My just-a-patient understanding of both psychotherapy and Buddhism is that unleashing and taming those beasts is a worthy goal. *They* control us more than we want to admit when we try to repress *them*.

Another thing they both have in common is that they are both BIG subjects. One page will emphasize "karma" and/or "consequences." The next page will emphasize something else.

Which ones will do what to my mental health? Yet another big subject. . . I just take my best guess and see where ^it^ takes me.

I've had experience with both.

While both require a certain amount of mental effort and introspection I see them as being completely different. For a start CBT assumes that you are broken and need fixing. Buddhism says we are all broken except for perhaps one or two people.

I take a sort of different view on karma - it's not about an afterlife (which Buddha explicitly avoided answering any questions about), it's about what happens in the future.

So you've already had the bad karma due to mental illness - it doesn't need to go forward into some future point (although unfortunately it sometimes does).

I have two issues with buddhism

1. I can't meditate - I tried and the intrusive thoughts don't stop. But then most of the laity in south asia don't meditate either. They don't have time.

2. There's a sort of problem to me about how as a westerner can I take on something rooted in another culture and a few thousand years ago. I feel that the western take on it is somehow inauthentic. But that's about me I guess.

So while I keep to some of the basic ideas, I don't see myself as a practicing buddhist.

Both great, insightful answers guys. Thanks for that.

I was told by a more learned person that my belief system was buddist. I feel am more spiritual than religious.

I do believe in a higher power....but what do we call it? No one here knows.

This post has inspired me to maybe buy an e-book on buddism. I think I should read up on it more.

Awesome Chris! I've been reading up on the basics of buddhism to see if I think i could embrace it enough to get started. Maybe an ebook is in order for me as well.

Message me to chat, spirituality fascinates me and I'd love to hear more of your thoughts, everyone's thoughts.

I think I believe in nothing... you're born, you endure meaningless hardships, some amount of pleasure and joy, then you die and you're worm food. Chaos. :-) On more hopeful occassions I really like the idea of reincarnation.

I go to a buddhism meditation class during the week at lunchtime.
I find it hard to meditate as well but there are moments that are nice where I feel I connect with certain ideas
and I like the group...just being among the others makes me feel good.
So is it like therapy? It certainly adds to my life!
I have done some CBT as well and I have liked it...

What is CBT? Just curious.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It and DBT, dialectal behavioral therapy, are used by a lot of therapists in treating bipolar and other assorted nightmares.

Like buddhism teaches you the right way to think to avoid suffering, cbt teaches you the right way to react to and handle your emotions to avoid suffering. Both use the theory of mindfulness and value meditation.

Forgive me if I'm not explaining it right, that's my current understanding of it...someone else might explain it better. Or even correctly.

For me: CBT is good (awesome, actually) and meditation is equally as awesome. I have no opinion on the spiritual aspect of Buddhism (as I am not knowledgeable about the subject matter), but I am all about learning and finding something that fits. Good luck to you!

virtually nothing at all in common. i like buddhism and if i was to choose a path, that would be it. i like the no god approach, because i don't believe in any benevolent cloud being either. people who think it is a religion have never investigated it.

I am with MrMojoRisin on the anti God cloud person looking down on us. I was raised Lutheran, but can't seem to think that there is this white bearded dude that sits in the clouds and is mad at you when you are bad etc...and happy when you are good. Etc etc...

I think maybe there may be a higher intelligence. Maybe another level after being a human? Nothing can interfere with our actions down here though.

Mojo, I too like the atheistic approach to buddhism. That and the way the buddha encourages you to challenge the principles for yourself.

Both cbt and buddhism rely on mindfulness and retraining the way your brain works. Maybe in different ways for different reasons but the end result is to end suffering. Cbt openly admits it contains a lot of buddhism influences.

If you're ever around, message me. I of course have a hundred questions for someone familiar with the philosophy.

The First Noble Truth in Buddhism is that the suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death is unavoidable. The Buddha taught people to recognise that suffering is part of life and that it cannot be avoided.

All of the Dharma is based on Buddha's discovery that suffering is unnecessary: Like a disease, once we really face the fact that suffering exists, we can look more deeply and discover it's cause; and when we discover that the cause is dependent on certain conditions, we can explore the possibility of removing those conditions.