Cognitive Behavioural Documentation

[Bernard]

Hey Eric, it's been about 4 months since the last update. Any final conclusions/opinions on your experience?

[epileric]

This was just one of those things that got put aside for a while then eventually forgotten.

There were still 4 more sessions that needed to be documented. interesting how I got behind in posting about it for what I thought was the hardest & most intense part of the treatment.

Your reminder comes at a good time since now is about the time that reviewing everything would probably do me some good.

[epileric]

Many people have a tendency to stress themselves out or put themselves in worse mood (sometimes without even realizing it). This session we looked at the most common ways people do this. They are:

-not accepting a drop in moods then thinking one is going back into full-blown depression

-Obsessing over why we might get (or have gotten) depressed. What's more depressing than obsessing over your own depression?

-Constantly checking to see how good a mood you're in by thinking about depressing things & seeing if that brings you down.

-Setting overenthusiastic goals re. your mood & and getting depressed when they're not met.

Strategies for overcoming negative thinking are:

-Being aware of ones negative thoughts. Sometimes that's all it takes.

-Determine whether your interpretation of a situation is the only one. (I like this one)

-Set aside a specified time slot to worry. By the time someone gets to that time slot it's often easy to see how unimportant it was to worry over.

-Imagine the situation being even worse than it is, then ask yourself if you could survive that (most the time you can).

[epileric]

This session focused on the role of ones social life when dealing with our stresses (real & imagined). It all came down to 2 basic techniques we use to cope. We either shift focus towards others or we shift focus towards ourselves.

We then went over why we might use either technique, how it effects us & others, & how we can change it.

I have to say that it was interesting to see how these 2 opposite techniques that involve opposite beliefs (e.g. "it's all my fault", "it's everyone elses fault") can be used by the same person in different situations.

[epileric]

Here we focused on assertiveness, how it differs from aggression or passivity and how to effectively achieve it.

This involves learning how to not suppress feelings but identifying them & learning how to express them appropriately. We also examined why people (especially anxiety prone people) have a tendency to suppress feelings.

[epileric]

This really just took everything & tied it together. We were given 7 questions, 1 relevant to each of the previous sessions that made us determine what was most important to us and/or how we would use what we'd learned. Then there were a few more questions on where/when we'd most likely need what we'd learned & how we'd recognize when to use it (a great thing to be aware of in my opinion).

In the previous session each of us had to chose 1 previous session & had to summarize it in front of the class. A great way to learn, not just that one session that we'd presented but hearing the same thing in different words can be beneficial IMHO.

What I've mentioned here was just a small outline of what was done each session. We went into much more in depth as each session lasted 90 minutes. We also had homework that reinforced what we'd learned as well as doing calming breathing exercises twice a day, every day.

Personally I feel I've gained a lot. It helps one see their negative habitual responses but what I found hardest is programing myself to use what I've learned before proceeding with a pattern of bahaviour that has been a part of me for a long time. Eventually it does sink in but I was starting neglect using what I've learned which is why I'm glad to have been reminded to finish posting this.

[brain]

So overall, how has it impact your life as a whole
in general? Any improvement or progress, or just
in specific areas (which is not unusual for people
with Epilepsy) - or is it profound whereas that it
would become difficult for an individual to adhere
to the classes or sessions and imply it upon their
lifestyle - since after reading all of this; it sounds
to me that is quite a huge adjustment there.

But as they say, "No pain, no gain" and "Winners
never quit and quitters never win."

In your OWN perspective, that is; your own view-
point - out of the small bunch, how many really
"hung in there"? Or were they 50/50? Or a few
were like they say in "school days" - "drop outs"?
Or was everyone determined to get to the bottom-
line of it all?

In addition, I do agree with some of the statements
especially the Poo-Poo'ing - almost like "shifting the
blame game" - I find this somewhat discouraging
for someone who is trying ---> one should be
encouraged in my opinion, not yadda, yadda, yadda.

Pondering overall in this avenue of this application,
somewhat bewildered am I because this implication
is used upon normal human beings who are attempt-
ing to overcome habits, addictions, issues, struggles,
shortcomings, so on. So this is not a "new process"
but I have never read up on this imposed upon
Epilepsy but this isn't to say it has been around
either - there's so much info out there I've not yet
read up on, so I must put emphasis on this.

If you do not believe me, take an illustration of
a person who is a habitual hair chewer and pencil
eraser chewer and nail biter - and follow along with
everything implied below ... same implication and
protocol as well as following through to overcome
chewing hair, biting erasers off of pencils, and
your nails off. See the point?

But I find this exceptionally interesting and thanks
so much for sharing!

[brain]

PS: Sorry for sounding like a "Reporter", not
trying to be intrusive, but rather gaining more
insight so that others may look into this avenue
if it truly works ... and imagine all the positive
response and results if others joined in and
became success stories too?

[epileric]

So overall, how has it impact your life as a whole
in general? Any improvement or progress, or just
in specific areas (which is not unusual for people
with Epilepsy)

I find it does help me deal with a lot of my bad habits like wondering if I"d done something wrong, or assuming that someones bad mood or bad reaction is because of me. This alone helps reduce a lot of my stress (though it is self imposed).

In your OWN perspective, that is; your own view-
point - out of the small bunch, how many really
"hung in there"? Or were they 50/50? Or a few
were like they say in "school days" - "drop outs"?
Or was everyone determined to get to the bottom-
line of it all?

Everyone in the class finished it (though I was sick for the final session & got the outline later) but we don't get to "the bottom-line of it all". The whole point is to give us the tools to do that on our own, & I have no clue how everyone else has progressed after the class.

I find this somewhat discouraging
for someone who is trying ---> one should be
encouraged in my opinion, not yadda, yadda, yadda.

I don't understand what you find discouraging.

Pondering overall in this avenue of this application,
somewhat bewildered am I because this implication
is used upon normal human beings who are attempt-
ing to overcome habits, addictions, issues, struggles,
shortcomings, so on. So this is not a "new process"
but I have never read up on this imposed upon
Epilepsy but this isn't to say it has been around
either - there's so much info out there I've not yet
read up on, so I must put emphasis on this.

The bad habits that this type of practice addresses are more cognitive/emotional habits. I believe the example I gave at the beginning of the thread is if you pass someone in the hall, they have heartburn so when you say "hi" they they say "hi" back with a bit of a grimace on their face. For some people it is habitual to assume they'd done something to offend the person. Another habit can be obsessing over the incident all day.

I see this as helpful because:
1) after a seizure I am not very sure of myself, I know my actions and what I say are different than what I would normally do or say. Because of that I often question myself more often than I should. Doing that can encourage the type of distorted thinking & habits I just described.

2) Thinking like that is stressful and dealing with it helps reduce stress. That in turn (hopefully) can help reduce seizures.

I Hope this answers your questions.

[brain]

That is wonderful that it all worked out for you,
however in the latter end of your post; I am a
little concerned - especially when someone is in
post-itcal state (which can range from a short
span to several days). I cannot see or under-
stand how one can control this as this recovery
process is gradual then the individual becomes
normal again.

In regards to the discouragement - what I was
in reference was to the Doctors who Poo-Poo's
(scroll and you will see the postings on that)
on such, for there is truth in that area there
which is a STIGMA factor and issue therein.
My apologies if I failed to be of clarity.

But thanks so much for your time with the
in-depth and further perspective details of
everything (and sorry you missed out one,
but glad you caught up).

I hope other readers will read this and learn
from this ... with hopes it will benefit them!
And possibility inquire within via posting.

[Bernard]

... It helps one see their negative habitual responses but what I found hardest is programing myself to use what I've learned before proceeding with a pattern of bahaviour that has been a part of me for a long time. ...

Awareness breeds opportunity. Once you get good at recognizing when you are reacting, you begin to have the opportunity to break the pattern and start acting.

[epileric]

Awareness breeds opportunity. Once you get good at recognizing when you are reacting, you begin to have the opportunity to break the pattern and start acting.

I like that , can I use that quote?

Actually I think that's the basis that this whole therapy is based on.

[Bernard]

Sure.