To ask about your experience with cbt?

[Dollycarton81]

I'm thinking of looking into a course of CBT for some ongoing anxiety issues I'm experiencing. They've got a lot worse during lockdown to the point where I am struggling to live life normally and go to certain places without a lot of stress and anxiety before and during.

I tried CBT once before with limited success but I think that was down to the counsellor who wasn't very experienced.

There is a mental health facility near me that doesn't appear to require a GP referral so I'm building up the courage to give them a call and just see how it all works. I know there are limited face to face consultations due to covid at the minute but I suspect alternatives such as online courses or phone consultations are still happening.

I just would like to hear if it worked for you? Did you find it useful immediately? What sort of therapy did you do - online, face to face appointments etc? How long did it take for you to notice a difference? Thank you

My anxiety comes from quite a specific phobia or fear you could say. It's a fear of a physical reaction happening in certain places so over time I've avoided places and it's gotten a lot worse during lockdown. I struggle going almost anywhere now.

I do hope they will be able to offer me some help. I'm willing to put the work in, it's just that last time I tried it I remember the homework and strategies not feeling very relevant to my personal issue and that's probably why I found it hard to engage. And because I didn't have a great counsellor.

@Dollycarton81

My worries are usually irrational fears or physical reactions I have when I go into certain places. I'm not sure it's a conscious worry, more of a fear of a physical reaction. So not sure how I could make myself just not worry. If it were that easy I'd have done it already lol.

I guess I will have to see what they say at my appointment. I still feel skeptical but these stories are giving me some hope.

I'm a CBT therapist (among other modalities) and this kind of presenting issue is bread and butter, very appropriate for a CBT approach.

The NHS provides amazing services in some areas and not in others, IAPT is the primary care provider so look up your local IAPT service in the first instance.

It is a very collaborative approach and there will be homework, could be thought records, activity schedules, practicing a tool/technique etc.

Definitely true that you get more out when you put more in.

Happy to answer any questions you have

Thank you @JudyGemstone - it's reassuring to know that there is help for this. I have a lot of shame regarding my anxiety. It's relating to over active bowel and bladder habits when I'm in certain places (i.e places where I might not be able to access a toilet quickly). So not easy to talk about and potentially very embarrassing consequences. Just this week I've had to annoy two of my friends by cancelling a day out because it was to a place with no accessible loos and I couldn't tell them the real reason so had to feign illness.

I have had a lot of physical tests to look for physical issues or abnormalities and there's nothing. Deep down I know this is a psychological issue. The anxiety of needing to know makes me need to go and the cycle continues. If I could stop fixating on it I feel like my life and freedom would improve.

Do you think this is something they will be able to help me with through cbt?

The book mind over mood might help you.

Check it out and good luck. Hope you feel better.

I had 3 rounds- it made no difference.
I had a 12 week course of mindfulness. It made no difference.

3 months ago, l paid to see a really good pyschiatrist. He informed me that they wouldn’t work for me as my issues were based in childhood trauma, and they were the wrong treatment.

I’ve now been referred for psychotherapy or EDM.

I’ve had mental health issues since about 6. Spent most of my childhood being scared ( and still do now). First bout of bad depression age 16.

I’ve had it twice; face to face a few years ago and this year over the phone. It was really useful to me both times and I saw little differences quite quickly but you have to be prepared to put the work into it and practice the techniques a lot.

Dolly please don't be embarrassed. Your therapist won't judge at all (I think you'd be surprised how common anxieties about similar things are).

I think CBT is a really good approach for those sort of worries - its all about linking your thoughts, feels body sensations and actions together.

@Dollycarton81

Thank you *@JudyGemstone* - it's reassuring to know that there is help for this. I have a lot of shame regarding my anxiety. It's relating to over active bowel and bladder habits when I'm in certain places (i.e places where I might not be able to access a toilet quickly). So not easy to talk about and potentially very embarrassing consequences. Just this week I've had to annoy two of my friends by cancelling a day out because it was to a place with no accessible loos and I couldn't tell them the real reason so had to feign illness.

I have had a lot of physical tests to look for physical issues or abnormalities and there's nothing. Deep down I know this is a psychological issue. The anxiety of needing to know makes me need to go and the cycle continues. If I could stop fixating on it I feel like my life and freedom would improve.

Do you think this is something they will be able to help me with through cbt?

yes, absolutely. This is actually very common! It's known as toilet phobia which is misleading as it's not a phobia of toilets, more of there not being a toilet!

My service has worked with many clients with this very successfully.

Thanks to everyone who replied. I had my first introductory session yesterday. I'm not filled with hope. I went through the questionnaire which i found quite difficult to answer. But I spoke at length about my individual issues and the way it's been affecting my life. I really opened up and laid it all out there and the end result was the counsellor saying.....ok well I'll get back to you and let you know if this is something I can help you with.

I really hope it is because I'm at my wits end now and becoming borderline acrophobic in some ways.

Well done OP, the first step is the hardest.

There is a chance that the counselor you spoke to isn't the counselor you would be assigned for treatment. What service did you refer/book through?

It didn't help me with health anxiety.

It is a local IAPT service. You can self refer or be referred by a GP. This time I made the call myself and had the opening appointment. They called me back yesterday and I'm starting the course properly next week using gradual exposure therapy. I really don't know if it will help. I'm willing to go private if I don't find this useful. But thought I'd give the free option a try first.

Sounds great, and it's definitely very possible the person doing your assessment won't be your counselor.

I felt the same as you prior to starting. I was willing to give it a go but couldn't imagine how it would actually fix my problems. Fingers crossed it works for you, but if it doesn't then it's definitely worth trying someone else as it's likely to be dependent on who's giving the treatment to some extent.