My experience with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
When I was around 20 year old I started experiencing panic attacks and ongoing obessive thoughts. My therapist adviced Cognitive-behavioral therapy. It is very common therapy for treating obsessive thoughts and anxiety issue. In my case I talked with my therapist and se started writing my biggest fears on a big whiteboard. Then she added my behavior and thoughts. I had to say whether I thought my thoughts and actions were rational and were helpful in dealing with my anxiety or if my behavior and thoughts were not helpful.
Although there is quite a lot of scientific evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy is effective I did not experience any benefits. I also failed to see the idea behind the therapy. I would have rather had a more classic form of therapy. In total i tried CBT 3 times. The therapy was paid by my health insurance so it dit not cost me any money.
All in all I would not recommend this therapy. The therapy itself only frustated me. I was already very aware that my thoughts and behaviour were not helping. I just lacked the power or tools to stop it. CBT did not provide me with any knowledge or coping tools to overcome my obsessive thoughts and anxiety.
