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Thread: CBT made things worse and now left alone

  1. #1

    CBT made things worse and now left alone

    hi, I wonder if anyone can reassure me. until recently I had no anxiety issues except for a flying phobia (bad one!), anyway after trying avoidance, then drugs then still getting increasing intensity panic attacks and it impacting on my job and wellbeing I was offered CBT. which despite been reserved generally I jumped in with both feet thinking it was my best bet to be "cured". My 1:1 sessions are now complete as of last week, but I feel worse than ever - instead of just phobia related anxiety I am now getting panic attacks almost daily, and obsessive unwanted thoughts. I messaged my therapist to ask if this was normal, and when should I contact anyone - and have heard nothing back - once therapy is done, is that it - am I wrong to expect support when I feel like I am now having a breakdown? has anyone been through this, I feel abandoned and worse than I was before I started treatment.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    27,320

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    Hi and welcome to NMP

    Once your therapist has finished, they will consider you handed back to your GP to decide what service is then required. My therapist had 6 monthly follow up sessions afterwards but she stated they were not to discuss any further treatment (so, basically just for their benefit - not mine!).

    I would suggest going to your GP to discuss this. They may refer you back or to a different service.

    I think you should talk about how further problems have come during therapy too. That seems pretty unusual. Was it happening during therapy and did you inform your therapist?
    __________________
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    For free Mindfulness resources, please see this thread I have created to compile many sources together http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=168689

  3. #3

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    Thank you for answering me :-) Yes during the exposure therapy I started to have panic attacks and high anxiety, with some obsessive thoughts, but it's come on much more since therapy stopped. I am due for a follow up appointment in two months so I didn't think I was discharged yet, but it sounds like I am, since the therapist has not even responded to my message! I wish that had been clear, and then I would never have taken the plunge to book a family flight if I'd known I would have had no support. My obsessive thoughts are about deliberately crashing my car, I don't think I'd ever do this but it does scare me. I should never have pushed my limits, I knew I couldn't do this.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    27,320

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    That sounds a bit like what my therapist did. It's probably the follow ups the IAPT require them to do. There are levels of mental health treatment above the CBT levels so a GP can always refer there but a wait is likely. Maybe he/she can refer you back to the current service asking for more treatment? It's worth asking, especially under the circumstances.

    Did your exposure work go badly so that you never managed to overcome each step? It's a real shame it has done to this and I think the NHS need to take some responsibility here and offer you follow up treatment for not managing your health properly.

    Have a look at the OCD board because there are loads of threads and advice that will help you with the obsessive thoughts. That crashing your car one is just like the ones people get to jump off bridges or run people over. The threads about intrusive thoughts will be very helpful to you for that.
    __________________
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    For free Mindfulness resources, please see this thread I have created to compile many sources together http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=168689

  5. #5

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    Thanks, my exposure was ok, I mean it was hard going but we felt I was getting there, but when I then flew I still had panic attacks, now flying wth my children is increasing my anxiety massively, but was the final exposure - so I had decided to give it a go. I just thought if my anxiety got out of control my therapist would maybe see me again, or at least offer some advice - even if that was "see your dr" to have no response at all makes me feel really bad and like I was wrong to trust them to help me in the first place. I am better than I was before, flying wise I can now accept that a panic attack, although horrid is just anxiety, but this obsessive or intrusive thoughts made me feel near a breakdown. It's nice to have reassurance that it's not uncommon and doesn't mean I will do anything. Thank you for your help.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Posts
    27,320

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    It doesn't sound good that the final exposure was so close to ending therapy. What if something didn't work? You would need more help in breaking the steps down to achieve it or some other method.

    Ignoring your contact is just plain rude. There is no excuse for that as like you say, they could advise you to speak to your GP for follow up work as they had finished. My therapy didn't go great but I really couldn't fault them when it came down to communiation, they were excellent at taking the hassle of that out unlike my GP end who were the opposite!

    How about trying CCBT is not? NICE recognise it as being as effective as face-to-face treatment as long as there is remote therapist support. NHS Choices recommend several programmes but be careful of the prices as GP's need to arrange for them to be free in some cases. There are free ones on the internet if not or some that charge small fees.
    __________________
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    For free Mindfulness resources, please see this thread I have created to compile many sources together http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=168689

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    1,590

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    Quote Originally Posted by rls47 View Post
    hi, I wonder if anyone can reassure me. until recently I had no anxiety issues except for a flying phobia (bad one!), anyway after trying avoidance, then drugs then still getting increasing intensity panic attacks and it impacting on my job and wellbeing I was offered CBT. which despite been reserved generally I jumped in with both feet thinking it was my best bet to be "cured". My 1:1 sessions are now complete as of last week, but I feel worse than ever - instead of just phobia related anxiety I am now getting panic attacks almost daily, and obsessive unwanted thoughts. I messaged my therapist to ask if this was normal, and when should I contact anyone - and have heard nothing back - once therapy is done, is that it - am I wrong to expect support when I feel like I am now having a breakdown? has anyone been through this, I feel abandoned and worse than I was before I started treatment.

    You are not alone, this is how the NHS often work and you usually get a letter at the end of your therapy be it CBT or whatever copied into your GP refering you back to them. They can be very abrupt in this respect and under funded or not that is not the way to treat people with mental health issues.

  8. #8

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    I got a letter today offering to pull forward my close down session - we were going to have a final session at the end of November - so they did get my message and I wasn't completely ignored after all. However its when I am due to fly with my children so I cant accept the pulled forward appointment, and now I have lost trust in them helping me I don't think I want to see them again anyway. I am not sure if I will be able to fly at the end of the month but I guess I can just try my best. I'm not sure its worth all this pain though, I think I preferred my straightforward phobia. I am hoping this daily anxiety, panic attacks and obsessive thoughts will go after the flights have passed (if I do them or not) as it is its getting debilitating.

    ---------- Post added at 14:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:41 ----------

    thanks i'll take a look at online help

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    222

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    CBT totally didn't work for me. The exposure therapy jumped from something reasonably tolerable to horrendous . the therapist was trying to cram everything in to 8 sessions and it totally set me back. Trying to cure anxiety disorder and agoraphobia that I've had for nearly 20 years in 8 weeks what a joke. I asked to be referred to a more intense therapy for 24 weeks with a psychologist . I did have to wait a couple of months but worth it. I am by no means better but I'm sort of coping . leaving the house is becoming easier and I'm controlling the panic attacks through breathing exercises ( just had number 3 for the day) still have another 13 sessions to go . my advice is to get back in touch with your gp asap don't let it go as I have done in the past . if I had got the proper help 20 years ago I wouldn't be in my current state

  10. #10

    Re: CBT made things worse and now left alone

    Thank you all for your comments and advice. I might go and see my gp next week, at the moment I am just trying to follow all the cbt things is as taught - which was basically feel the fear and do it anyway! I've also ordered one of the mindfulness books and will try and work on that. I had 13 cbt sessions in the end rather than 8 because my phobia was long standing and difficult to deal with, so I do feel I've used my allocation and there are so many people with more sever problems than me it feels wrong to ask for more help. Thank to you all though, at least I don't feel alone in this now and I'm pleased I found this group.

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