why is my CBT failing and is it all down to me?

[braininabox]

I'm on my 3rd week of cbt, today the therapist told me she feels there is a "barrier " that is stopping me helping myself. She is aware that I have Aspergers (diagnosed) and I tried to explain that in the particular scenario we were discussing (going somewhere new and meeting new people) I could not visualize a version where there were no problems. Due to my lifelong difficulty with socializing and making friends. Part of the reason I am going to cbt is that I am very depressed as in rl I am lonely and isolated.

Now I feel like this was the last thing on offer to help me (that is true) and I've failed, again.

You haven't failed at all so please put that out of your mind.

CBT isn't for everyone and it depends on the skill of the therapist and to be honest yours doesn't sound like she is much good. Of course there's a bloody "barrier" to us helping ourselves when we're depressed - it's one of the symptoms of the illness. Plus you have the addition of AS - and so that makes it all doubly difficult for you. Presumably your difficulty with socialising is related to your AS - the thing is as well CBT is the only therapy that the NHS offer really, and mostly it's a mental health nurse who is the therapist and may just have done a short course in CBT. They usually only offer 6 sessions.

My CPN was always going on about CBT (I have depression and anxiety) and it just used to irritate me to be honest - no help at all.

Sorry I haven't any useful suggestions but the failure is with the lack of mental health services, not you.

I would try and give it a couple more sessions to see if it can help, but I do agree with Nina too. CBT isn't for everyone despite the fact that healthcare professionals seem to think it is a panacea... it is NOT.

Also seems quite common for crap therapists to blame the patient when really it is either the wrong type of therapy or just a poor therapist.

Aspergers and depression is quite complicated, perhaps she just isn't up to the job of helping you.