CBT to tackle Agoraphobia - my experience

[little wren]

Hi Little Wren

It is strange about the blog link. As you say it doesn't work but if you copy it and then paste it into your browser, it does. odd! Yes, do write your own blog, I'd love to see it. How are you getting on today?

Hi star2sparkle

Thanks for asking... I am ok this morning (I am up at the crack of dawn as we have a pup - well he's five months old now but still a big baby lol). I am under a bit of stress at the moment as hubby was very ill two nights ago (long-term condition) and an ambulance was called early hours to take him to hospital. He may be out tomorrow. Last night I felt the anxiety creep up - then I remembered what little songbird had written on her diary about how she gives no importance to intrusive thoughts and just knowing someone else was experiencing and handling anxiety helped so much.

I think the pregabalin is actually helping with the toothache - or the nerves are dying - either way I have made my decisions on what to do concerning it.

Yay - your link works now ! I read your article about 'Wrinkles, worrying and whining...' It was funny and so true. I am someone who looks younger than my years and everyone is surprised when I tell them my actual age - I think it is just genetics. I hate all the influences out there that women over 40 are made to feel unnattractive. I was watching Lowri Turner on Wright Stuff yesterday and she is 48 and pregnant with twins and I just thought yes someone who is doing what she wants. A late forties pregnant presenter lol - Growing old disgracefully - love it.

How are you feeling today? I was also wondering which area of psychology are your interests in?

little wren x

[impulse81]

I am also on the waiting list for c.b.t,my problems are agoraphobia and s.a,I'm being brave today I have an appointment with my alcohol support worker and my partner is in work,I have got to get there by myself,I'm not feeling to anxious as yet but Its only early and I'm trying to think positive!

[little wren]

For our next session she wanted to meet me in the middle of a 140 store shopping mall I was not allowed to take anyone with me, just to be dropped off in the middle of town, somewhere I was totally unable to get to even with my partner. When I asked if I could at least let my partner wait for me in the car park she wouldn't even go along with that and decided to stop our sessions on the grounds of my "lack of trust". I'd be the first person to say that yes I do have trust issues, but I don't see that as a valid reason to stop therapy.

Hi Lyn thanks for sharing. You know when I first read your post I thought she cannot be writing about practices in Britain...Obviously you were. I think it is atrocious and think it is more akin to 'flooding' - just shoving somebody in at the deep end and saying well sink or swim then! Trusting the anxiety will come down and indeed the person will swim. I cannot imagine why she would use something 'outdated' when CBT usually asks for small gradual exposures. It is no wonder it has put you off!

---------- Post added at 08:25 ---------- Previous post was at 08:11 ----------

I am also on the waiting list for c.b.t,my problems are agoraphobia and s.a,I'm being brave today I have an appointment with my alcohol support worker and my partner is in work,I have got to get there by myself,I'm not feeling to anxious as yet but Its only early and I'm trying to think positive!

Hi Impulse - well done for thinking positive - I think most people suffering from agoraphobia will be relating to what you say. By not engaging with the 'what ifs' you are doing brill. As I write this I think 'sounds so easy to say' but I know how hard it can be sometimes. Good luck.

[Alabasterlyn]

Wow Alabasterlyn - that is RUBBISH CBT!! But I am not surprised as my experience of NHS CBT is equally sad, although I am sure there are good therapists out there, they are just not in MY neck of the woods!

What a shame you are put off CBT from these poor therapists. Please try the (now free) CBT4Panic which is endorsed through this site it is slowly but surely changing my life. 20 plus years of agoraphobia, panic disorder, health anxiety, hyperventilation, GAD, the list is embarrassing!!

I won't advise you to walk up and down your road if you find it tedious. But what happens when you walk beyond your road? Where is the cut off point to feeling anxious as opposed to bored? Find that point and that's where you begin. If you are in charge of your own CBT programme you certainly CAN take your partner to a shopping mall to begin with, you do it at your own pace in your own way. If your partner is around to drive you, try and plan that into your week in different ways.

Thanks for the link for CBT4Panic, I will have a look into that. I probably will sound like a lazy mare but I've got to the point where I don't want to walk any further than I currently do. We have 2 dogs and walk them about 2 miles a day, but I can only go with my partner and I am much better walking them when it's dark. I'm dreading when the clocks go forward as I will have to push myself even harder. Up until just over a year ago I never really did much walking outside of the house and had a treadmill in the spare bedroom. OH then had some knee problems and was finding walking the 1 dog we had at the time difficult so I started going with him and have been going ever since. It's been incredibly difficult battling to manage the distance and although I don't feel particularly anxious I've had a few times when I've come over all dizzy out of the blue and struggled to get back home

Hi Lyn thanks for sharing. You know when I first read your post I thought she cannot be writing about practices in Britain...Obviously you were. I think it is atrocious and think it is more akin to 'flooding' - just shoving somebody in at the deep end and saying well sink or swim then! Trusting the anxiety will come down and indeed the person will swim. I cannot imagine why she would use something 'outdated' when CBT usually asks for small gradual exposures. It is no wonder it has put you off![COLOR="blue"]

It certainly does sound like flooding indeed and I know years ago flooding was very popular. I can still remember once many years ago being asked if I would like to take part in this kind of treatment. It meant travelling about 40mins by car to the hospital and then going by tube into London with a group of fellow agoraphobics and going into a Dept Store in Oxford Street for a few hours. I can't believe that anyone in their right mind would ever think this kind of treatment could ever be effective and I often wonder what happened to the patients who did try it

[little wren]

Feeling bit down - I have not been allowed CBT for agoraphobia. I had CBT seven years ago for OCD which was only partially successful. I feel I could really benefit from CBT as I've moved on since then. I have been offered a support worker to accompany me outside once a month and come with me to the dentist as a one-off.

Feel like giving up. Where do I go from here? I will ask the psychiatrist on my next appointment. It is my last hope. I have looked at NICE guidelines and it says that if one session does not work can be given another session or a different therapy.

Just taking the prozac and pregabalin (have chest pains but I think it is from the bad news). I feel so demoralized.

[Pinktel]

Little wren do not give up, I will not let you

All I can say from my experience of NHS CBT is it is not a patch on the programme at CBT4Panic. I have never yet come across such a comprehensive package.

You sound like an intelligent person to me from your posts, it is not beyond you to take charge of your own recovery.

I have yet to come across a support worker with an understanding of CBT and neuroses such as Robin Hall displays. Read your way through his workbooks, watch the accompanying videos where he talks you through each work book (that is VERY helpful).

Get filling in sheets, get planning, get going, you CAN do this.

Mental health services are being slashed up and down the country, it is by no means right, but you will spend a long time fighting for very little help. Much better to spend and invest your energies in working through this yourself, it is a tried and tested methodology being offered to you through this programme and it will help you if you let it...

Any advice on it please ask me also, I am not Robin Hall but I am currently working my way through it all, I have been where you are.

[bernie1977]

So sorry that you are not getting the treatment you need Little Wren. I was in the same boat at one point and I wrote to the head of the mental health team and to NHS Complaints manager in my area. It worked for me and one week I get a visit from a CPN and the next a support worker to do exposure therapy with.

Not saying it will work but you could try and complain to see if it gets you the help you need.

[little wren]

Thanks Pinktel you are a little gem picking people up when they fall flat on their faces

Yes I cannot beat the system (I'm not longer young enough to believe it is fair). I think you are so right about investing my energies into taking control of my own recovery. I have nothing to lose following Robins lit. I cannot give up hope. If there's any support you need too just ask.

---------- Post added at 07:20 ---------- Previous post was at 07:15 ----------

Thanks bernie - I don't think I would get anywhere appealing the decision. I did actually ask my cpn 'who do I write to as I strongly disagree with the decision made about my health care?'. I was told basically it would do no good. I can see why vulnerable people benefit from advocates to help them have a voice. I guess I need to look more towards myself for my own recovery now. Ive read your post on other thread - and really pleased you are taking steps forward x

[flossie]

Hi little wren. Don't forget that CBT support is available via No Panic.

[little wren]

flossie - do you know if robins lit and the no panic programme are compatible - I can't remember if you'd done both. x