Understanding CBT

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It's a pity we don't have a mental Olympics. Maybe people around us would be happier to acknowledge the work that goes into recovery if there was, since such tangible demonstrations seem crucial to understanding and acceptance. But that's a whole other discussion. 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

 CBT has been shown to improve the mental health of patients who worked with it, even to the extent of symptoms disappearing, as opposed to patients who haven't worked with it. It is especially helpful in case of PTSD and depression, and is based on a few key assumptions:

Source: Overcoming Trauma and PTSD, Sheela Raja

Emotions are not all that easy to change, but changing thoughts and behaviours have an effect on emotions.

Depression, anxiety, and recovering from trauma can all be extremely paralytic. Despite wanting to get up and achieve things - be it brushing your teeth or getting some exercise done, or finishing all the work that's piled up - you may not be able to even move. 

It can feel like a crushing weight - mental, or even a weight on your body - that's keeping you from moving. CBT approaches will allow you to break down those goals into tiny steps, reducing the perceived amount of effort you will need to complete each step. Back when I was starting CBT, I used to constantly repeat "one step at a time" to myself. For me, the most important thing is to focus on a single step alone. If I let my thoughts stray towards the bigger picture - or even to two steps, I would lose my focus and panic and exhaustion would overwhelm me. 

And it takes time. It takes practice. I may not have practiced a single sport my whole life, but mental athletics like this is just as exhausting and requires just as much perseverance. 

It's a pity we don't have a mental Olympics. Maybe people around us would be happier to acknowledge the work that goes into recovery if there was, since such tangible demonstrations seem crucial to understanding and acceptance. But that's a whole other discussion. 

The first time you try holding one step in your mind, motivating yourself to just complete that step, it may feel herculean. Your thoughts may stray to the big picture almost immediately. 


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