Read Online Introducing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Introducing...) by Elaine Iljon Foreman, Clair Pollard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elaine Iljon Foreman, Clair Pollard
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research evidence suggesting that using medication alone to deal with anxiety doesn’t prevent anxiety recurring in the future. Learning new ways to cope is usually very helpful, as the chances are the anxiety will return at times. There is also evidence that in certain cases using medication whilst undergoing CBT can in fact reduce the effectiveness of the therapy. Why should this be? The theory is that in order to learn to cope with anxiety and panic, you have to actually experience those feelings and develop ways to overcome them. Medication reduces the experience of anxiety in the short-term and so can prevent effective learning taking place. The only way to truly conquer anxiety is to learn strategies to manage it.
Finally …
Let’s see how putting into practice some of the things in this chapter helped our three case studies:
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Case study – Jane (GAD)
Jane starts to put into practice the idea that ‘good enough is good enough’. She keeps to her paid hours, and when she’s unclear how to prioritize her work (too much to do in the available time) she asks her boss, and is told what she can drop. To her amazement, she becomes much faster at her work, and nothing’s returned with errors identified. Her confidence increases, and within 6 months she’s offered a promotion. Jane discusses it with family and friends, concluding that her present level of stress is about right. She tells her manager that she’s keen to reassess the option in 6-months time, and this is agreed. At home, her sleep improves; she has more energy, and is less snappy with the family. When Jane has thoughts about not being good enough, she puts into practice thought balancing techniques, finding to her surprise that her self-esteem dramatically improves. The family start going on fortnightly outings, sometimes just to the local park, and all feel closer to each other. Jane and her husband also put aside time for themselves, as well as time together, and both are much happier with themselves and with their relationship.
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Case study – Billy (panic disorder with agoraphobia)
As we have seen, Billy makes really good use of behavioural experiments to start testing out the fears he has about going out. He also reads about panic attacks and now understands more about the interaction between his thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours. He finds that once he recognizes what’s happening, it’s easier for him to control the panic. He still experiences it, but it gradually becomes less intense and he’s less frightened that he’ll completely lose control. He gradually starts to go out more and more. He makes arrangements with friends and asks them to support him to carry them through. Billy designs behavioural experiments to get back into using public transport and travelling on his own by train. He notices the safety behaviours he’s using, such as sitting close to the door, and gradually reduces these so he really tests out whether the things he fears actually happen. He discovers that they don’t. He is now seeking work outside of his home again and is enjoying his social life.
----
----
Case study – Mamta (health anxiety)
Mamta understands the role that focusing on symptoms and seeking reassurance is having in maintaining her health anxiety. She enlists the help of her family and her GP to no longer provide her with reassurance but to encourage her to challenge her fears herself. She writes out a plan to cope when she notices what she regards as symptoms. Mamta now weighs up the evidence that the apparent symptoms are actually just passing, normal sensations. She postpones thinking about them and gets involved in alternative activities, as well as using relaxation to move her mind away from them. Mamta uses thought balancing to help reduce her fear. She promises herself to only go to the doctor if something she regards as a symptom persists for longer than a week. Gradually Mamta begins to feel better. As her
Finally …
Let’s see how putting into practice some of the things in this chapter helped our three case studies:
----
Case study – Jane (GAD)
Jane starts to put into practice the idea that ‘good enough is good enough’. She keeps to her paid hours, and when she’s unclear how to prioritize her work (too much to do in the available time) she asks her boss, and is told what she can drop. To her amazement, she becomes much faster at her work, and nothing’s returned with errors identified. Her confidence increases, and within 6 months she’s offered a promotion. Jane discusses it with family and friends, concluding that her present level of stress is about right. She tells her manager that she’s keen to reassess the option in 6-months time, and this is agreed. At home, her sleep improves; she has more energy, and is less snappy with the family. When Jane has thoughts about not being good enough, she puts into practice thought balancing techniques, finding to her surprise that her self-esteem dramatically improves. The family start going on fortnightly outings, sometimes just to the local park, and all feel closer to each other. Jane and her husband also put aside time for themselves, as well as time together, and both are much happier with themselves and with their relationship.
----
----
Case study – Billy (panic disorder with agoraphobia)
As we have seen, Billy makes really good use of behavioural experiments to start testing out the fears he has about going out. He also reads about panic attacks and now understands more about the interaction between his thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours. He finds that once he recognizes what’s happening, it’s easier for him to control the panic. He still experiences it, but it gradually becomes less intense and he’s less frightened that he’ll completely lose control. He gradually starts to go out more and more. He makes arrangements with friends and asks them to support him to carry them through. Billy designs behavioural experiments to get back into using public transport and travelling on his own by train. He notices the safety behaviours he’s using, such as sitting close to the door, and gradually reduces these so he really tests out whether the things he fears actually happen. He discovers that they don’t. He is now seeking work outside of his home again and is enjoying his social life.
----
----
Case study – Mamta (health anxiety)
Mamta understands the role that focusing on symptoms and seeking reassurance is having in maintaining her health anxiety. She enlists the help of her family and her GP to no longer provide her with reassurance but to encourage her to challenge her fears herself. She writes out a plan to cope when she notices what she regards as symptoms. Mamta now weighs up the evidence that the apparent symptoms are actually just passing, normal sensations. She postpones thinking about them and gets involved in alternative activities, as well as using relaxation to move her mind away from them. Mamta uses thought balancing to help reduce her fear. She promises herself to only go to the doctor if something she regards as a symptom persists for longer than a week. Gradually Mamta begins to feel better. As her
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