Setbacks - How do you cope

[Squiggle]

I'm in the depths of what I hope is just a setback at the moment. It's a pretty big one and I see myself as having gone past square one to minus three. It's been going on for 3 or 4 weeks now and I'm not getting over it. I've a pretty severe driving phobia and today I just had to abandon my car in a nearby housing estate and walk home for a propranalol before going back for the car. I'm just wondering about the whole setback thing - if you're doing exposure and get worse will you get better or is it a slippery slope? Is severe setback normal? Is it ok to last this long? I had been doing pretty well but tried too much one evening and had a little meltdown. I'm due back to work soon after mat leave and have no way to get there without my car!

[kittikat]

Hi Squiggle,

Don't be too hard on yourself...you have come such a long way. You have to praise yourself for the progress you have made. We all get setbacks or blips...maybe you are setting your goals too high. Remember, baby steps...a little at a time, maybe you just pushed yourself too hard. Are you having therapy at the moment? if you are it is fairly normal to get worse while confronting your fears, before you get better. If not, it is just a setback...you will come through it....a little at a time. Don't think you let yourself down, just look at how far you have come.

Take care, you will get there! Kitti x

[grotbags]

I don't cope very well with setbacks. All that hard work feels as though it's been undone. But at the same time, I have noticed that each setback is easier to overcome. When I have a setback I tend to use meds, add herbs, add supplements then wean off them when I feel better. I had a setback, badly, over autumn and winter - I'm still not over it but I'm getting there. I researched amino acids and various herbs. I went to my GP who gave me slow release 80mg of propranolol which I could take every day (although I have low blood pressure anyway so I have to stick with the occasional 20 or 40mg instead). Make sure you keep propranolol with you at all times! Then it's there if you need it.

During my setback I took L-Theanine, GABA, Valerian as needed, magnesium, fish oils. Whether these really helped I'm not entirely sure, but it felt like I was DOING something. I have phased some of these out now. Go to the library for CBT books. I also tried to do exercise and long country walks most days, wrapping up in all weathers (what fun ) and trying to release happy brain chemicals. You'll get through it, it just hurts badly at the time.

[Squiggle]

Thanks both of you. I really hope it's just a blip. Obviously the more I try not to think of it the more I'm obsessing. I had someone behind me blowing his horn and flashing his lights last night because I was too slow. I was having a panic before he started but oddly he snapped me out of it because I was so annoyed. I'd hoped he'd cured me but apparently not. My doctor wouldn't prescribe propranalol but i've a few a friend didn't need in case of emergency. I was just reading about GABA this afternoon so I might give that a go too. Thanks again.

[grotbags]

Why wouldn't your doctor prescribe propranolol Squiggle?