middle of the night...

[Karen]

Hi Fee

I'm so glad you are feeling proud of yourself and recognising the progress you are making. We are all on a learning journey and travel at different speeds. No one way is better or worse than another. We will all get there in the end!

Good luck for the counselling appointment tomorrow. We have lunch around 12.30 and then a 'rest period' until about 2pm so feel free to text if you want. I have to switch my phone to silent mode so won't be able to answer if you call.

Hope you have a restful night tonight.

Karen xx

[Karen]

Hi Fee

Good luck for the counselling this morning. I hope you get some benefit from it.

Hope too the 'non cold' is better.

See you later.

Karen

[feege]

Morning all..

Thanks Karen. I am getting so lazy that it's a rush to get anywhere for 11am these days!

Don't feel too bad this morning but having some very positive thoughts which is unusual lol!

Will talk more later - hope you are all ok xxx

Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com

[Quirky]

Hi Fee,

Hope you're feeling ok, the positive thoughts sound great.

I hope the counselling went ok.

Thinking of you,

Lisa x

[feege]

Hi all

Thanks Lisa and Karen! The counsellor was really useful. Actually she is not exactly a counsellor but someone (with some fancy title) that helps people work out what they need and get it... Obviously I want CBT and she had chased up my referral which was made last April apparently, and they are saying another 3 years+ which is really no good to me (although I'll stay on the list). So she researched low-cost CBT in the area and found someone who charges £20-25 a session (better than £65!) and I have an appt in 2 weeks!!! This is excellent news!

I am also (apparently!!) on a waiting list for an anxiety management course, the waiting list for which is only six months which is brilliant! She is also arranging for me to see the practice counsellor asap just for someone to talk to in the meantime. It was really helpful! She was very nice and I felt more in control and grounded about my physicaly and mental problems than I ever have before. I think that is definitely down to this site, which has helped me to see myself in context. I told her about it too, so she could recommend it to people which felt good.

Then I went to M&S to buy a costume. [:I][Sigh...]. That was bloomin hard work and I don't want to do it ever again if possible!! I didn't realise they had all round mirrors in there [:I][Ugh]. I took about 10 in and dragged them on and off with disgust lol!! But I bought 2 (to avoid doing it again for a good while) and they will do!! I have made an appt to join the Gym tomorrow at 1pm. Fingers crossed!!!

I have had such a clarity about myself this last couple of days and my thoughts (which I have put on the bottom now) really sum it up. I don't know why I live my life anticipating the worst things... it doesn't help at all. I find it so hard to stop the negative thought flalshing through my mind (i.e. what if sarah dies? or is that a lump?). I only think it for a second and then have to spend ages talking myself out of the thought as if it seizes hold of me against my will.

Why do some of us have this problem? Can enough CBT and hard work really stop it happening? Wouldn't it be wonderful not to do it? I'm really beginning to feel like it's possible.... but I havea long long way to go....

I hope you are all ok and am off to look at your places now!



Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com

Why live life anticipating the bad things when you could be anticipating the good?
Good and bad things WILL happen!

[Quirky]

Hi Fee,

I'm glad your appt today helped so much and I am so pleased you will be getting some CBT, that's great.

Well done for getting a cossie too, a very successful day. I hate all round mirrors too and the light in changing rooms is never flattering, but you are slim, imagine what it's like if you're a bit overweight like me - I want to bring back victorian costumes with long legs! I have real trouble with cossie as standard ones never fit me, I always need the long body ones.

I often anticipate the worst happening too. On the few occasions I have anticipated the best happening it's gone horribly wrong. I tend to think of the worst and then I'm prepared for it and pleasantly suprised if it goes well, whereas it's a shock if I'm being positive and something goes wrong. I do know this isn't the right way to think though. I just feel like I'm tempting fate if I think too positive but then it depends on the subject too.

CBT can really help, it won't stop you having negative thoughts (although they will lesson as positive thoughts become more second nature) but it will give you tools to deal with them much quicker and without them causing distress. Everyone has the odd negative though fleeting into their mind, even non anxious people, but it's all how we interprete things.

Lisa x

[Karen]

Hi Fee

Well what a positive day for you! I am so glad the counsellor was so helpful and had done the research prior to seeing you. It shows she is really on the ball.

It is fantastic news about the CBT and this really could make all the difference. It is hard work but well worth it. I think the cost is pretty good for Brighton as Jill (my hypnotherapist) usually charges £80.

The anxiety management course will be good too.

Well done for getting a costume AND arranging to join the gym [Wow!]. I don't bother trying things on in shops if I can help it because those mirrors are awful. So well done for doing it.

The CBT will, I think, help with the negative thoughts. In the past couple of weeks I have found that I still get negative thoughts and I feel pessimistic about things but I am now making the effort to challenge these thoughts and find the positives. It is not always easy and takes a lot of practise. I am sure we can both get there though.

I am very proud of all you've done today Fee.

Karen xx

[feege]

Thanks lisa and karen...

I'm so tired I'm just saying goodnight xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com

Why live life anticipating the bad things when you could be anticipating the good?
Good and bad things WILL happen!

[Quirky]

Night Fee,

Sleep well [|)],

Love Lisa x

[Karen]

Night Fee. Hope you have a good night's rest.

Karen xx