Self Help Cognitive Therapy

[alfredo]

I there,

I am new to this web site. I suffer from Bipolar I but mostly depression and fewer periods of Mania or hyperactivity. I am very interested in self help methods which take elements from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I think that there is much misunderstanding about what CBT is today which is somehow different from what it was in the past. I am lucky to have a close friend who is a practicing psychologist and here is his definition of CBT:

read almost any book by the Dalai Lama. His ideas mesh beautifully with CBT.But also, there is nothing magical or exclusive about CBT. It is just one of many ways of looking at human functioning. In fact, it is more a wide collection of ways of doing this.It is not the exclusive domain of anyone, but just a set of filters for looking at people.

This is very interesting to me very empowering.

[Monty]

Have read a few of the writings of the Dali Lama. They are truly amazing and you put the bug in my ear to read more.

Anything that makes us feel empowered should be shared with others

[alfredo]

Have read a few of the writings of the Dali Lama. They are truly amazing and you put the bug in my ear to read more.

Anything that makes us feel empowered should be shared with others

Dear Monty,

I am all for self help therapy and self help methods. I believe that we are not helpless but that we can use our depression to become better human beings through our sufferings. I believe that sufferings (not self inflicted but natural) can make people grow into better human beings.

[alfredo]

Have read a few of the writings of the Dali Lama. They are truly amazing and you put the bug in my ear to read more.

Anything that makes us feel empowered should be shared with others

Dear Monty,

thank you for you kind words. I find that sometimes sufferers like us can help ourselves through dialogue. Sharing self help ideas like reading the Dali Lama can sometimes be equal if not more efficient than face to face therapy. I believe that Depression is not just an illness but it develops into a kind of personality. The secret is not to fight it waisting more energies in doing so but working and living with it understanding that depression is not permanent and that while we do suffer at times we are given the chance to spend much happy time if we want to. No one is perfect. We all have our handicaps and disabilities. But we can learn to live with these.

For this reason I attach here this link http://www.healingstory.org/treasure/cr ... d_pot.html which is a short story which moral is that what we perceive as our inadequacy or disability can often be something from which great things emerge. From our Depression it is true that often great ideas and creativity emerge. As an artist I know that most of my creativity often emerges from my dark side.

[Monty]

Alfredo,

Thanks for the link.

I have heard the story before, but I found that the comments on it, that followed very interesting.

It is a wonderful thought for those of us who have had our difficulties, can realize that things are not always the way they seem to be at first glance.

Quite moving.

I didn't read all of the comments because I am at a computer in the library who's mouse down work well. I intend to read more once I get home.

Again thanks.

[alfredo]

Alfredo,

Thanks for the link.

I have heard the story before, but I found that the comments on it, that followed very interesting.

It is a wonderful thought for those of us who have had our difficulties, can realize that things are not always the way they seem to be at first glance.

Quite moving.

I didn't read all of the comments because I am at a computer in the library who's mouse down work well. I intend to read more once I get home.

Again thanks.

Dear Monty,

there are many of my friends who suffer from Depression or Bipolar or other mental disorders. These friends are all artists and this is why I know that sometimes what we call Mental illness is nothing more than a sensitive and caring personality who has often endured childhood traumas or traumas of some kind. Because of this suffering some of us become exceptionally talented, caring and wonderful human beings. And this way to be and exist is often labeled mental illness. For me there is no mental illness only Mental Anguish because when people go through trauma , depending what their braking point is, people often break and show symptoms. But there is always hope for us if we truly want to help ourselves. It takes a lot though to want to help ourselves it has to be a dedicated effort trhoughout life to want to love and help ourselves no matter what our disability would want us to believe (self hate and self pity).

Alfredo

[Monty]

Alfredo,

Really like the term "mental anguish"