To think there's treatment that works for excessive worry?

[Elephant07]

I've tried cbt which hasn't solved the problem. Really need a solution. Never taken medication, does it help or is it a personality trait I'm stuck with to over analyse and catastrophise? Thanks!

I take propanolol for my anxiety/worry.

I thought CBT was a load if wank, personally. Can't even begin to see how it's supposed to work.

Some of us are just wired differently. If we need medication then so be it.

Does propanalol help? I feel I'm pretty severe well it's debilitating in some days

Propranolol helps me - I can feel a difference to my tension within half an hour of taking it. Unfortunately it does have negative side affects on me which upsets my stomach.

What about trying yoga or meditation?

Citalopram (anxiety) and propranolol (panic) works for me.

Give me all the pills, please!

Propranolol is great, it works right away by blocking that adrenaline release so you don't feel scared. That rush you get when you start to panic doesn't even happen it just stops it. It can't stop the thoughts but it can stop the feelings. Great for stage fright or stopping a panic attack episode. I have never had negative effects from it and been taking it for ten plus years for various things.

Never bothered with CBT, would rather just pop a pill and get on with my life.

Sounds helpful thanks. So how do your cure the obsessive worrying thoughts

How do you stop over analysing and catastrophising and feelings of guilt over stuff out of your control. What helps that!

I don't sound as severe as some examples here but I found reading the chimp paradox really helpful.

I take propranolol as well. Marvellous stuff!

When you stop those physical feelings you’ll find it’s easier to stop the rest. Deal with that first.

I found propranolol very helpful, but in combination with CBT. I had a LOT of sessions - more than I really should have been allowed - but they were great and have be the ability to learn how to manage my thoughts. I had a very good therapist who I get really understood me - I think that can be difficult to find sometimes.

My next port of call would have been Citalopram. I have health anxiety and was scared of the side effects, but I have read it can be very helpful.

*gave me the ability
*who I felt really understood me

Therapy - good quality CBT-based therapy, person-centred counselling and mindfulness, in my case. Plus medication when I need it - I’ve been on citalopram, and currently use propranolol on an ‘as and when needed’ basis. Also no alcohol, minimal caffeine and lots of exercise. It’s hard work. No magic wand.

I take sertraline, which helps to calm the obsessive spirally worries. Learning relaxation techniques helps too.

Citalopram really helps. Take 4 weeks or so to take proper effect. My worry sounds similar to yours (it escalated quickly and I narrowly avoided a complete breakdown) and it is giving me a break to feel normal. GP thinks after 9 months or so I’ll be able to come off it.

Citalopram really helped me when I needed it.

Sounds like you're describing anxiety disorder. Medication helps but also try to practise mindfulness ie concentrating on the present. Also deep breathing and exercise helps xx

I take citalopram and it works brilliantly for me. I also had CBT which did help, i think finding a counsellor you feel comfortable with is a big factor to how successful it is.
I second suggestions for breathing exercises and physical exercise.
I find I cope better if I do something physical, a gentle walk or just pottering around the house helps.

At bedtime if I can't sleep I sing ten green bottles in my head which helps calm my thoughts . Sounds daft but it really does work cos you can only think of one thing at a time.

Thank you all.

Further question - is there a medication that begins with an S that anyone has taken? Seratin. Will Google spelling now!

Constant anxiety is a nightmare.

CBT can be very helpful, but isn't the magic bullet it's been touted as. Different things work for different people. If you're worrying about things you can't control I would suggest trying meditation, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) or hypnotherapy (this could be the quickest fix if you find someone good, but still won't be instant). As pp said, getting a handle on things can take time and often involves a strategy of doing several things at once.

Yes. From @chronicallyearly post.

I take sertraline

Did you have actual CBT? How many sessions, and what was the focus of the sessions?

I'm not asking because I doubt you btw. Just sometimes the NHS offer a range of different therapies and aren't always clear on what exactly you're getting. For example people who've had six sessions of guided self help based on CBT principles often believe they've 'had CBT' when they haven't.

I've had a few rounds of CBT and the longer one where I had a lot of sessions and time to really get to the route of the problem, and support to try to implement the changes, was the one that actually worked. 8 sessions, which was what my others were, was simply not enough for what I was struggling with.

I haven't taken medication, though, as mine was helped enough by the CBT at that time - I certainly wouldn't rule it out if a similar level of anxiety came back though, but there was a physical reason for not taking anything at the time.

Sertraline will block your thoughts. There will be no more excessive worrying.

Take it for about 9 months whilst your brains retrains itself into thinking nicely.

Then withdraw properly