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Should I continue CBT depression group?

937 views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  LifeGoesOn 
#1 ·
Today the CBT depression group started at my school, and it was just me and 3 other girls, with two therapists in training. It was kinda awkward but I think that's normal. While I don't expect to feel better with just one session, somehow I left feeling worse about myself today.

The others mentioned how they opened up to their close friends, who were very supportive and made them feel better. I didn't have anything to say because I don't have friends. They also mentioned how their past boyfriends made their depression worse, but I felt stupid because I've never had a boyfriend before, so I just stayed quiet.

I'm also the quietest one in the group, like two of the girls said they were outgoing talkers, so already I feel kinda left out. While the problems they discussed were similar to mine (feeling unmotivated, unable to concentrate on schoolwork, etc.), I realized today that maybe depression is not my primary problem.

I think SA is my main problem, and depression is a kind of "side effect" that came along with it. I actually think that if I made some good friends and had people to hang out with and do "normal things" together (i.e. going to the movies, eating at a restaurant, shopping, etc.), my depression could gradually fade away. My school doesn't offer an SA support group, and I'm not sure individual therapy is going to help me make friends, especially since I'm graduating in 2 months and will most likely be moving out of the city. I just don't know if I should continue the CBT depression group at this point, it meets every Wednesday for the next 8 weeks. Opinions? :stu
 
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#2 ·
First of all, you should be proud of yourself for attending the group. Even if it's not specifically addressing your issues with SA, being in a group situation is beneficial in itself. Second, it's quite normal for CBT to make you feel worse before it makes you feel better, because you're having to discuss things that you may have been refusing to think about too deeply because they're too painful. Third, while you think your depression would go away if you had friends, that's a catch-22 because depression makes it substantially more difficult to do the 'normal things' you describe even if SA isn't involved. Depression and anxiety are so interdependent that in a sense it doesn't matter which one came first, you still have to deal with them both.

I'd give it a chance for at least a few more weeks, then assess the situation.
 
#5 ·
I agree that you should be proud of yourself for going! I have a hard enough time doing new "normal" things let alone talk about my feelings which makes me really embarassed...
I also feel depression and SA are very much linked for me and I'm not sure which came first and which is my "main" problem. Combined, I feel like it's a pit I've dug for myself...
I really like this forum for reading about people who are going through the same things. I've looked at depression forums but didn't get the same homey feeling from them and just found them well, more depressing. Of course depression is discussed here a lot too and I feel I can relate to people who are depressed and have SA so much more.

Still, I'm sure you can learn from the people in your depression group. At the very least, it's stretching the barriers of your SA comfort zone:)
 
#6 ·
I agree that you should be proud of yourself for going! I have a hard enough time doing new "normal" things let alone talk about my feelings which makes me really embarassed...
I also feel depression and SA are very much linked for me and I'm not sure which came first and which is my "main" problem. Combined, I feel like it's a pit I've dug for myself...
I really like this forum for reading about people who are going through the same things. I've looked at depression forums but didn't get the same homey feeling from them and just found them well, more depressing. Of course depression is discussed here a lot too and I feel I can relate to people who are depressed and have SA so much more.

Still, I'm sure you can learn from the people in your depression group. At the very least, it's stretching the barriers of your SA comfort zone:)
Thanks for the response. It does feel really awkward talking about my feelings at the group, and combined with my SA, I find it hard to open up to them. However the others also mentioned it was awkward for them, simply because they've never talked about their feelings this way, especially not in a group. Thank God the group's pretty small. :b If there were like ten people in the group I'd be scared to go back. :afr
 
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