Behavoural Activation and Guided Self Help

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone has been on the above. I have been referred and have like 5 weekly session and start on the 16th November.

I guess im just really nervous about the whole thing, and worrying. Silly I know, I guess.

Anita,

[SHYGIRLAJB]

I guess no one has heard of this then.

[Nigel]

Sorry... I’ve never heard of it either :shrug:

Do you have any info about it? Perhaps you could post a short extract and other people might recognise it as something else. You might find its somebody’s new take on something ordinary like CBT – just picking up on the ‘behavioural’ bit.

Sometimes people think that if they can come up with a clever new name for something it can justify charging a little more fot it :winks:

Hope it goes well :yesyes:
Nigel

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi,

Nigel - Thanks for replying.

On the Behavioural Activation leaflet it basically says. That BA focuses on re-establishing daily routines, increasing pleasurable activites and daily things that are necesarry. And the Guided Self Help leaflet, I think is like work books, that are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and provide practical strategies for coping with distressing symptoms and the impact they have on individual lives.

I guess its a case of fingers crossed and wait and see.

Anita, XX.

[thetube82]

yeah Anita that is basically it,

Behavioural Activation is generally used in depression, it basically means getting people to recognise/start doing what they used to enjoy doing but may have stopped when depressed, i.e. someone may have enjoyed jogging but stopped as they got depressed, BA would encourage them to start again gradually and notice the changes in mood. And also recognise unhelpful behaviours they may have started doing since depressed.

Current Guided Self-Help is usually based around CBT and consists of self-help workbooks that a person works through under the guidence of a worker, usually (but not always) a Graduate MH worker or a PWP.

Hope this helps,

thetube82

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi
Thanks for replying to my post,

Sorry, I didn't say thanks sooner. Getting nervous now my first appointment is tomorrow.Not feeling to well, joints are really aching all over, can't really cancel cos I will be missing the last session as it is.

Have to get like 2 buses, on my own cos my man is working, can't really expect my mum to go with me really. I don't know, hmmm. Oh well.

Anita,

[Nigel]

Hi Anita,

Keep imagining yourself this time tomorrow, having been and done it and feeling mighty proud of yourself for taking the first brave steps on your road to freedom :)

Best of luck for tomorrow :yesyes:
Nigel

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi Everyone.

Well I have had quite a few sessions of these and I think they are sort of helping me. At the moment I am having trouble concentrating on the workbooks that I have to read through and sort of try and do the exercises and list my experiences and things.

Everytime I try and read, it doesn't seem to stick in my brain, :( . I suppose the sinus trouble with the hurting head and eyes don't help. Just don't know what to do hmmm.

It is getting me down, I am trying to read the book but things just ain't going in.

Has any of you having trouble with things like this, if so what did you do.

Anita.

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi Everyone

Had my last session today. My therapy lady said I had done well with the activity side of things and couldn't help me any further on that side of things. Its just the otherside the workbooks. I couldn't seem to digest the information at all into my brain. I did try, it just wouldn't go in.

I even read the book for a short period of time and still no. No matter how many times the information just wasn't coming through. The therapy lady said that it would concentrate on the worbooks side of things now. I thought it would be pointless if I can't seem to digest the information, so I sort of ended the session. She will refer me back to my linkworker and then hopefully they will find something else. hmmm.

I just feel so thick, not being able to do the most simple of things like reading the workbook and trying to get the information into your brain.

Oh well,

Anita.

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi

Just and update really. Im seeing my linkworker tomorrow morning, really nervous about that. Not sure why, hmmm. Hopefully they can find other things I can try. Well so far, the normal counselling I got stuck in mental fog, this therapy I just done, can't seem to get my head around the workbooks. hmm. I wonder what else I can do.

The lady I am seeing tomorrow, when she is writing things it looks like she is laughing to herself or something. I think that makes me kind of uneasy. Probably just the way she is like but it doesn't stop your mind from thinking allsorts of things.

Anita.

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi Everyone


Well I had that appointment, and guess what she still did it. I had to sort of look away. I wasn't confident to bring the subject up as I think its just the way she sort of looks. hmmm. Well erm I am having some more therapy, I can't quite remember the term she used. Somthing to do with solutions and working things out, its probably more of a talking sort of therapy and guess what its with that lady who looks like she is laughing whilst writing and things. Oh great!! Just my luck.

Plus im not really looking forward to it, have to get on like 2 buses there and 2 buses back, and the buses are probably going to be packed with school kids and the area where it is dubious looking people hang around hmmm. I am just not so sure.

Anita.

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Eeek I think I am worrying about tomorrow really, at least my man can take me this time and pick me up. Spending an hour, with her looking like she is laughing at you, hmmm. Will have to try and look a way or something.

Anita.

[thetube82]

mention your concerns to her, i would!!

thetube82

[buster_uk1967]

How did you get on Anita?

[SHYGIRLAJB]

Hi Everyone,

Well I did see her, and it was sort of ok. She didn't do any writing so, the looking like she is laughing at you wasn't there. It must be something she does when she is writing. Its hard to describe what the session was like. She did ask but I couldn't answer really. She said oh don't worry its probably down to your depression and anxiety and you are trying too hard. I don't know, all that I know is my brain goes completely blank and can't think of anything. It happens in my English Class too, hmmm.

Oh well, not to worry.

Anita.