Anxiety Worsening

[GG1986]

Hi

I have been on Citalopram for nearly a year now and towards then end of 2008 I had a course of CBT which I found marginally helpful. When I went to see my psychiatrist he agreed that I needed some more long term help and has reffered me for something called Dramatherapy, which is essentially a group therapy. He knows I have bad social phobia so why recommend me for it? Now I've worked myself up into a real state and don't know what to do, I am paralysed with fear at the thought of dramatherapy but I just want to get better soon....

[NoPoet]

He's probably done it to get you out of your comfort zone, essential if you want to make real progress. He wants you to meet other people in a similar situation so you can receive reassurance and guidance; he is probably hoping that you'll make friends who can get you out of the house; he also recognises that the *only* way that social phobia can be cured or at least reduced is by getting out there and socialising.

Your doctor sounds like he has your best interests at heart and isn't afraid to set you a little challenge. Your doctor rules :D

[GG1986]

I can't do it, the thought of it today made me vomit, the town they want me to go to is the backdrop for a large portion of bad incidents in the past. I had enough trouble telling one counsellor what had gone on, how on earth would I share it with a group of strangers!

[Anxious_gal]

life is giving you the opportunity to face your fear!
you could go, you need not speak or even join in!
but if you feel you will not be able to cope you have the choice not to go.
the only thing that's stopping you is your fear, so with the right tools you could feel the fear without letting it scare you and do it.
maybe try some other type of therapy?
decide why you don't want to go but also keep in mind the benefits of going

[GG1986]

I've had C.B.T recently and I'm trying to use the tools but i'm in such a blind panic I just don't know what to do. I'm scared the people there will laugh at me, judge me or that I'll end up trusting someone only to be let down.

[vickykelly]

i know that feeling, the feeling that people will laugh at you is horrendous, I have a team of people work for me and today I had to go home at lunchtime and take some valium, I felt like someone was sitting on me and I cant eat or anything I was down this road a few years ago and still on meds, but they dont seem to be helping at all....... i dont want to give into this but may have to.. my hubby is trying to be supportive but he really doesn't understand! keep smiling hun and PM if you need to talk, I know I do!

[GG1986]

i know that feeling, the feeling that people will laugh at you is horrendous, I have a team of people work for me and today I had to go home at lunchtime and take some valium, I felt like someone was sitting on me and I cant eat or anything I was down this road a few years ago and still on meds, but they dont seem to be helping at all....... i dont want to give into this but may have to.. my hubby is trying to be supportive but he really doesn't understand! keep smiling hun and PM if you need to talk, I know I do!

I just can't get away from the thoughts I feel like an idiot all the time, I must come across as one. I think the citalopram isn't doing much for me. I'm glad your hubby is supportive, my parents are my support but sometimes you just need to speak with someone who knows what it's like. Feel free to pm me for a chat whenever you want x

[vickykelly]

I totally agree with you and the worse thing is that we know we make ourselves worse but when your feeling like this, its the worse feeling ever and you feel like everything is wrong with you and that sets you off again, and also the stigma with it that you out of control in enviroments that you dont want to be in. i.e. my workplace... i could do this job standing on my head, but just lately I cant cope with it and want to shut myself away...my hubby is ok, but he just tells me to get on with it and says the more I think about it the worse it will be.. and he is right but easier said than done, so this site is a god send as i realise I am not alone... do you get real physical symptoms hun.. how do you feel when your in mid panic... where abouts you licing?

[Allye]

Hello

Dramatherapy is really just an extension of CBT where you start to learn new behaviours through role play.

It really did help my friend who had panic attacks whilst driving and suffered social anxiety. Through role playing different situations she found her anxiety improved greatly.

Do you know for definite it will be group therapy?

What you are doing at the moment (from your CBT) is over generalising and concentrating on the bad elements. No one is going to laugh at you - they have all been referred to dramatherapy probably for similar reasons!!

Why don't you give the therapist a call and tell here how you feel? That will be a really positive step - you don't need to meet face to face - and she will be able to give you some more information.

Take care and post back here to let us know how you got on.

Allye

[GG1986]

I totally agree with you and the worse thing is that we know we make ourselves worse but when your feeling like this, its the worse feeling ever and you feel like everything is wrong with you and that sets you off again, and also the stigma with it that you out of control in enviroments that you dont want to be in. i.e. my workplace... i could do this job standing on my head, but just lately I cant cope with it and want to shut myself away...my hubby is ok, but he just tells me to get on with it and says the more I think about it the worse it will be.. and he is right but easier said than done, so this site is a god send as i realise I am not alone... do you get real physical symptoms hun.. how do you feel when your in mid panic... where abouts you licing?

The physical sypmtoms I get can be vomiting, shaking, extreme headaches and breathlessness. After an attack I usually find myself tearful and exhausted and have been known to sleep for a day and a half. When in mid panic I just lose control totally, I can't rationalise, I can't calm myself down, it takes so much out of me I cant even move sometimes, I just sit there waiting for the end. As for not thinking about it, it really is easier said than done.

Ally, I believe it is group, or my old C.B.T therapist does, she feels I cannot get anything more out of a one on one counselling relationship. I have thought about phoning the therapist but how pathetic would I sound..."I'm too scared to come and possibly change me life" some days I utterly despise myself.

[Allye]

And do you think you would be the first ever person to ring the dramatherapist and tell her that?????

Remember as I said everyone referred to dramatherapy will be referred for a reason. They will be very used to people ringing up first and feeling very anxious - that is what their job is!!

Give it a go and tell us how you got on!

Allye

[GG1986]

At the moment i'm too anxious to call them, phonecalls being one of my major challenges, but when I've calmed down I'll dig out the letter and try to give them a call..I feel like the biggest idiot in the world.

[GG1986]

I am a lot calmer now and I am going to the initial assesment with the therapist in two weeks, still petrified but keeping an open mind. Really scared that if it doesn't work I'll never recover.