[robgering]

If you're suffering from anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) really can help you. That's where I'd point first if I knew someone with mild to moderate anxiety who needed help.

From experience, anxiety fades as you choose to face the things that make you anxious, over and over and over again. Over time, you'll develop processes that will help you manage your anxiety. You'll become more resilient, more open to new experiences, and much happier.

I liken it to this quote of Marcus Aurelius:

"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."

[mercer]

While generally I agree, I'd strongly suggest those who are, or suspect they are, on 'the spectrum' to do some research first. There's some evidence that 'classic' CBT can actually be counter-productive in that case (sorry I can't find the study/studies I read on this).

Personally, CBT was vaguely helpful when I underwent it under active supervision (weekly therapy sessions). But no more helpful than the regular meditation I'd managed off and on in the years before that.

But left to my own devices, I feel CBT only left me more anxious and confused than before, because while it makes the connection with my body and emotional state stronger, it leaves me all the more baffled about how to deal with it. Which increases my anxiety and leaves me worse off than before.

I'm not saying this is always the case, but I do urge those on the spectrum to make sure that their therapist is properly trained to deal with the sometimes subtle but significant differences between the 'average' client and the 'atypical' one. Mine wasn't, and it's left me feeling worse than before I went through the mental health wringer.

[gcb0]

harder part of CBT is step one: identifying the bad behaviour.

usually doctors (or partners playing doctors as the case of the article) is too eager to move to action that they completely misses the point and the patient spend years just changing the background. for example, as listed in the article (not saying it was the case there), she wasted years retraining for a job change, when the trigger might have been the job putting her in a situation that triggered childhood trauma. nothing says that the new job won't put her in the same situation trigger but with different ambiance... the immediate improvement may just be the lack of 4 hour commute, which kills even non-anxiety sufferers.

[gcb0]

not saying it is wrong or bad. but please, think trhu before any life change. while keeping in mind that at some point a significant life change will be necessary.