I put this question once to my doctor who gave the reply that when it comes to anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias the best thing is “…whatever works”. To this day that was the most profoundly intelligent thing a doctor has ever said to me on the subject of anxiety.
I was surprised to hear it because normally doctors, along with the rest of the mainstream medical and psychological professions, rely on Cognitive behavioral Therapy (CBT). What’s wrong with that you may ask, after all CBT has a success rate that, when combined with medication reaches the 80% level. Few other therapies are even statistically proven, let alone that successful.
So what then is my problem with CBT? Well, it relies upon “feeling the fear and doing it anyway”. Again, that’s fine; at least you will be doing stuff and living your life, and with time the fear will lessen and may well disappear. It can be a cure. The problem is that if there is an underlying cause (and CBT seems to state that underlying causes are Freudian Bulls**t) then it may rear it’s ugly head in another area of life be that anxiety elsewhere, depression, or a new phobia.
So CBT should be avoided? No, no way. Everyone, and I mean everyone should have CBT. Even if they have no anxiety or phobias or depression they could still benefit from thinking more positively and rationally. I just think people should take a more eclectic approach in order to tackle their issues once and for all. CBT will help get your life in order quickly.
More about the eclectic approach tomorrow, but for now why not check out the Exposure Can Be Fun section of Anxiety 2 Calm.
