CBT and my targets for this week

[macc noodle]

Well guys here is how it is on week 10 of my CBT to try and rid me from the vicious circle of health anxiety and panic.


This week I am NOT ALLOWED to do the following:-

ask for reassurance from anyone, not even via posting here
check my vital signs
use any of my safety mechanisms that usually get me through an attack
use Dr Google
It is going to be a very tough week and I am sure that there will be hard times along the way but although I have found it very difficult to do all the things that are being asked of me during this therapy, I do truly believe that I will find a pathway that will see me free of this illness in the end.

Just to break the negative cycle of this blasted HA and panic will be a major achievement and one I am truly working towards and looking forward to.

Wish me luck guys

:yesyes:

Macc Noodle

[panicpanda]

Good luck Macc, I'm sure you'll do it :)

[xxlisaxx08]

Good Luck, I'm sure you will be able to do.

By week 10 you should be feeling pretty positive and noticed a reduction in your anxiety

Lisa x

[macc noodle]

Lisa

Ha Ha - a reduction in my anxiety - NO not quite the experience I am having BUT since I have many years of reinforcing behaviour to eradicate - I am a slow but very optimistic WORK IN PROGRESS!!!! :yesyes::yesyes:


Thanks to you and Pam for your support :D

[Rain]

Good luck Noodle-Face! You can do it!

[Vanilla Sky]

You can do it ! :)

Paige xx

[Elen]

Go for it Macc you can do it honey.

I know that you have found the things you have been asked to do hard but you have succeeded with them all and this challenge will be no different.

Can'r remember the last time you asked for re-assurance, it has been a while anyway.

Speak to you later honey.

Elen
xxx

[allergyphobia]

Hi Macc

I just wanted to reply as I had to do similar things to this one week for my CBT. I Hope you find it as beneficial as I did.

I had to do things like stop checking food labels, stop physically checking my body.

My therapist gave me the advice to physically sit on my hands if I needed to! As a lot of mine involved touching my neck and face, he said to distract my hands by playing a game on my phone, texting somebody etc until the urge had passed.

This helped me SO much. If I felt the urge to check, sometimes I would start to and I would physically say “NOOOOO” and grab my phone or a magazine and force myself into distraction until the urge simply went away. As I repeated this behaviour more and more it became a habit, and I don’t check myself anymore – I can honestly say this homework is the reason why!

I wish you all the luck and am sending lots of motivation and determination your way to help you.
Lots of love
Allergy x

[benjibin]

Very best of luck. I have a target too....mine is to go out in the car ON MY OWN!! I am ok when I have my husband with me but I need to start going out on my own again. Just round the block for now but hopefully I will be able to drive to work again soem day. I am staying positive and I hope you do too. It's hard but lets do it.

[hopeless]

Macc you are doing brilliantly, you have strength and determination plus the great asset of a sense of humour.With those attributes how can you fail to conquer the demon H/A...You can do it:)

[janetxx]

good luck macc you know you can do it xx

p.s got my eye on you lol xxxx

[Spy]

you can do it macc, one step at a time xxxx

[cook ie]

Hello

It sounds like CBT is working for you! I am desperate to overcome this and it sounds ike your making real progress. Would you reccommend CBT? also are you doin anything else to help?

thanks

[macc noodle]

WOO HOO !!!! now we can finally get on with the crux of my problems !!!

Never thought I would last with the CBT because it is a big ask to set aside all the safety mechanisms you have employed over the years just to get by and also for someone with HA to face head on the "what if" scenarios ..........

Been a hard slog but a big breakthrough today - which really needed me to screw my courage to the sticking post and do what was asked of me (which was VERY DIFFICULT) ....................... and an hour and a half later (and a lot of nervous swallowing and tears) we were done.

Now we can move onto helping me conquer the abject fear I have of tests, check ups, medical interventions and doctors and hospitals ........................ I know that this road will be even bumpier but am buckled up and ready for the ride!

I would say to anyone contemplating CBT - go for it and trust your therapist. Try really hard to do all that is asked of you and along the way your recovery begins.

I stand here today completely stripped bare of all my "props" and compulsive checking activities, my safety mechanisms, my plea bargaining - the lot has been taken and how do I feel ???????????????

In all truth excited and a little scared but mighty pleased that the panic attacks are receding into oblivion, the anxiety has hit an all time high along the way but has now lessened to manageable levels and now we can conquer my hospital/medical anxieties.

Thanks to my lovely therapist and also to all my kind friends on here who have helped me get to this point ..................... you know who you are but am going to say anyway,.................. elen, jacsta, janet morgan, venus blue jeans, sar, hopeless, rain, sek & lucy - you have all been with me right from the start and latterly mandy & munkey in black & murphy's maw have been there too ......... hope you will continue to support me through this next phase. And I am always here for you guys too xxxxxx

Cheers ....................................

Macc Noodle

[Rain]

So pleased you are doing so well. You are a brave Noodle.

[Elen]

Macc you are indeed a Super Noodle lol

Well done honey, I know that you doubted some of the techiniques initially but wow look at you now.

I am sure that there will be some bumps on the way but with your confidence and strength you will get there.

Typical of you to thank the rest of us but don't you dare forget that it is you that has put in all the hard work, you are a star.

Speak soon

Elen
xxxx