Panic anxiety attacks thread

[reeay]

reeay, thank you so much! You mentioned earlier that you are not a fan of CBT. Why?

In CBT, you'd be exploring ways anxiety is triggered and training self to use relaxation tools, or perhaps exploring belief systems that contribute to 'maladaptive' behaviors. Altho helpful and pretty neat in regards to gaining skills to manage symptoms, it doesn't go deeper than that. Other treatment modalities go deeper into unconscious materials that addresses one's relationship to self and with others, historical incidents that contributes to current situation, etc.,. etc.,. The difference is in managing symptoms or getting deeper into the root of issues. We can't necessarily get to the deepest root in 10-15 sessions bc our mind is rather complex but I think modalities like psychodynamic therapy, most current humanistic/attachment therapies like emotionally-focused therapy, and EMDR (which is cognitively oriented but it's also very 'unusual' method) bc they go deeper than symptom management. Symptoms are a result of deeper issues. We can choose to utilize symptoms management so that we may explore the deeper roots ourselves. We could choose modalities that address deeper roots while also learning how to self-sooth when distressed.

CBT is the most documented/researched and simplest form of therapy. You can buy workbooks on anxiety that use CBT methods. And, it the most readily available bc there are so many practitioners using this. Good therapists blend multiple modalities so they can help clients to achieve their treatment goals. If CBT is the only thing offered it's rather limited to lessening symptoms (which is what psychotherapy unfortunately is geared towards these days being a medicalized model). So it's all based on your needs and what you want to accomplish in therapy.