you have had success with this therapy and I'm jealous you got rid of IBS..lucky you! I'm still working towards that one myself..you have any tips??!
Posted 5/29/2008 11:15 PM (GMT 0)

Good to hear from you Kitt :-)

Nervousmeg, All I can really advise you to do is stick with the CBT exercises and particularly your TEA forms, if you can do them every day for at least a few minutes they really do start to become ingrained in you. I can't say exactly what got rid of my IBS but I think it is more than a coincidence that once my anxiety levels got under control the symptoms disappeared for the most part. I hope this happens for you soon also yeah

Posted 6/28/2008 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
Nervousmeg, I am just wondering how things are going for you? I hope your IBS is better :)
Posted 6/28/2008 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
BigBear, how sweet of you to ask. My IBS is really bad at the moment, but I have just finished my finals for this semester and have been really stressed. That always makes my IBS worse. I'm going to start spending more time on my CBT exercises now that I have the time (thanks for reminding me!).

How are you? What have you been up to my friend?
Posted 7/22/2008 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
Bigbear, I just replied to your similar post on the depression board. CBT is amazing if you work on your TEA forms everyday. I would not be the CBT cheerleader I am today were it not for the book by Obitz and his TEA forms tongue
Posted 1/22/2009 4:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone tongue I can't believe it has been so long since my last posts here. I really hope everyone is having success with their CBT and I promise not to wait another half a year until I post encouraging messages again, but part of the problem is that I have been doing so great I got a little selfish and forgot to come back. I will try not to be so selfish as one of my new years resolutions. Hope to hear updates from all of you when you get a chance wink
Posted 1/22/2009 6:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi CBTgirl :)

We haven't met yet and I just wanted to say hi! Hope you stay with us and help by sharing your success and positivity :) Don't feel selfish for getting better and taking life by the horns either. . . It happens to the best of us and I am glad to meet another cool person that is an inspiration for so many that have little hope.

Thanks for the hope :)
Posted 2/9/2009 10:42 PM (GMT 0)

nervymeg said...
BigBear, how sweet of you to ask. My IBS is really bad at the moment, but I have just finished my finals for this semester and have been really stressed. That always makes my IBS worse. I'm going to start spending more time on my CBT exercises now that I have the time (thanks for reminding me!).

How are you? What have you been up to my friend?

Hi Meg,

I am so sorry that this is my first time back here since I sent that last note to you sad I am sorry that your IBS was bad at that time but I hope the renewed vigor on the CBT exercises helped and you are feeling better now. I am doing well emotionally and still countering my thoughts in my TEA forms almost everyday. However, and I hate to make excuses (but here comes one lol), I hit a few bumps financially and have been so focused on that area of my life I have not had a lot of free time. I am starting to get better in that area though and hopefully will have more time to post and visit here with all my good friends!
Posted 2/9/2009 10:46 PM (GMT 0)

CBTgirl said...
Hey everyone tongue I can't believe it has been so long since my last posts here. I really hope everyone is having success with their CBT and I promise not to wait another half a year until I post encouraging messages again, but part of the problem is that I have been doing so great I got a little selfish and forgot to come back. I will try not to be so selfish as one of my new years resolutions. Hope to hear updates from all of you when you get a chance wink

Don't feel bad about being selfish. I could be accused of being the same here, but sometimes life throws us things we need to take care of or opportunities to take advantage of like feeling good after not feeling so great for a while. We all do the best we can yeah
Posted 2/9/2009 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
WE are family and we are always here at home where you come and join us when you can, anytime and no excuses necessary for not being here.

Just always know you are still part of who we are.............

Peace]

Kitt
Posted 2/9/2009 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Kitt. You are the best smilewinkgrin
Posted 2/10/2009 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
m I' going to my first cbt on friday...I no longer want to live with my fear of choking. I force my self daily to eat soild foods...I no longer want to look stupid when I see food...if it worked for you I'm sure I can fight this too. Do meds help with the panic alil bit? I've never gone on them before. I don't want them for long term. My pycologist recomend them for a week or so just to relax me and along with therapy she's asured me sucess... she's a sweet gentle lady I'm sure it with help me...its good that ypour doing well...congratulations
Posted 2/13/2009 12:17 AM (GMT 0)

lil nutty nikki said...
Well what I wanna know is..........Is what you got contagous bigbear? Bc if it is, PLEASE come hug me!!! lol I need to catch some of that additude and positive talk!!!!

Its always so great to hear the stories of when ppl get better! [img]/community/emoticons/yeah.gif[/img] I know its something that gives me hope!!!!

Thanks for sharing this bigbear!

Really nice to meet you! Glad you came back and shared that! Hope you stick around! Keep that positive energy flowing!

[img]/community/emoticons/smurf.gif[/img] nikki

Nikki how can I not try and stop in here more often when you say such nice things to me turn
I honestly believe if I can get better everybody can because I was a real mess not so long ago. Of course there will be setbacks along the way, but if you keep at I'm sure you will start to have some really great breakthroughs!

I'll try and come back more often because I want to hear how you are progressing yeah
Posted 2/13/2009 12:23 AM (GMT 0)

snowflake80 said...
m I' going to my first cbt on friday...I no longer want to live with my fear of choking. I force my self daily to eat soild foods...I no longer want to look stupid when I see food...if it worked for you I'm sure I can fight this too. Do meds help with the panic alil bit? I've never gone on them before. I don't want them for long term. My pycologist recomend them for a week or so just to relax me and along with therapy she's asured me sucess... she's a sweet gentle lady I'm sure it with help me...its good that ypour doing well...congratulations

Snowflake if you work hard at countering your thoughts everyday I am sure will be able to achieve similar results to the ones I have received. Every therapist is different in regards to meds. Most CBT therapists pooh pooh meds because they say that it give credence to your fears and reinforces them if you take meds for them and that undercuts what CBT is all about. I was on just about every med available prior to learning how to use the CBT exercises to get better and have not been on any since. That said if you need them in the short run they may very well help you focus on the CBT exercises.
Posted 3/8/2009 12:58 AM (GMT 0)

Green Grove said...
Hi CBTgirl :)

We haven't met yet and I just wanted to say hi! Hope you stay with us and help by sharing your success and positivity :) Don't feel selfish for getting better and taking life by the horns either. . . It happens to the best of us and I am glad to meet another cool person that is an inspiration for so many that have little hope.

Thanks for the hope :)

Nice to meet another cool person, like you too smilewinkgrin Thanks to you and everyone else here for the supportive posts! I am going to post more often and try and offer as much hope to others as I can. I know a lot of people lifted me up when I was down and they always said to pay it forward so I am trying as best that I can to do that sharing my success with CBT.

Take care everyone and thanks again for all the awesome replies!!!
Posted 2/7/2010 6:50 AM (GMT 0)
Stress? here is the thread I was referring to in my reply to you. Hope you find it useful smilewinkgrin
Posted 2/7/2010 6:54 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone tongue
I hope all of you and your families are doing well. I am happy to report I am (for the most part) back on my feet financially and doing well. It seems like every time I get around to posting here I say I'm gonna post more often and then I get caught up in my life and don't. This time I'm not going to make any promises and see if that leads to more frequent visits confused
Please know that I think of all of my friends here all the time even if I am too lazy to sign in and post.
Hope it's a great year for everyone, it is certainly starting out better for me smilewinkgrin
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