Cognitive Therapy

[petsei]

I keep reading that cognitive therapy is a successful treatment for fibro. Anyone out there who has used CT and offer a thumbs' up or down?

Much thanks.

Peter

[db]

I don't know but I suspect this type of therapy can be used to treat just about anything.  I think it can work up to a point but I doubt it helps treat the condition directly.  It probably is something that helps you cope.

I went through a pain management treatment which seems somewhat similar.  I can't say it changed much but at least I tried.

db

[Barberian]

My shrink has used this a little with me, but because i'm all over the map, and vary from visit to visit, he hasn't stuck with much of anything with me.

[foxgrove]

I imagine you're speaking of CBT, cognitive behaviour therapy.  I will admit that it does nothing at all to address the physical pain that fibro has heaped on us, but it's really good at helping you deal with it mentally.  It's a series of tools which give you better control over your thought life.  Dealing with depression caused by chronic pain was the focus of the group sessions I was involved in.  It's quite startling how much we can magnify our own pain by going down the rabbit hole so to speak.  Having tools to recognize when we're thinking poorly and focusing on the pain as well as tools to catch and challenge bad thinking and reduce the stresses depression and bad thinking place on the body is essential for your continued mental health.

From a lot of talking with others who have gone through this, please ensure that your CBT course does not include a graded exercise course as part as it will most likely be detrimental to your health.  Exercise at very cautious and steadily increasing levels is great but it MUST be carefully undertaken in order for the fibro person to improve... in some cases, even that approach is too much.  Fibro and exercise seem to become almost mortal enemies at some level of fibro impairment.  That said, try to keep moving in your own way... exercise can be walking instead of lifting massive weights.  It's a matter of what you are capable of sustaining without detriment to your health.

So... the CBT tools, two enthusiastic thumbs up, as long as you realize that this is a tool pack, not an upgrade.  It's going to give you ways of coping but it is not going to magically take away your pain.  It will allow you to keep from mounting stress based pain on top of your fibro pain... and that's a good thing!

[db]

Just one note on exercise.  I tried for many years to keep active but I just didn't seem to improve.  

I only started to get better once I realized I had chronic myofascial pain.  After exhaustive treatment, I am able to exercise lightly.  I don't always feel like it but I have learned that if I stay at it the next day can be better.  

I don't think the health care people can really tell us much.  My suggestion though if you are always exhausted you may be trying to do to much.  I know that scary considering just how little I was able to do.  

For years it just didn't seem like I could exercise but I have found a way.  It's hard to measure but it does seem sometime that I have gotten allot better.

db