Would CBT help me? (Long, sorry).

[greeneyedgirl]

I am not depressed, but suffer quite badly from anxiety, in old money I suppose I would be called a worrier. And I worry about everything, my appearance, my daughter, my relationships, my future, absolutely everything.

I get mild panic attacks (although they never feel mild at the time), usually occur either at work or before I go out for a meal or something. One reason for this is the fact that I suffer from IBS and I worry alot about whether I will be ok when I am not at home, I always push myself to go out though and put a huge amount of pressure on myself to appear "normal". I beat myself up badly if I don't do something I have planned because I don't feel up to it, even when I am genuinely unwell, I always blame it on my mind!

Reading this back I sound absolutley mental! I work part time and I took the morning off because I just couldn't face it today. Currently panicking that I am not capable of working, bloody ridiculous as I have only had one other day off in just over 3 months which was because my daughter was ill. I am currently living with my parents as going through a divorce, so that is a little stressful, but they are great and give me endless support. I have a beautiful dd, an amazing new DP and nothing "real" to stress about, apart from future finance I suppose (always worry about not having a pension, house etc etc), so why do I panic???

I am on amitryptaline (sp) and don't want to go onto AD's as I don't want to feel numb or spaced out. I want to learn how to relax, how to deal with a panic attack when it happens and also, if possible, how to prevent a panic attack starting if I feel the beginnings of it coming on. Has anyone tried CBT and did it help? Is it difficult to do and was it hard to find a practioner? I used to be so confident and I just want "me" back, any advice welcome. Sorry for the epic too!

You sound perfect for CBT, in that you're already wise to your triggers. Have you talked to your GP? They should be able to refer you, either privately if you can afford it or via the NHS if you don't mind a bit of a wait.

This is my situation: due to an ongoing health issue, I got very down and panicky and felt myself losing the 'old me', so now I'm taking mirtzapine, an AD which helps with anxiety (it doesn't make me feel numb at all. But it has seen off the worst of the physical symptoms. And life is much easier without those). CBT, on the other hand, helps with those godawful 'catastrophic thoughts'. My CBT guy, a clinical psychologist, is teaching me to analyse the black thoughts as they arise, by writing them down in a chart (so you ask yourself, 'what's the trigger here', 'where's the evidence for this thought?', 'Is there another way of looking at it?'). It sounds madly obvious but writing things down a/ interrupts the flow of the panic and b/ makes your fears appear less logical.

He's also an advocate of breathing exercises (just focusing on the breath when you feel the panic hitting -- a bit like breathing through a contraction to distract yourself). He also recommends getting a relaxation CD, and doing it every day.

HTH. Tis the pits.

Thanks for the advice ME, it is very helpful. I haven't really spoken to my GP about this for a while, guess I feel mildly embrarrassed to admit it. I could probably get alot out of breathing and relaxation, but at the moment i just can't seem to do it. Usually when I get a panic attack at work it is not for a specific reason and often out of the blue. But when I am going out somewhere I can say it is due to the thought of my IBS playing up (which rather obviously is mainly stress related), so I am wondering if being able to "correct" my wonky thought processes and get some control back over my mind, may help with the IBS too. I think I better make an appt with my GP.

That all sounds very familiar greeneyedgirl.I suffer from anxiety & IBS (which I'm sure is related),too.

I've got my 1st session of CBT tomorrow.My GP was very sympathetic when I explained about my anxiety & said she understood what it was like.That was such a relief.She referred me & I only had to wait 8 weeks for an appointment for CBT.I'll let you know how it goes if you like?

That would be great FG, thanks for offering to keep me updated! Hope it goes really well for you. IBS is rubbish isn't it? No-one really understands, they just think you're a bit strange, and that just adds to the stress,trying to pretend you're carefree and in control! Oops that was a bit ranty.

Good luck!

Buy a book called mind over mood.
my psychiatrist recommended I read it whilst I am on a waiting list for MH treatment. I have read the first couple of chapters so far and from what you say it could help you..
It is based on the CBT method and would I guess give you a taster of what CBT is.