Anybody ever seen Psychologist over Health Anxiety

[reddevil]

Today, I went to the NHS anxiety centre (doctors referral) to get my assesment results.
I have been here before two years ago, which I did a course on Relaxation and another course on Coping with Anxiety.

They told me today that I will need to do the Coping with Anxiety course again in the mean time, as they have referred me to see a psychologist
regarding my health anxiety issues.

I was told that it will take 4 months until the psychologist can asses me and a further 6 months waiting time until they will be able to see me (long waiting list).

My first reaction was aarrgghhh!
I was wondering if anybody has seen a psychologist relating to health anxiety and what could I be expect with a psychologist?

Red

[Mystie]

I have seen them for years , on and off again. The only good that came from it all for me anyway was that I could VENT my frustrations and everything else to someone who is being paid to listen, and is nuetral, they never say things like your crazy, or stupid. On the other hand they never say much of ANYTHING, really just a sounding board in my opinion. They ALL told me to go on meds. and say that they can only listen to you(45 minutes at that!) Didn't even get a full hour here!
They all told me that I must help myself because nobody can help me over come my anxiety and fears. I went to so many and for so many years that I knew what they were going to say before they even said it!
It became SO predictable. I have to admit that going was good in the way that I could VENT and talk about things that I couldn't burden my family or friends with, so in that respect it was a good thing.
Therapy and Meds go hand and hand as far as they are concerned, well I'am speaking about my experience(s) only with therapists.
Took me MANY years to realize the truth tho'...the bottom line?....you are on your own, nobody can "save" you but you.

Mystie

[jackie]

yeah they seem to listen and you talk. it really depends on whether you feel you can trust them and they are competant. i saw someone a few months back who i truly felt was the age of my daughter 13 and hadnt a clue about anxiety. but now i went to a local community centre and would you believe it she has arranged for 1 hour talking to her which is great and she seems to have alot of experience. plus one hour breathing with an expert and reflexology and reike

dont know how im gonna get a baby sitter for all this but i hope to

have you ever thought of going to something like this ie a stress centre in your area or something. my gp surgerys resident therapist directed me to them, they dont charge

hope this helps

jackie

[MissBehavin]

I saw a psychologist about 12 years ago for health anxiety, for a few months. But it didnt actually help me. Maybe it would now, who knows.
C x

Pete to win Big Brother 7

[MissBehavin]

Unfortunately with health anxiety you cant avoid the object. If people are scared of flying they just dont fly, if they are scared of going out, they stay in. No one can promise us we wont get ill. Thats what he said to me anyway. I just havent managed to work with anything yet to stop it happening.
C x

Pete to win Big Brother 7

[saranadine]

Hi,

I saw a psychologist a while ago for my anxiety, and as i was suffering alot when I went out, she used to come to my house to see me. I was panicking before she got here most of the time, wanting the house to be tidy and stuff.

I never really felt like it helped me all that much, she used to set me a challenge every week, things like taking the kids to school on my own or taking my dogs for a walk or going to tesco or something like that. And then when I got home I would have to write down my symptoms that I had while I was out on a scale of 1 to 10, What I was thinking when I was getting these symptoms and that sort of thing.
It did'nt seem to help me because it was as if I was feeling all those symptoms all over again when I got back home, and had to write them down.

Then after a while, she asked me if I minded if a student came along to our appointments, I said I did'nt mind so the following week a student came with her, but then after that the student would just come around on his own, and he did'nt really have a clue, we would sit in silence most of the time.

I know that maybe I just got a psycologist that I did'nt click with, but it put me off wanting to try it again. They would forever be asking about my childhood, convinced that the answer to my anxiety came from that, but I had a good childhood, so I don't think that it does.

I hope that all of you that are seeing psycologists are getting help from them, it just was'nt for me. I prefer to speak to people who know how a panic attack or anxiety feel, not just someone who knows what they are.

Take Care All

Sara :D

[dorabella]

Don't bother with psychologists - they talk and mess with your head, whatever your problem is, and you still don't get to the bottom of what's causing you to be this way.

Anxiety and depression are accumulated over years and often can't be put down a single cause or event that triggered them. Health anxiety is very common in people like us. We become overfocussed on every little thing, particularly with respect to the way our bodies function. A mentally healthy would be too busy to notice a cough or sore throat here, or odd physical pains there. Neither are we helped by the constant invasion of the media, with shock and scare reports by quasi-medical bodies and persons and of course, Google on the net (very unsettling and bound to make yu feel worse and more scared than you did before you tapped in the symptom you are currently obsessing on!!)

If you feel a need to consult a mental health practitioner about your anxieties, you would be much better off seeing a psychotherapist. Psychotherapists teach you cognitive thinking techniques or rational analysis skills to help you deal with your anxieties - much like the common sense advice your mother used to give you.

I saw a psychotherapist when all all other routes had been ussuccessful and I still remember her advice today when I'm having a freak-out health anxiety day. She was worth the money and i haven't felt the need to go back into therapy for the last 7 years.

[Clare]

I saw a psychologist for my medical phobias, but I only had 5 weeks with her, due to me having an accident on holiday, and I was unable to travel back.

She used exposure therapy with me, gradually getting me to face my phobias, and it really does work, well it did for me. Afer the 5 weeks I was able to have a blood test myself, which I never thought I would be able to do, and also to look at pictures and watch videos and actually watch somebody have a blood test.

I guess it also depends how determined you are to overcome your anxiety as well, as you have to put some work into as well.

Love
Clare