Finally went to see GP yesterday been refered for CBT.

[Disenchanted3]

We went shopping at the Trafford Centre yesterday and my anxiety levels were so high. What should have been a nice shopping trip was me worrying, freaking out when DH took DS in another hop as I was sure he would loose him.

I just felt so scared the whole time that I rang the doctors whilst I was in Debenhams.

I cried when I told her as the things I worry about make me so scared, it was hard.

But I don't want to be this way for ever.

I hope this CBT thing works. She was trying to get me on tablets but I refused, I want to try the CBT thing first.

Sorry you're feeling like this but you absolutely can get better. I've used CBT. If you have a good therapist it can work really well.

With CBT you take control. If there are things in your life that you need to change the CBT won't help because it's about rationalising situations that you have lost perspective on. But a good therapist should allow you to talk that out too to help you deal with it and make those changes.

How are you feeling today?

No its not so much me changing anything in real life as everythings OK, its my fears that cause me to have panic attacks and play out bad things in my mind

I'm OK today everythings been low level as we are all here, DS is at school but not thinking about it too much.

Thanks for the reply

Hi, I've just got off the phone to the hospital arranging CBT for myself. did you get it on the NHS? There is a 2 year waiting list here. I have private care through work so can get it without a wait although I have to be assesed by a psychiatrist first though, ugh scary stuff. I have had CBT before in 2007/2008 and it did help but not sure if I got the right therapist, you definatley need to click with them. I'm wondering if group therapy would be good for me this time? Mine is also for anxiety about my health.

Good luck.

HNS, I don't think its that long, 12 weks I think, but wont know until I get the referal letter.

Hope it works again for you.

Hi, how are you doing today? I saw the psychiatrist on Thursday, he was wonderful so easy to talk to found myself telling him my deepest darkest thoughts and secrets. I told him he is definatley in the right job!

You really do have to click with your therapist, my last one as ok but not as good as Thursdays. I wish I could see the psychiatrist weekly but there is no way that my health ins will pay for that you have to see a lowly psycologist!

He has recommended a six week course of full days which involves me going to the Priory from 9.30-4.30 once a week, we do group therapy, one to one, anxiety management techniques and some relaxation and thai chi too. Sounds great but it is £400 per session so not sure if it will get approval or not, if not hopefully they will approve some one to one CBT once a week which I think is £120 per hour.

Regarding the tablets, you may wnt to give them a try, when I first started CBT I wasn't on any meds but the psycologist told me he nedeed to quickly get me more of an even keel and the cbt would be more helpful and make more sense if I was a bit calmer and could look at things a bit more from a distance IYSWIM. I was taking citalopram, for anx you only need a small dose 10mg, the usualy dose for depression is 20,40 or 60. I have now changed because it wasn't suiting me to Prozac, just started today. Infact Prozac doesn't come in 10mg doses so they gave me 20 so I'll see how I go. Don't dismiss the tablets straight off modern anti-d's are much better than the old tri-cyclic anti-d's of years ago you won't be walking round like a zombie!