View Full Version : Massive panic....Again Tefal pans
Only posted a couple of weeks ago. In my cycle of finding things I’m going to die of I’m now in a mess about non stick pans. I got mine from groupon about 5 years ago and are now scratched, they have been scratched for at least a couple of years and now I cant think of anything other than I’ve now poisoned my family because I shouldn’t have been using them and chemicals have leached into our food and I’ve given us all cancer. I’ve put them in he bin now but I’m petrified of the damage I’ve already done and how utterly stupid I’ve been.
I’ve had to message the Samaritans I’m in a mess
I used to be the same with all my pots and pans,I used to scrub them over and over again,never had non stick because of chemicals,just one aspect of my ocd the list goes on,but have had very extensive therapy to get too where I am at.
You will Not die.Are you getting help,re Therapy?
I’ve had cbt twice, didn’t work. Counselling and a mental health nurse. I’ve been waiting since April to see someone but no one has got back to me yet.
Since April? That is a long time,can you chase it up or is it your NHS.
You are going to be OK,do some belly breathing and focus on something that you enjoy.
I’ve been to the doc, she says she’d get in touch with them to see what’s going on but that was nearly a month ago.
nomorepanic
19-10-19, 13:34
Never heard of this so looked it up and it says it is pretty rare and you would have to be heating the pan to over 260 degrees centigrade for any harmful toxins to be released anyway.
I looked online and it seems no one uses them, like I’ve been using some foreign object that no one uses and I’ve hurt the ones I live by doing so, the word toxic is thrown round everywhere.
Loads of people use them, they are on sale everywhere and 70 percent of the population own one or more Tefal coated pans. There was a 2015 report about the substance PFOA that started all the concern (I looked it up too) about possible cancer-links from long-term use, but subsequent reports say that it is too early to draw links and far more testing needs to be done over time to draw conclusions although it is advised not use products using this chemical. I've also seen some people say that those same toxins are present in far higher proportions in other parts of the environment (carpets, curtains and other products), and the coated pans are the smallest proportion of a human's intake of the PFOA. Now, Tefal themselves don't use PFOA and haven't for a decade, they instead use PTFE, which is deemed harmless. So, firstly, are you absolutely sure what your pans are coated with in chemical terms ? It could, and most likely is the harmless substance if you've had them for 5 years. Also, even IF it was the PFOA used then things aren't yet proved conclusively. There are many of us here who will remember the Aluminium pan scare many years ago, where we were told it was linked to Alzheimers, which has since been dispproved. So, basically, you've done the right thing, binned them, and now move on. Tefal themselves (yes, I know they ahve a vested interest) describe all the health issues on this link...
https://www.tefal.com/cookware-commitments
(https://www.tefal.com/cookware-commitments)
Thank you, I went on netmums and mumsnet and everyone uses ridiculously expensive pans and they all seem to use eco friendly cleaning products and don’t put their children in school trousers that are Teflon coated. I feel like I’ve done everything wrong especially buying from groupon too in fear of things being fake but they say they recall things if they are. I’ve researched the supplier they got them from and they’ve been going 25 years.
Oh netmums LOL THAT PLACE ! I swear it is designed to make everybody paranoid and obsessive. Those will be the same Mums talking about their wooden hand wittled ceramic-coated cookware, cleaning products made from extract of mole poo and general avoidance of the current in vogue threat, who are also making their children into jibbering wrecks. They probably also disinfect the bottoms of shoes and only make sandwiches from home-baked bread made with Outter Hebridean hand milled organic double dose whole wheat flour. Look, you can only do what you can do and base it on information you have at the time, and I think there will be a massive proportion of the population who know nothing at all about the 2015 report on this chemical and will be doing nothing about it, so you are 'possibly' one step ahead. I say 'possibly' as the chances seem incredibly high that your Tefal pans are made with the safe chemical. :winks:
Well that’s made me laugh for the first time in a long time, extract of mole poo. Thank you.
Pamplemousse
19-10-19, 18:14
If I could give Carys's post about Mumsnet a "like", I would :)
Well, I'm pleased it has made you both smile - I do hope I've not offended anybody who uses Mumsnet and isn't like that. I just think that most parents are doing the best they can and to be made to feel inferior, useless and guilty shouldn't be part of the deal on a parenting website. I also believe that what some people spout off that they do/use may not be a reflection of reality, and the perfection they want others to believe they exhibit ....is probably far from it.
Thank you, has made me feel a bit better.
Carys, I love your description of Mumsnet. :roflmao: So accurate!
Vix, I would not worry about the pans. Being only five years old, they would have been PTFE and fine. Just get some new ones, as you deserve some cookware that isn't worn out. I got a new electric skillet, and it makes cleanup so easy.
MyNameIsTerry
20-10-19, 04:55
Add me to the amused by Carys review of netmums crowd :roflmao: From what I've seen on other forums they get absolutely ridiculed for being so bonkers about everything. The feminism board is rabid from what I've seen.
I think the message here is not look on mumsnet!
I think that is an important conclusion to draw from it - yes. Before you jump to thinking that you are 'different to everyone else/have done something incredibly wrong/have poisoned your entire family' at least base your conclusion on a normal cross section of the population rather than a biased group. :roflmao:
Whenever I worry about something like this I think back to my mom telling me that when she was a kid she and her friends would ride their bikes behind the DDT mosquito repellent trucks because the chemicals smelled good. If you look hard enough you can find a way for anything to kill you. The key is to just stop looking!
Whenever I worry about something like this I think back to my mom telling me that when she was a kid she and her friends would ride their bikes behind the DDT mosquito repellent trucks because the chemicals smelled good.
I remember doing that!
Positive thoughts
I use tefal pans, I’ve even got some pans where the non stick bit is a bit chipped. Now I’m going to have to throw them away [emoji17].
I did buy some lovely ceramic ones recently that can’t chip. I got them in the sale, because who can afford to spend their precious part time wages on expensive pans.
I’m sorry you got in a state, I’m glad you messaged the Samaritans though. My sister volunteers there, it’s a wonderful organisation.
Sometimes when I’m feeling really bored I go and see what’s trending at mumsnet, it can really cheer you up [emoji3]
Fantastic words Erin and a quote I'm going to repeat here...
'If you look hard enough you can find a way for anything to kill you'. It is SO true, ANYTHING.
Thank you everyone, I’m still worried and always will worry about something as that’s just the person I am! It’ll be something different next week. I have just written a list to try snap me out of it. I think back to my dads younger years, both of his parents smoked in the house. I remember I time he told me that at school the teacher let them chase a ball of mercury around the table. He was in quite a good band so spent night after night for years - breathing in secondhand smoke in clubs, smoking a pipe and copious amounts of alcohol, he was a roofer for years- lots of sunlight ( no sun cream, it wasn’t in fashion in the 70’s) he worked shifts for 19 years in a glass factory and apparently silica is bad that makes glass and vinyl that goes in between glass that’s not great. He was a mechanic- breathing in fumes and his hobby is woodwork- breathing in wood dust. He’s now 76 , runs round after my son like a teenager and fitter and healthier than I am. And still I’m worrying about sodding pans.
Thank you everyone, I’m still worried and always will worry about something as that’s just the person I am! It’ll be something different next week. I have just written a list to try snap me out of it. I think back to my dads younger years, both of his parents smoked in the house. I remember I time he told me that at school the teacher let them chase a ball of mercury around the table. He was in quite a good band so spent night after night for years - breathing in secondhand smoke in clubs, smoking a pipe and copious amounts of alcohol, he was a roofer for years- lots of sunlight ( no sun cream, it wasn’t in fashion in the 70’s) he worked shifts for 19 years in a glass factory and apparently silica is bad that makes glass and vinyl that goes in between glass that’s not great. He was a mechanic- breathing in fumes and his hobby is woodwork- breathing in wood dust. He’s now 76 , runs round after my son like a teenager and fitter and healthier than I am. And still I’m worrying about sodding pans.
Well doesn’t that just say it all! Love your reasoning.
Perhaps we should just stop cooking altogether. That’ll teach Tefal a lesson [emoji6] x
Yes I remember when I had my daughter you could smoke in the room,your dad sounds like a real cool dude.:D
He certainly is. Can’t believe I’m still in a panic over this. So frightened I’ve given my family cancer.
Look vix, you need to go back over the thread and read it again. The points are all there to counteract your fears on this; the fact that nothing is proved, the fact that your pans were no doubt fine anyway as they were modern, the fact that there would be government warnings if there was a threat, the fact that most households in the UK are probably similar...etc
It’s ridiculous, I’m an intelligent woman, I have a full time job and my own business I’m not daft I can’t believe I’m letting stuff like this eat me up. I’ve had to nip home from work at dinner to take a diazepam. Got a letter from my docs in the post, just telling me to contact my local mental health service for cbt even though I’ve had it twice before and it was utterly pointless.
Intelligence has nothing to do with this vix, unfortunately.
I know, I feel like it should override it though somehow and tell me how ridiculous I’m being.
Great, something else now. I’ve just realised last year my Dr gave my son Ranitidine when he was a baby for a week. What a great start in life I’ve given him.
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nomorepanic
26-10-19, 13:27
What is wrong with that can I ask?
Pamplemousse
26-10-19, 13:34
What is wrong with that can I ask?
Apologies for the source, but:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranitidine#Cancer-causing_impurities
I’m in even more of a state now.
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I would assume your son is no longer a baby and healthy now so what's the problem? :shrug:
Positive thoughts
He’s 21 months old. Looks very healthy full of energy but I don’t know what damage inside I’ve done to him. I know he was incredibly bad with acid reflux and that’s why the dr gave him it to try. I’m so upset and cross with myself.
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nomorepanic
26-10-19, 15:01
You really have nothing to worry about here. It would be from long term use not just short term use with a baby.
I think you are just winding yourself up so try and relax and calm down.
Thank you, I’m just so scared of hurting him in some way and the cancer phobia grabbed hold again.
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He’s 21 months old. Looks very healthy full of energy but I don’t know what damage inside I’ve done to him. I know he was incredibly bad with acid reflux and that’s why the dr gave him it to try. I’m so upset and cross with myself.
So, he was incredibly bad with acid reflux and the doctor prescribed short-term ranitidine, the same as many babies up and down the country , as this was before there was a recall of the product. What would have been better, your son continue with incredibly bad acid reflux crying in pain and misery all day and night? There really was no choice you had, it was prescribed, he needed something and it was the medication of choice. SO to say 'Im cross with myself' - why should you be, I don't understand this statement ?
In retropect all sorts of things are not as great as they expect, and I know you are scared about doing harm to your family (as this is the same theme as the tefal pans really) but bear in mind it was short-term use only and some people have taken this for many many years.
I’m partly cross with myself because if I hadn’t have had post natal depression/anxiety/OCD after I’d had him and pushed myself to breastfeed instead of giving him formula he might not have had reflux in the first place and had to have taken medicines. I feel like I’ve made a mess of everything and can’t do anything right I feel like everything I do is going to hurt him in some way. I feel like I’m going to make him miserable.
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Pamplemousse
26-10-19, 19:54
No you're not. That is, as some of my family would say, "silly talk".
I would not worry about the Ranitidine. He only took it a week, and it's still unclear what is going on with the medication, anyway. The FDA did say that the company that discovered the problem was using a testing method that skewed the results higher. Apparently the contamination is not as great as those tests showed.
MyNameIsTerry
27-10-19, 02:12
Worth remembering this about Ranitidine:
https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?232189-Ranitidine-scare
It's only a possibility and even then previous recalls along the same lines with BP meds found it isolated to certain manufacturers and the risk still extremely low.
I’m partly cross with myself because if I hadn’t have had post natal depression/anxiety/OCD after I’d had him and pushed myself to breastfeed instead of giving him formula he might not have had reflux in the first place and had to have taken medicines. I feel like I’ve made a mess of everything and can’t do anything right I feel like everything I do is going to hurt him in some way. I feel like I’m going to make him miserable.
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This makes me so sad as a mother who also suffered with horrible postpartum anxiety. I can feel your pain and sadness, but it's all from the anxiety - which you are still suffering with. My anxiety started postpartum and I have only just recently felt that I've clicked back into place - FIVE YEARS later.
I live in the US and it is exceptionally common for babies to be put on Zantac for MONTHS at a time. Doctors here are extremely liberal with prescribing it.
But, your fears are definitely stemming from the anxiety not from any real danger you've put your baby in. Motherhood is SO HARD. The love we have for our babies is overwhelming and terrifying at times and can make us feel so so inadequate. I look back and regret that I continued breastfeeding because I think it contributed so much to my postpartum anxiety since I never got a break or rest and my body was not my own for so long. I think about how much time I spent crying or panicking when I should have been enjoying my daugther. No matter what we do, we'll find a way to beat ourselves up for it.
You are not going to hurt your baby or make him miserable. I promise. If you can, seek out help for the anxiety. I started seeing a therapist when my daughter was around 14 months old and it helped tremendously. My anxiety would come back on and off, but I could never have functioned without that help. My daughter just started Kindergarten and I went back to school and I finally feel like I've come out of the fog.
Give yourself a break. Motherhood is a total mind ****. Finding things that make you happy/give you a break/make you feel like yourself can help.
Good luck!
Wow I had no idea about ranitidine being recalled. Mothers up and down the country must be in a state of worry because so many children were given it as babies. And it worked and made theirs and your children less poorly. It’s been prescribed for years, I really would not give it another thought. My Dad smoked around me all my life, there’s nothing I can do about that. I’m sure it didn’t help my childhood asthma either....
On another level, what helps you relax? There are things you can do while you’re waiting for cbt.
Thank you everyone, there’s pretty much nothing that helps me relax. The only thing that stops me thinking is if I have my earphones in and music on incredibly loud so I can’t possibly think of anything else at the same time. My partner is completely oblivious to how much I’m hurting and I can’t talk to my mum and dad because I don’t want to upset them that’s why I’m here talking to people I don’t know and you’re all so lovely taking the time to reply. Every day that goes by I worry about something different. People I work with are very different to me, they have a lot more money and probably did things with their children much better than I have done. My really good friend is a teacher there and she had her son the same time as I had mine and she’s still breastfeeding him at 2 and a never give him a microwave meal in a plastic dish, all his food is fresh and home made.
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Please stop punishing yourself? You're doing your best, and I bet your friend has her own worries and inadequacies.
Comparisons are never helpful.
she’s still breastfeeding him at 2 and a never give him a microwave meal in a plastic dish, all his food is fresh and home made.
I would hazard a guess that this is actually unusual and to be honest I think your friend is setting herself up to feel inadequate at some point....
MyNameIsTerry
27-10-19, 14:35
Comparisons are never helpful.
I would hazard a guess that this is actually unusual and to be honest I think your friend is setting herself up to feel inadequate at some point....
Bitty :ohmy::blush:
https://i.makeagif.com/media/1-15-2018/ULB35K.gif
Yep, feels incredibly awkward sitting there trying to have a conversation! I won’t tell you about the friend with three children under 3, she has cream carpets, cream sofas an absolutely huge house. All three children wear matching clothes. Shes lovely but comes to work in full makeup, nails done, hair perfect, jewellery to match all outfits.
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I achieved something and brushed my hair twice last week.
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She doesn't have to cope with the same things you do. Besides, you have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.
My parents were pillars of the community, but they were severely abusive to me and it only stopped when they were around 80. Everybody thought they were wonderful, but I was terrified of them.
I won’t tell you about the friend with three children under 3, she has cream carpets, cream sofas an absolutely huge house. All three children wear matching clothes. Shes lovely but comes to work in full makeup, nails done, hair perfect, jewellery to match all outfits.
...and each of your friends is making you feel inadequate, or rather you feel inadequate. There WILL be things missing from the lives of those children - for example I bet they aren't allowed to draw and colour anywhere near the cream sofa and carpets. What this apparent 'perfection' gains is nothing compared to what will be missing....
How you bring up your child is very much instinct, and also often how your parents bought you up.
I would not judge a parent for having a spotless house or for breastfeeding until their child was 5 as long as they did it all with kindness and their kids seemed happy and healthy.
We just can’t judge, that’s it. I know sometimes we do - we can’t help it. But, we don’t know about the stresses and strains on those people. Look at any “mummy blogger” and so many of them suffer from anxiety.
None of us are perfect, none of us get it right all the time, all of us feel guilt and find balance a difficult thing.
You are doing the best you can, but you need help to cope with your intrusive thoughts and emotions. We are here to listen, and sometimes get advice ourselves too!
Can you find time each day to practice some relaxation or mindfulness? Perhaps on your commute?
Thank you everyone, I’m still so worried, I’m sat up at 1:37 am here to find out more information on the ranitidine. No more news anywhere, seems a lot of children are/were on it. I’m so scared and tense I’m freezing cold.
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Please stop searching for information about the Ranitidine issue. I've done some lengthy reading about it, and it's just going to take a while before there are more answers. Either way, your child is not going to be any more harmed by one week of Ranitidine as a baby than he will be by any number of other things we never think about. Somebody said on a GERD forum pointed out that there is also NDMA in bacon, but that doesn't stop people from eating bacon occasionally. (Now you all want bacon!) These chemicals all occur naturally as well.
As for your perfect friend, we don't know what goes on behind the scenes in peoples' lives. I remember reading about a family that was prominent in state politics in another part of the country back in the 80s. A friend of one of the now grown children said that although the family and their home appeared perfect on the outside, when you went upstairs in their house, all the children had mattresses on the floor and no furniture because the family had spent so much money making the downstairs look perfect for visitors. I always remember that when I see people with perfect homes, kids, and pets.
MyNameIsTerry
28-10-19, 02:42
You aren't going to get the information needed on Ranitidine right now because they are still studying it. But remember when this has hapened before it was very limited in distribution and even now certain manufacturers are only recalling certain batches (a precautionary measure) which perhaps suggest this will also be an isolated issue.
What the MHRA say:
Dr Andrew Gray, MHRA Deputy Director of Inspections, Enforcement & Standards, comments:
“Whilst this action is precautionary, the MHRA takes patient safety very seriously.
“Patients should keep taking their current medicines but should speak to their doctor or pharmacist if they are concerned and should seek their doctor’s advice before stopping any prescribed medicines.
“We have asked companies to quarantine batches of potentially affected medicines whilst we investigate and we will take action as necessary, including product recalls where appropriate.
“We have also requested risk assessments from the relevant companies which will include the testing of potentially affected batches.
“Currently, there is no evidence that medicines containing nitrosamines have caused any harm to patients, but the Agency is closely monitoring the situation, and working with other Regulatory Agencies around the world.”
Thank you everyone, I’m still so worried, I’m sat up at 1:37 am here to find out more information on the ranitidine. No more news anywhere, seems a lot of children are/were on it. I’m so scared and tense I’m freezing cold.
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Try to stop reading about it. You're looking for reassurance, but you'll only find more things to worry you. In the US the FDA put out the information about it but has not recalled it or told people to stop using it. They said it poses no immediate danger and for it to cause cancer exposure has to be over long periods of time.
I was so very much in your exact shoes when my daughter was born. The panic was debilitating. Can you see a therapist? Or try for your primary care to talk about solutions to the anxiety? I still feel sad 5 years out that I spent so much time worrying when I could have gotten more help sooner.
And, don't compare! As others have said, we never, ever know what other people's lives are like. I have a friend who appears absolutely perfect. She lives in this immaculate home that she designed, she bakes things that should be in magazines, has a brilliant child, etc, etc... She's a marvel. But, I talked to her once about how amazing her life looks and she told me that she can't help but make everything perfect and that it's oppressive. Those people who always looks perfect and put together? I feel bad for them because it must be such a burden. I am thankful every day that I can get up, take a 10 minute shower, put on leggings and a sweater, and go about my day. My nails are never done, my legs are never shaved, my kids clothes don't match and her hair is usually sticky... Being a mother is hard enough without trying to live up to impossible standards. Just getting through every day is a victory.
And, as for breastfeeding. My friends and I were just talking about how now, with our kids in Kindergarten, no one gives a crap how long anyone breastfed. No one knows. The kids don't wear a sign that says "I breastfed until age 4" or "My mom fed me formula from day 1" ... there's no distinction at all. I was born in 1983, 2 months premature, my mother never breastfed me for a single day, she put me to sleep on my stomach, and covered me with a blanket! The horror! But, I survived.
I had a febrile seizure when I was 2 years old. Back in the 1980s when that happened they put kids on an anticonvulsant for a YEAR afterwards. So, I took phenobarbital - a drug designed to slow down the brain - every day for a year when I was a toddler. My mom told me that later they found out it can stunt brain development in children! I am 36 years old and my mother STILL feels guilt about giving me this drug even though she cans see that I am perfectly fine! It did not affect my brain. I'm very smart and successful.
I promise you that one week of ranitidine will do absolutely no harm to your baby. Stop torturing yourself, mama! And get some support! Maybe there are even some mom support groups in your area. It can be so helpful to find other people who are in the same position as you. But, just know that parenthood is a shitshow for absolutely everyone.
I'll add that I just searched for this in the mom group I'm in on facebook and someone had posted an article. Everyone said they would keep giving it until they spoke with their doctors, and this person who works in pharmaceutical regulation said this:
So I’m in Regulatory in pharma and a chemist by training. Here’s the thing, there’s carcinogens EVERYWHERE. Is the amount in this at a level where you have to worry about it? Probably not. It states it’s basically at levels found in foods. They referenced finding triple the amount as compared to what was detected in the BP meds, ok, so what, that still doesn’t mean it does any harm. Things like this come up a lot, investigations are launched between the health authorities and the sponsor, and you never hear about it. Don’t panic until theres something concrete to worry about.
MyNameIsTerry
28-10-19, 03:03
I had a febrile seizure when I was 2 years old. Back in the 1980s when that happened they put kids on an anticonvulsant for a YEAR afterwards. So, I took phenobarbital - a drug designed to slow down the brain - every day for a year when I was a toddler. My mom told me that later they found out it can stunt brain development in children! I am 36 years old and my mother STILL feels guilt about giving me this drug even though she cans see that I am perfectly fine! It did not affect my brain. I'm very smart and successful.
And remember, she didn't, she put her trust in the very people we are supposed to. If we didn't then how could we ever treat anything? Isn't this the same with the Ranitidine?
But it's normal for a parent to feel this way because they are responsible for something huge, a human life. It's not the same for doctors/nurses because they have less attachment to the human being. What they learn to deal with is something different about their actions, and obviously they take it very seriously and can be badly upset by the mistakes or things they just can't treat, but they are not as committed to that person as the parent is.
Don't feel powerless, look at what you do for your child. Every day you get up and I bet your spend your life committed to your child. Doesn't that make you a good mum? In fact, would a bad mum be as upset about all this as you are? Anxiety picks our weak spots and in parents there is always a very obvious one it can try and undermine you with.
Don't let it sap your confidence and self esteem.
And remember, she didn't, she put her trust in the very people we are supposed to. If we didn't then how could we ever treat anything? Isn't this the same with the Ranitidine?
Yes, exactly right! All we can do is our best.
Thank you..... again everyone, I’ve contacted my mental health service this morning to see when I will get my referral, I need it desperately now but from previous experience it will be weeks away, there are no support groups or anything like that that I can physically go out to in my area and I don’t really have any close friends to talk to, thank you all so much for talking to me.
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Feel free to drop me a PM if you want to chat during the day, okay?
Thank you so much you’re so kind.
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NO problem Vix, until you get some 'real life' assistance, we will be here to talk.
Feel free to drop me a PM if you want to chat during the day, okay?
Same here! I would not have made it through early motherhood without other women who knew what it was like. Are you on Facebook? If you are, look for a local mom group on there. A lot of the support I got was from moms I only knew online. Really anything helps!
And as quick as a flash I’ve just remembered that on our house survey when we bought our house 10 years ado it said that there could be asbestos in the rated on the kitchen ceiling and we did nothing about it, I’m now convinced we’re all going to die of lung cancer now, great. I’ve had to call the mental health crisis team.
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Pamplemousse
28-10-19, 15:41
There 'could' be asbestos.
Have you disturbed, drilled, hammered, sanded or cracked the area that may contain it? If not - don't worry. If you leave asbestos alone, it does not present a hazard.
Totally right. The asbestos (if it is even present) is only a concern if you remodel the ceiling at some point. Then you would have to have a contractor come to test it, and if it does contain asbestos, remove it properly. Otherwise it's best to leave it in place because it's an unnecessary expense to remove it. I have asbestos tile floors in my upstairs, and I just paved over them with new laminate.
Thank you, I feel my home is some sort of health hazard now, it was ok this morning, went to my mum and dads just to get out of it, the diazepam have had to come out again. I’m so sick of this. Spoke to the crisis team today he calmed me down but I still feel the same. Sat here eating my tea and can’t see it or this properly because of tears that I’ve poisoned my family yet again as it was my choice to buy this house and ignore all the faults.
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Loads of people have asbestos in their homes or surrounding them, as others have said as long as its not touched then there is no issue. So, nobody is poisoned AT ALL.
Pamplemousse
28-10-19, 17:43
Vix, read again: have you disturbed the alleged asbestos-containing materials at all? If the answer to that is 'no', you have nothing to fear.
You wrote 'rated' in your original post which I assume is a predictive text error; what did you mean to write?
Sorry should be Artex
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No I haven touched it etc, it’s been painted over but it’s not cracked or anything at all. I’ve just got it in my head that it’s in the air or something now. Oh god what do I sound like.
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I’ve just got it in my head that it’s in the air or something now.
Well its just - not.
Pamplemousse
28-10-19, 20:26
Well, you've not damaged it in any way so there is nothing to worry about :) My house is full of it and I know the person who did the work 32 years ago. He's still with us :)
Thank you..... again. Let’s wait for the next instalment of my ridiculous brain.
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Pamplemousse
28-10-19, 21:02
Oh, I've got stuff in my head that's a struggle to deal with at the moment too.
Hope you’re ok Pamplemousse.
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Pamplemousse
28-10-19, 22:47
Thanks Vix. I'm all over the place at the moment, but I'll see how I am in the morning.
Thanks Vix. I'm all over the place at the moment, but I'll see how I am in the morning.
How’s things today?
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Pamplemousse
29-10-19, 15:33
Better.... I think.
I've woken up feeling less despondent than I was yesterday but I'm still a bag of nerves.
Anyway, this isn't my thread; more importantly, how are you today?
Nice to hear your a tiny tiny bit better. No change here, still thinking I’ve poisoned my family with asbestos, this one could last a while [emoji106].
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WHy do you still think that ? You need to challenge this lack of logic, you have heard our logical and absolutely correct reasons why thats not possible....
Pamplemousse
29-10-19, 18:53
Nice to hear your a tiny tiny bit better. No change here, still thinking I’ve poisoned my family with asbestos, this one could last a while [emoji106].
Thank you and Vix, trust me on this one - there's absolutely NO CHANCE of this.
If you think having an Artexed ceiling is bad, when the late Mrs. Pamplemousse and I were house-hunting before we got married in the mid 80s, one house we looked at had Artexed walls. Seriously.
It was a crap location and we walked!
I don’t know, I’ve been on lots of websites including NHS and they say it’s safe if left, however it seems very very real and frightening to me, there are two ceilings upstairs too that are textured one is in my sons room, it looks like thick paint on them, not like the kitchen but now I’m thinking they’re all asbestos now and I won’t have much time left with my son. I love him so much I really can’t bear this anymore.
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Pamplemousse
29-10-19, 22:07
Vix.... no. Just - NO.
Besides which, if you were unlucky enough to be exposed to asbestos via this route (which, we have established, you're not) it'd take anything between ten and forty years for it to manifest itself.
But... everything you have told us tells us you are at NO risk WHATSOEVER. Where I am sitting at the moment, there's a lovely shiny old Bakelite radio on a shelf which I listen to frequently. It dates from about 1948. Inside, there's a big component akin to the element in an electric fire and it gets very hot in use - it dissipates over thirty Watts. To stop it damaging the cabinet, the manufacturers surrounded it with a metal 'chimney' lined with white asbestos to deflect the heat out the back. And here's the thing; I am completely unfazed by it.
MyNameIsTerry
30-10-19, 02:14
I don’t know, I’ve been on lots of websites including NHS and they say it’s safe if left, however it seems very very real and frightening to me, there are two ceilings upstairs too that are textured one is in my sons room, it looks like thick paint on them, not like the kitchen but now I’m thinking they’re all asbestos now and I won’t have much time left with my son. I love him so much I really can’t bear this anymore.
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But do you realise that you have been around the stuff probably a lot of your life and never worried before? Schools used to have tons of the stuff them years ago and we are all fine. Men worked in industries around the worst two forms of asbestos, which is not the one you would have in your ceiling, yet aren't the illness rates low? What about all the old meter boards your electricity meters were attached too of which many were asbestos and they are still found in very small numbers in recent years?
You haven't disturbed it. But then how many buildings have you been in through your life where you never knew it was there?
Even if it's disturbed it's about long term frequent exposures. The stuff in houses is the least dangerous anyway by far.
Vix, I've been down the asbestos route before. I've had a lot of similar anxieties about toxins. Silent killers were always one of my big triggers - that something was secretly lurking and now it's too late (toxins in pans and dishes, toxic mold, asbestos, etc...) This is a common trigger for anxiety because you focus on the idea -- that is so so so common to anxiety -- that it's too late to do anything now. Once you latch onto this fear you feel like the poison is everywhere and you can't escape. It's a horrible feeling. But, as others have said, you're alright. You need to have high levels of exposure to asbestos for it to cause cancer. That's why all the legal cases are people who worked in industries that processed it or installed it or otherwise spent significant amounts of time in close proximity with it when it was airborne. People have been living in homes with asbestos for decades. If living with it in your walls and ceilings caused cancer the number of cancers deaths from asbestos would be astronomical! It would be a world-wide epidemic. And, it's not.
I was in Canada this summer staying at a friend's house. The house was built in the 1920s and while we were there a giant chunk of the ceiling fell out. It's a near certainty that the ceiling had asbestos in it based on when it was built and and how it looked. But, small amounts are not a problem. There are small amounts of every toxin in the air. We wet a rag so it wouldn't blow all over the house, wiped it up, and vacuumed. What more could be done? I would imagine that just about everyone has come in contact with asbestos and they are all totally fine unless it's prolonged exposure to high levels.
You and your family are ok.
The fear of something happening to me and leaving my daughter was also an enormous trigger for me in the year or two postpartum when my anxiety was worst. It's an overwhelming feeling of dread and sadness. But, that too is just anxiety.
i read a statistic once that as many as 1 in 10 people who had worked in asbestos mines their entire life would die of asbestos-related illness, and I thought.... wow, even if you were exposed to industrial levels of asbestos for your entire professional career, you would have a *90% chance* of being unaffected.
Thanks, I’ve told my mum and dad how I feel and broke down this morning, she got cross with me and had made me book an appointment at the Drs. I’m getting obsessive over this, noticed hair line cracks in artex because I’ve been staring at it, researching everything and absolutely petrified. I can’t cope
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Pamplemousse
30-10-19, 12:38
I've got one or two cracks in the Artex in my ceilings. I've even seen what looks like dust from it over the years. The thing is, the fibres are so tightly bound into the mixture that again, it does not present a problem.
Had to get an emergency appointment at the drs I was in a state. He’s put me back on fluoxetine and given me more diazepam. Even after all this reassurance from dr and all of you on here I’m still convinced we’re all going to die of mesothelioma. Currently sat in car crying.
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Don't blame yourself for this one. Are you receiving therapy right now?
No, on a 12 week waiting list.
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That's hard, but once you learn some self-soothing techniques things will get easier.
Do you have any hobbies at all?
I know it feels like you can't escape right now, that your fears are true and you are doomed, I can only reassure you that you WILL look back on this with a more measured approach in the future. Once you've been given some coping strategies and started your mental health support, there will be a way through. The 12 weeks probably can't be accelerated ? Probably not, as these waiting lists are full of people who have all been assessed as needing support. I know you have the crisis mental health team number (which they will have given you as they are aware you are in need of help but they are at capacity, which is good to have as at least your calls will be being logged and will make them aware of your suffering and possibly result in you having the first free appointment time. Hang on in there Vix.
Thank you.
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Sorry Blueiris, I do have hobbies but all this seems to have just knocked me out, I really can’t be bothered with anything.
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Pamplemousse
30-10-19, 23:29
Sorry Blueiris, I do have hobbies but all this seems to have just knocked me out, I really can’t be bothered with anything.
A classic answer to one of the standard questionnaires for assessing depression and yes, this sort of thing does become all-consuming. Been there, done that.
Just seen a screw hole in the artex now next to the light fitting it must have been there years I’m in even more of a state now I’m convinced it’s been letting asbestos in all this time. I’ve had to come to my mum and dads out of the way.
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Asbestos doesn't just 'move' and 'leak' like a gas around a room. The fibres have to become airborne, and that happens when it is moved/damaged etc. Nothing is moving those fibres in your room, even a hole makes no difference.
Even if you were to inhale a small amount of Asbestos, then there is basically no risk to you. "Actually, most of the people who inhale Asbestos won't develop any disease. Even amongst workers who have been exposed to large amounts of Asbestos over a prolonged period, only some of them will develop an asbestos related disease." (various places on Google, reputable sources)
Do you really think if there was risk like you think there is that half the population wouldn't have asbestos lung conditions ? If the hole worries you just stick some filler in it, job done. This is a contamination fear Vix, and you are moving from one possible contaminant to another. Start trying to repeat to yourself the reassuring statements you have had listed on this thread.
Pamplemousse
31-10-19, 12:03
I was actually thinking of taking a break from the forum again as I noticed some threads were triggering me, but this one has caught my eye.
Yesterday, whilst looking for a folder of information on how to use a piece of equipment, I came across the asbestos survey report for the very area I was working in. It was something like fifty pages, with photographs. All three types of asbestos are present - blue, brown and white - and the risks presented graded. But - and here's the important thing - it's deemed to be a safe environment as it is managed. Hell, they don't even have the little air monitors running like they used to at a former workplace.
I can only reiterate what I have said before; asbestos in Artex - and it has to be Artex of a certain vintage to contain it too - presents no risk to you in the form you have it. It is bound up with the material, and invariably painted over.
I don't know how old Vix118 is, but I'm of a vintage where the secondary school interior walls were probably made with AIB and we had asbestos mats for the Bunsen burners in a dusty draw. Equally, we were invited to dip our fingers in a beaker of mercury to note how it doesn't feel 'wet' because of its high surface tension. And I remember our hapless physics teacher knocking the beaker over and sweeping the mercury up with a dustpan and brush afterwards!
Seriously, Vix - a good few people here are taking the time to do a little sensible research on this subject and post it here to reassure you that you have nothing to worry about.
I can’t thank you enough for it all. Me and my partner are falling out about it now. He can’t understand why I’m in such a state. I’m still at my parents as I don’t want to go back to the house
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Pamplemousse
31-10-19, 18:12
Me and my partner are falling out about it now. He can’t understand why I’m in such a state.
That is the problem. Our illogical behaviour is seldom understood by those who don't suffer from health anxiety. And when it starts to impact on your relationships, that should - must - be a wake-up call. You have a partner; don't lose them over something like this.
Believe me, I'd have given anything on numerous occasions over the last nine years to be discussing/arguing/falling to bits over my anxiety issues with my wife.
Our illogical behaviour is seldom understood by those who don't suffer from health anxiety.
...yep, and rightly they don't understand it, as they are 'well' and currently you aren't Vix. I mean that they shouldn't understand it, as if they do then they are under the same HA/contamination fear umbrella and thats not a nice place to be or healthy. I honestly think you need to summon all your courage and return home, go through this thread again and read everything that has been said in terms of why this false asbestos fear is just that - false. You've lived in that house for a long time and nothing is different today to what it was yesterday.
nomorepanic
31-10-19, 18:22
I had some asbestos removed as some floor tiles containted them and they told me the artex has asbestos in it but poses NO RISK to me. It is when it is disturbed and removed and sanded down then precautions may need to be taken but they did not say I had to get it removed immediately.
Our illogical behaviour is seldom understood by those who don't suffer from health anxiety. And when it starts to impact on your relationships, that should - must - be a wake-up call. You have a partner; don't lose them over something like this.
Seconding this. This ridiculous, vile disease isn't worth losing your loved ones over. My HA has made me behave abysmally towards my husband in the past, and the guilt is something I have to live with for the rest of my life.
Had to stay at my mum and dads last night I can’t cope, I’m going to have to go back to the house today and my stomach is churning.
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Just because you're afraid, it doesn't mean that your fears have any real grounding.
I know what people are saying but this is very real in my head and I can’t stop it I feel everything is contaminated I just want to curl up and sleep I can’t function
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I know it's real in your head, but what you need to work on acknowledging is that these thoughts you are having are incorrect.
Please believe me when I say I've been there and done that; I've sunk to depths I don't even want to think about. The first step to finding the light, though, is to acknowledge that you're wrong - it can actually be a surprisingly liberating process.
I know it's real in your head, but what you need to work on acknowledging is that these thoughts you are having are incorrect.
Absolutely. Spend some time today doing something that will help, really help you Vix. Instead of reenforcing that you have grounds for your fear, look through this thread and copy off on paper all the reasons people have given why you have NOTHING to fear. It will be a positive step. Then every time you feel panicky, read those reasons, over and over.
Blue is so spot on in her advice - acknowledge that you 'are wrong'. Even say it out loud. 'I am wrong about this......' When your thoughts shout back at you, trying to convince you that everyone else is wrong, and you are right, read the comments here (that you have hopefully written out!)
I keep telling my self over and over again but it’s not going in. I can’t go home, my partner doesn’t understand at all and is getting cross.
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How many children do you have ? (I presume they are with you) Why do they think you aren't at home ?
Vix, you really need to do this. If not, then I think you should ring the crisis team and tell them that you have left the family home, and the reasons for it.
Vix, of course your partner's getting cross. Yes, you're mentally ill, but you're also behaving badly. The two aren't mutually exclusive.
You need to get a handle on this for your own sake, and the sake of the people you love.
Pamplemousse
01-11-19, 18:29
I'm with BlueIris here.
Vix, unless you do something about this NOW you are going to have far bigger problems on your hands than an asbestos risk THAT DOES NOT EXIST.
Yup. YOu can't keep running from 'threats' (that aren't threats at all actually). One threat will be substituted by another, it'll be something at your Mum's house next....
Took all your advice. Gone home and I feel awful and more panicky.
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Ok, well you need to help yourself out of that because really you can’t just move out can you?
Distraction might work best here for you. Clean, cook, play, talk... whatever helps. Do it until it helps.
Or not, it’s up to you really. But you’re being very defeatist, and you really need to try. Let us know how you get on?
That sounds a lot like blaming us, Vix. Were you planning on moving in with your parents forever?
No no I don’t mean it like that I’m so sorry. You’ve all helped me immensely. Just wanted to let you know I’ve gone home and how I feel, not thinking straight and it didn’t come out right.
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No, I didn’t want to live with my parents forever I needed all of you to say the things that you did to push me to go.
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From personal experience, please get real life professional help. My ex suffered with SDD that manifested itself into hoarding. Our children were young and words cannot describe what it was like. I convinced her to go to counseling and after a couple of sessions, the therapist wanted to see us separately. She went a few times and stopped. I knew then it was over. I can honestly say had she truly made an effort, things may have turned out differently. My daughter suffers with anxiety and depression and I know it came from environmental factors, life events and heredity. Do it for yourself and your family.
Positive thoughts
She's on the 'waiting list', and is desperate for it to start, but it is going to be 12 weeks before her counselling/therapy starts. (thats the NHS mental health services for you) However, Vix does have the crisis team she can call in the meantime,if she feels totally out of control.
No, I didn’t want to live with my parents forever I needed all of you to say the things that you did to push me to go.
Well, I'm really glad you have gone back, and well done for doing so. You will still feel panicked, as you are 'facing your fear' of the asbestos rather than running from it. We all know of course that it s not a logical or 'real' fear, but you have spent a lot of time convincing yourself that it is and so it feels very real to you right now.
Thank you. I need to stop staring at the hole, i stood on the worktop today and because the artex is bumpy the light fitting is not a flat fit to the ceiling I can see where the wires come down from the ceiling into the light fitting. We didn’t cut it it’s been there ever since we moved in 13 years ago we’ve never touched it. I need to stop looking at it.
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Yes, stop.
Today and this week I’ve been feeling myself spiralling. Last night I had 2 nightmares and today I had a tension stomach ache and I cried because I was so wound up. So I rang my sister and talked it out. I didn’t tell her all of it, but I feel SO much better. The stomach ache has gone, I’ve been able to be silly with my daughter, I’ve cleaned and done the shopping. I feel better.
Please, do something to pause the spiral. It’ll be ok x
Pamplemousse
02-11-19, 21:36
Thank you. I need to stop staring at the hole, i stood on the worktop today and because the artex is bumpy the light fitting is not a flat fit to the ceiling I can see where the wires come down from the ceiling into the light fitting. We didn’t cut it it’s been there ever since we moved in 13 years ago we’ve never touched it. I need to stop looking at it.
Yes, you do. Because just about every light fitting in a house with an Artexed ceiling will do this, especially if the fittings were installed later over the Artex.
It. Is. Not. A. Problem.
Had to call the crisis team an 111 this morning I’ve never panicked like this before. Now convinced myself that the bathroom partition is asbestos board and not plasterboard now. I have a nurse phoning me back
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Even if it was, it wouldn't harm you. Please keep us posted?
Now convinced myself that the bathroom partition is asbestos board and not plasterboard now.
...and indeed....what if it even was ? Theres no risk.
You can unconvince yourself too you know :winks:
Just been on the phone with a 111 paramedic.
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Pamplemousse
03-11-19, 14:59
Had to call the crisis team an 111 this morning I’ve never panicked like this before. Now convinced myself that the bathroom partition is asbestos board and not plasterboard now. I have a nurse phoning me back
Is it damaged? If not, THERE IS NO RISK. And remember, assumption is the mother of all f***-ups. You're assuming the partition is AIB.
Seriously Vix, what's it going to take to convince you there is no risk here? A full asbestos survey? Personal health monitoring for the next 30 years?
I don’t know, I can’t think straight at all. Apart from a mirror that’s hung on it and a tiny shelf it’s not damaged. No dust came out because I used plasterboard screws. That was years ago. I don’t know, I just don’t know what to say at all.
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and what did the paramedic and crisis team say, that you've called ?
Crisis team just told me to go for a walk and the paramedic told me to phone my doctors tomorrow she’s put down that I’ve been in touch with 111 and they need to give me an appointment in 24 hours.
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So did you go for a walk? A temporary change of scenery can really help.
Went for a walk with my mum and dad and my son and our dogs. It was nice to get out but my stomach was churning as soon as I got back to my front door.
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The more I’m here the more in a panic I’m getting. I don’t know how to calm down just want to run away
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You're not in any danger - keep on reminding yourself of this. Just keep on sitting with it.
I’m trying I’m in a state
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I know you are, and I know how tough it can be. But constantly reinforcing to yourself that you're not coping won't help.
YOU ARE COMPLETELY SAFE. It's okay to let your guard down for a bit.
I’m trying I’m in a state
Distract yourself by doing something dull and necessary but requiring organisation and thought - clean out some cupboards that have needed doing for ages, sort clothes....anything. There is no threat in your house, otherwise the survey would have highlighted that and told you so! You've lived there for 13 years and everyone is well.
Everyone is falling out with me I can’t take this
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Don't keep telling yourself that, Vix. You're strong, you can cope - repeat that to yourself.
My mum got really cross because I’m sat not helping myself I can’t function thinking I’ve hurt my family she was in tears because she doesn’t know what to do with me my dad is upset and my partner will be getting cross soon
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Its really hard this situation on both you and your family, I recognise whats going on Vix; people just don't know what to do or say or how to deal with it. Its so incredibly hard for them to understand, and they feel like they have no ability to help or make a difference. Sometimes they also get angry, and frustrated - because they are in that healthy and logical place, where you currently are not. Often, like your Mum (and my Mum lost her temper immediately when I was ill years ago, so I know how that feels) they just don't have experience, or skills in mental health problems and so will say and do what they think will make a difference and it won't always be helpful. Losing their temper, crying or despair are no indication that they don't love you - its an indication that they feel at a loss in the situation and are presumably also worried about your partner and children (as well as you).
If its upsetting you, then why not formulate some strategies to show you are trying to 'help yourself' ? Do what I suggested and plan some distraction tasks ? Why not sit down and talk with your Mum calmly and listen to what she thinks would be a 'way to help yourself' ? I have to say, that I have also noticed myself in the last few days of posting on here, that you don't seem to be at the point of really accepting that you can make a difference to how you are feeling and you do keep reiterating that there is a threat from the asbestos. Despite all the reassurance, and advice to write out the reasons why the asbestos is NOT a threat, you still saying is dangerous. I said once in a post that you can 'reverse how you think about something' and that is something that you will get help with during your therapy sessions. There are small things you can do to start the process of accepting your thinking is faulty, and I maintain that having a physical list of all the reasons why there is no threat in your house (taken from this thread) is a good way to start.
Adding - I see from your post in September that you said you had a mental health nurse visiting every two weeks, is this still happening ?
No, that stopped about 6 months ago.
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Vix, you need to get outside your own thoughts. Have you tried a grounding exercise? It might help you re-focus your thoughts so you can break the pattern you're in. Once you've done that, try to use a distraction like Carys suggested. Do something that occupies your thoughts, whether that is watching a video, playing a game, organizing your closet, or picking up a hobby you put down a while ago, etc. The more of your attention it requires, the better.
https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/grounding-techniques.pdf
I'll make the same offer I've made a few other people on the forum - if you'd like to learn to make jewellery, I'd be happy to provide online tuition and support.
Thank you and thank you Blueiris that’s so kind of you, just struggling to get myself to do anything like that seeing as I think I ’ve hurt my whole family though. I don’t feel like I deserve to do something I enjoy.
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I’m still at my mum and dads. I’m going to lose my partner over this. I can’t get it out of my head.
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That seems like a massive price to pay for an irrational fear, with no basis at all in reality. Surely this is not worth losing your life partner for ?
What makes you think that your Mum and Dad's house doesn't have something that will be your next contamination problem ?
Pamplemousse
08-11-19, 14:04
That seems like a massive price to pay for an irrational fear, with no basis at all in reality. Surely this is not worth losing your life partner for ?
What makes you think that your Mum and Dad's house doesn't have something that will be your next contamination problem ?
Wow. Vix, would you seriously risk losing your partner rather than address this non-issue?
I'd say "get an asbestos survey done, despite the cost" but I'm more concerned you'd just move onto another contamination issue afterwards and it'd be money wasted.
Some of us here had no choice in losing our partners: you do.
Dying_Swan
08-11-19, 17:27
Hi Vix.
Im sorry you're having such a bad time right now. Would it be worth talking to your partner and explaining that you realise it's irrational but you're struggling to manage your fear and waiting for some help? It's difficult for others to understand but I think people can be more patient if they realise you're seeking support. I also think these situations can be a "cover" for the real anxiety, perhaps unconsciously, and it can be worth trying to figure out what the real, underlying fear is.
As far as I understand it, asbestos presents no risk if it's left alone. A vast number of houses have artex ceilings. I had one ripped down a while ago due to a massive crack which had been there for years. It was an unholy mess and not something I'd have done unless absolutely necessary, but if you're that worried you could have a builder or surveyor give it the once over. That would be reassurance-seeking though, so it would be a good idea to get some support with your anxiety too.
Thank you and thank you Blueiris thatÂ’s so kind of you, just struggling to get myself to do anything like that seeing as I think I Â’ve hurt my whole family though. I donÂ’t feel like I deserve to do something I enjoy.
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That is not true, Vix, that's just your anxiety trying to trick you. Your family is fine. They just want you back and feeling better!
Not great, been signed off work. Still at my mum and dads.
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Sorry to hear that, Vix. Are your kids with you?
I’ve just a son and yes he’s here with me. I went to the house yesterday to wean myself in. I want to be back in for Christmas. I just don’t know how to do it without panicking.
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Just went back to the house again and felt like I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know how to do this.
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....but you can breathe ! There is nothing that is different from breathing outside the home to inside the home, its only your anxiety making you think you can't. YOu need to stop giving in to the fear. You are now following the classic avoidance route, as you have labelled your home as a threat. I think its a mistake to say 'back in for Christmas' that is absolutely weeks away - weeks during which time you will be building this up even further in your mind.
Pamplemousse
16-11-19, 17:22
There are pollutants outside the home far more dangerous than the ones you think are in your home: diesel particulates, NOx emissions, people burning inappropriate materials in their wood-burning stoves... the list goes on.
As Carys predicted, I don’t want to be at my parents now. My dad and my partners dad we’re having a discussion about artex then my dad said ‘oh yes it’s horrible, it was on our chimney breast so I sanded it then plaster boarded it’ - brilliant. And I thought my dad was sensible. He’s careful with everything. I assume this was done when I was small. I can’t believe this now completely convinced I’m going to get lung cancer now. I’m in a proper panic now. I want to run away.
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Dying_Swan
24-11-19, 17:09
I already mentioned I had an artex ceiling ripped down a while ago. The ceiling is separated with a beam. To make both sides match, the builders scraped the artex off the other side and plastered over it. I'm sure this is not unusual given how many houses contain artex. Are you getting any help with your anxiety at the moment?
Just antidepressants, still waiting for counselling.
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As Carys predicted, I don’t want to be at my parents now.
I'm afraid thats the way it goes Vix, because the problem isn't in your surroundings, but in your head.
Dying_Swan
25-11-19, 15:52
Just antidepressants, still waiting for counselling
While you're waiting, what about trying the free CBT workbooks on this site? (Here) (https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?211324-9-FREE-CBT-ebooks-for-Health-Anxiety)
Good idea Swan.
Vix, the more you keep running the smaller your world will get and the larger the fears will become. Today your parents house, tomorrow the next place you 'escape' to. You can't escape your false thoughts about the contamination, they are in your head, so wherever you go they will be with you to rear up again. You could indeed try some self-help whilst waiting for the therapist.
MyNameIsTerry
26-11-19, 03:15
Good idea Swan.
Vix, the more you keep running the smaller your world will get and the larger the fears will become. Today your parents house, tomorrow the next place you 'escape' to. You can't escape your false thoughts about the contamination, they are in your head, so wherever you go they will be with you to rear up again. You could indeed try some self-help whilst waiting for the therapist.
Exactly this. It always comes down to exposure methods to get beyond these. Your world keeps shrinking otherwise and anxiety will find other fears to use against you and try the same pattern.
When I had my breakdown initially it was in a large open plan office. Within hours or back & forth to the toilets to escape (thinking I was going to lose control of my bowels or stomach) I was getting further from the internal doors, then the external ones. Weeks later it was supermarkets. Months later it was leaving the house.
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