| Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often used | | | | biggest problem is just saying “NO”. I |
| to teach Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain | | | | want to please everyone and prove to them and |
| sufferers how to cope with their illnesses. It is | | | | myself that I can do whatever is asked of me. |
| said to help treat many conditions and diseases | | | | When I reach my limits and cannot complete a |
| like FM, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis and | | | | task, I tend to go through a period of |
| cancer. It helps determine how well a patient | | | | self-loathing. Learning to say “NO” and |
| manages their pain and teaches them how to | | | | other coping skills can ultimately lead to a more |
| take control of it. Depression plays a key role in | | | | manageable life. We can learn to view ourselves |
| the inability to be proactive in our treatment. So, | | | | and others in a better light. |
| our state of mind is very important when it | | | | CBT is also a useful treatment for anxiety |
| comes to getting better. | | | | disorders, including phobias, panic attacks, and |
| Studies show that when FM patients effectively | | | | obsessive-compulsive disorders. In CBT, patients |
| deal with the particular symptoms and | | | | learn to be aware of and change negative thinking |
| over-lapping conditions of their illness and of their | | | | patterns. It is a way to gain conscious control |
| lives, they feel better. Cognitive-behavioral | | | | over unwanted thoughts or feelings which are, as |
| therapy (CBT) increases a patients' belief in their | | | | a rule, connected to anxiety. Those of us who |
| own power to cope with the things they face and | | | | suffer from panic attacks learn our bodies’ |
| helps them develop ways for dealing with | | | | negative responses and actions during an attack |
| depression and stressful situations. | | | | and CBT helps us find ways to counteract the |
| The goal of CBT is to make patients aware of | | | | reason for the attacks. CBT can also help |
| self-defeating behaviors and emotions so that | | | | improve quality of sleep so we can hopefully |
| they can be changed consciously. Healthy, positive | | | | reduce some of our medications. |
| thoughts and emotions supersede the negative, | | | | Cognitive therapy requires approximately six to |
| resulting in a powerful influence on your life and | | | | twenty sessions that last one hour. The |
| lessening your pain. Over time, the idea that you | | | | cognitive therapy program may involve keeping a |
| are helpless against the pain goes away and, | | | | diary to look at all aspects of your daily activities, |
| instead, you learn that you can manage the pain. | | | | coping skills and mind-set. This helps you learn |
| Many studies show an improved quality of life and | | | | what changes need to be made, limits that need |
| overall reduction in average pain scores. | | | | to be set and a way to organize and prioritize |
| Cognitive behavioral therapy has shown to be as | | | | activities. Many of these things contribute to |
| beneficial as anti-depressant medications for | | | | stress and can make your pain better or worse. |
| patients with depression. In one large study | | | | Setting limits keeps us from getting discouraged |
| there were considerably higher results of reaction | | | | and helps us learn to take each task one step at |
| and remission from depression when cognitive | | | | a time. CBT also helps us confront negative |
| behavior therapy was used in addition to | | | | thoughts and emotions and we are taught how to |
| anti-depressant medications than when either | | | | reverse them. It all boils down to |
| method was used alone. CBT is used to change | | | | self-perception: self-loathing, worthlessness, |
| the patients negative feelings and social | | | | helplessness, hopelessness, negative self-talk, |
| withdrawal. | | | | believing that other people view us the same |
| Cognitive therapy is very helpful in defining and | | | | way. CBT helps us reverse those thought |
| setting limits (something I know I have a problem | | | | processes so we can pick ourselves up and keep |
| with) and is vitally important for FM patients. Many | | | | going. Patients will learn to find things we once |
| “Fibromytes” live their lives in extremes. | | | | enjoyed doing and make the time to do them |
| We push ourselves too far and suddenly we | | | | with the help of learning how to schedule activities |
| break-down. This reverses the way we view | | | | without being overwhelmed. |
| ourselves, we become demoralized, feel | | | | As we know accomplishing too much too soon |
| worthless, and give up our power to cope with | | | | can often cause a relapse of symptoms. We |
| the simplest tasks. One important goal of | | | | should respect these relapses and slow down. We |
| cognitive therapy is to help us find a middle | | | | should not consider them a sign of failure. |
| ground. Patients learn to prioritize their | | | | That’s just how Fibromyalgia works. |
| responsibilities, and drop some of the less | | | | Don’t be so hard on yourself! |
| important tasks or delegate them to others. My | | | | |