Hi asi,

Thank you for explaining, sorry for misunderstanding you. I am glad CBT is allowing you to face your feelings.

That makes sense about how depression developed for you. It sounds like you need to break the old pattern and learn a new way of living and thinking. That is no easy task, but little by little you can get there.

How are you doing this week? What are your goals for this week?

I hope you are well,

Ashley

Hello Ashley, about the feelings I mean the oposite. Not doing CBT is running from my feelings, to not think about some problems that give me anxiety.

.About my health luckly everithing is all right, I developed this depressed behaviour while I was a teen, atound 12, because on big summer holidays that lasted 3 months every year my mother instead of moving us to our house near the beach were I had my friends he started moving us to family country house were I had no friends or activities for my age, and than I started sleeping all day there, developed anxiety and depression. Now, after 30 years I see IM stuck on that place, sleeping all day and not know what to do to enjoy time by myself.

Hi asi,

I think it is amazing that you are already seeing benefits of the program! It can be tricky at first to challenge negative thoughts but with practice it starts to become automatic. I encourage to try to thought challenge and complete the applicable exercises daily or as often as possible. In time, you will notice a difference.

You ask some great questions. For one, you mention running from feelings. That is not the intention of the homework, but I can see how you might see it that way. With the program, you are trying to challenge negative thoughts, so that you can see things positively and accurately. Sometimes things are clearly upsetting whether you use CBT or not. For example, if someone's spouse dies, you could use CBT, so that your perspective is as healthy as possible. However, it is still sad and feeling grief is important and unavoidable. Some things are sad no matter how you look at it and that is OK. If you feel you are running from your feelings while doing CBT exercises I encourage you to mindfully allow the feelings to come. What sensations are happening in your body?Where do you feel the pain? Etc. Make note of how you feel when you mindfully experience the emotions vs. when you try to challenge them. I would love to read what you experience is with doing both exercises, mindfulness and CBT. I suspect you may find sometimes mindfully allowing the emotion works best, while other times CBT works best..

I am sorry to read you are struggling with self care. Unfortunately, this is common with depression. Remember that it is temporary. Try to set small goals for yourself each day. Make note of how you feel after you do practice self care. I also encourage you to talk to your doctor. Your doctor can rule out other health issues that may be causing you to feel this way and they will be able to explain your options in terms of medication. Studies show that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy works best when coupled with medication.

I hope to read more from you soon!

Ashley

Hello, Im starting the challenge thoughts and when I do it I really feel almost getting to normal, like my mind is thristy to have some attention, a feeling that everithing is ok and a sense of peace that I can deal with my issues. But after feeling good the next day I become lazy and I dont challenge the negative thoughts or do any self care, and than the next day I return to point 0, feeling very depressed, like staying on bed all time when Im not working. Than to re-start feeling strengh to start challenging my thoughts again it could take many days. This happens the last 3 times, but Im determined to put this into my routine because I see it works. But Im strugling with this because Im running from my feelings at same time. Do you have any advise? Also Im realling strugling with simple self care like taking bath, brushing teeths. About food I finded a temporary solution that is buying prepared food, because I dont have strengh to cook.

Thank you.