lymph node biopsy (needle) on 24th

[UKmamainUS]

It's going to be a long week plus two very long weekend.

Trying to find a new therapist since my hubby just told me that spending the day drowsy on drugs our locked away crying isn't really much like living either. He makes a good point but the only reason I keep dropping therapy is because he is out of town so much and I don't have anyone to watch the kids.

[anthrokid]

It's a good idea to find a therapist, especiallyif you're feeling so awful and spending so much time upset and taking meds to try and subside your anxiety. However, I think everyone understands that sometimes it feels impossible to find the time, especially when you have a family of your own to care for as well. It may be a good idea to find a therapist to see perhaps once a month which may be more managable for you, and then in the time between do some online therapy. There are a couple of government supported online therapy sites over here that provide tailored online therapy based on your needs. If you do a quick online search you may find something similar over there They are generally anonymous, and free also (as long as you don't want therapist support, which you won't need if you organise to see a therapist every few weeks or so).

[UKmamainUS]

It's a good idea to find a therapist, especiallyif you're feeling so awful and spending so much time upset and taking meds to try and subside your anxiety. However, I think everyone understands that sometimes it feels impossible to find the time, especially when you have a family of your own to care for as well. It may be a good idea to find a therapist to see perhaps once a month which may be more managable for you, and then in the time between do some online therapy. There are a couple of government supported online therapy sites over here that provide tailored online therapy based on your needs. If you do a quick online search you may find something similar over there They are generally anonymous, and free also (as long as you don't want therapist support, which you won't need if you organise to see a therapist every few weeks or so).

Thank you. I will look at the online stuff. I have some books for CBT that I figured I can do at my own pace, since when I did them with the therapist she never really did seem to do much of it with me. She would ask me what I wrote, maybe talk about it for a minute, then tell me to do the next chapter. Not really sure I needed her for that. I do however need some sort of outlet for my anxiety, and I think talking to a therapist might be good for that.

[anthrokid]

Unfortunately it can be that way in therapy, especially with straight CBT. The focus is on the work that you do away from therapy because the skills you use doing that are what help change thought processes and tackle anxiety. If you are finding it is better to do the CBT at your own pace, perhaps consider trying to find a counselling therapist who doesn't necessarily use CBT but focuses on a person-centred or motivational interviewing technique. This way you'll have an outlet for your anxiety and concerns without feeling like all of your time with them is being dedicated to CBT.

Some of the books are great too Whilst it is helpful to do them at your own pace, be sure to try and keep the amount you do the same every week. CBT works best when it is used regularly. Even if you work on just monitoring your mood and thoughts once a day, then increase to do more as you go along. This is where some of the websites are quite useful - you can save progress online and have a record of your mood, thoughts and activities without having to write on hundreds of pieces of paper. To my knowledge, there are also a few apps for phones where you can monitor your mood and thoughts which are helpful as they are quick and easy to use.

---------- Post added at 09:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 ----------

Here's a link to one of the government supported sites over here, which I'm sure you can still access and use in another country

https://www.anxietyonline.org.au/

They ask you to complete an online assessment first so they can best determine what is the biggest issue for you and what kind of online approach you will be best suited to. After that, you have access to all of the information and activities related to your probelm, and you can work through them at your own pace You can also repeat them when you finish the course if you'd like to do more. It really is quite an awesome site.

[UKmamainUS]

Unfortunately it can be that way in therapy, especially with straight CBT. The focus is on the work that you do away from therapy because the skills you use doing that are what help change thought processes and tackle anxiety. If you are finding it is better to do the CBT at your own pace, perhaps consider trying to find a counselling therapist who doesn't necessarily use CBT but focuses on a person-centred or motivational interviewing technique. This way you'll have an outlet for your anxiety and concerns without feeling like all of your time with them is being dedicated to CBT.

Some of the books are great too Whilst it is helpful to do them at your own pace, be sure to try and keep the amount you do the same every week. CBT works best when it is used regularly. Even if you work on just monitoring your mood and thoughts once a day, then increase to do more as you go along. This is where some of the websites are quite useful - you can save progress online and have a record of your mood, thoughts and activities without having to write on hundreds of pieces of paper. To my knowledge, there are also a few apps for phones where you can monitor your mood and thoughts which are helpful as they are quick and easy to use.

---------- Post added at 09:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 ----------

Here's a link to one of the government supported sites over here, which I'm sure you can still access and use in another country

https://www.anxietyonline.org.au/

They ask you to complete an online assessment first so they can best determine what is the biggest issue for you and what kind of online approach you will be best suited to. After that, you have access to all of the information and activities related to your probelm, and you can work through them at your own pace You can also repeat them when you finish the course if you'd like to do more. It really is quite an awesome site.

Thank you for all this advice. I was certainly take your advice and use it well.

[anthrokid]

Best of luck