Stress Center Peer Support

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for a little encouragement here. I've done a lot of therapy, been on and off meds, read many self help books, used relaxation tapes before, learned meditation, etc. I read Lucinda's book several years ago and finally decided to her full program, which I didn't know existed until I moved to Chicago and heard her ads on the radio a lot. I still struggle with anxiety and depression, they kind of cycle back and forth for me, and I'm just skeptical that there is nothing new in this program I haven't already tried. I know part of my problem is a lack of support. I don't have many friends, never really have. I tend to isolate and don't feel like I fit in with most people. I'm just fed up with therapy, and medication is no longer the route I want to take, so I'm really hoping this program has something worthwhile. So far listening to the first CD I've learned nothing new... except practice relaxation a lot. While that may help the anxiety, then once I get relaxed I become depressed. My energy level is generally so low. Thoughts?

Nick

I had done the same thing. Was already very familiar with CBT and did some on my own awhile ago. It helped a lot but I didn't carry through with it like I have with this program. I needed the structure that this gives me. It takes time and a lot of work so I can't say that just listening to the cds and dvds and not doing the exercises in the workbook will help. At first I felt that it was just to get rid of my anxiety but now that I am on session 10 I see that the negative thinking, self talk, etc. is so connected to any depression. When my anxiety diminished I too thought I might be getting depressed. It wasn't really depression. I just didn't know how to be or feel when the anxiety/adrenaline/high was not fueling me. It's an adjustment and almost like you are forging a new identity. I feel the program has something worthwhile and I have also done a lot of prior therapies. It's difficult to determine though if someone else will benefit if they are already fed up with therapy. The workbook assignments are important and do take time.

What kind of therapy did you do? Have you ever worked with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)? Have you ever journaled your troublesome thoughts, then tried to see the distortions in those thoughts, how they veered away from reality and the truth. And have you ever come up with new thoughts, more compassionate, less critical, less condemning, less rejecting, more loving thoughts towards yourself to replace the negative ones? Do you love yourself or do you more or less loathe yourself?

This for me was the meat of the program, in addition to learning to be forgiving towards myself, let go of guilt (forgiving myself), and lower expectations. I'm trying to get at the meat of the program here. Are you good at countering your negative thoughts? Have you ever learned how to do that?

It's okay to be who you are, skeptical, doubting, whatever. CBT doesn't work for everyone, but the folks I see on here who say it doesn't work don't appear to have had the "light bulb" aha moment when the skills really start to work for them.

Keep posting. Wishing you success with the program.