Have I got rectal cancer?

[Toby2000]

You keep saying you completed the CBT course and it's failed. But just because you completed it doesn't mean it should cure you. The whole point of the therapy is the help you manage your anxiety by teaching you the skills and techniques to try and reduce your worries and see them. You must practice these frequently in order for them to be worthwhile. I'm betting you've barely done any of the techniques you were taught in the classes since it finished - preferring to spend more time online and inspecting your toilet bowl.

Look back at your work you've done with your therapist. The trigger sheets, the logical thinking etc. Refresh your brain and put them back into practise. It's hard to be cured of severe anxiety, but it's certainly able to be managed when using the correct mindfullness techniques.

I guess I just forgot it all. Or they ended and I felt refreshed but then my worries started again and then all of the advice I was given went out of the window. But again, I still don't spend hours reading through bowel cancer horror stories like I used to, that's one thing that stuck after the therapy ended

I'll try. I tried relaxation methods earlier but nothing much worked

[Toby2000]

Is it possible to have a psychosomatic stomach ache? Or just a vague one caused by anxiety?

Like, the more you think about it, the more it's there

[Toby2000]

I'm literally going to punch a wall, I'm trying to relax in bed but I literally can't because of this dull ache that seems to be getting worse the more I think about it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Therapy is a mere taste of what things like CBT are about. A few weeks sessions aren't going to unpick years of problems. IAPT has been criticised for weakening therapy from professional associations because it's more about treating mild issues.

So, for those of us who need a lot more than 6 sessions at Level 2 or 12-15 at Level 3, you look to yourself and take responsibility for the future. What you have learned is to be applied again, again, again and despite it being demoralising - again.

If you go into therapy thinking it will sort this out you can be in for a big disappointment. They just don't have the resources for many of us.

Self help and the tools & techniques taught are not to be put down after you leave. They are about changing your thoughts, behaviours and reactions. Once you have done all that you will find it instinctive to do things a different way. Until you reach that point you just have to keep trying. The alternative is remain as you are.

It's a chronic issue. With chronic problems it can take some time to even find what helps and then even longer to find it works for you. Once you find things that do you keep trying until you see progress.

Don't fall into the trap of modern thinking we just take pills, like so many doctors think too!

As for now, you are demoralised and annoyed by feeling as you do. We know - we've all been there. Get out your therapy notes, getting reading useful stuff on Google about mental health and healthy behaviours and work on it. Try not to let the low moods take over and feel sick of your life.

And yes, we've been there too. Whilst it's common on here people complain that others aren't changing and falling into despairing traps that appear as self pity I'm betting both nuts on the fact there is no mental health sufferer out there, past or present, who hasn't felt like that. The only difference is you are telling people and eventually people get frustrated. This is where you would be better documenting in a journal as it will avoid the arguments and also (far more importantly than upsetting some people on the internet) be treating your reassurance seeking and done the write way (positive language is important in reframing conclusions, not negative down on yourself terms) will help influence your negative automated thoughts & Cognitive Distortions.

[Toby2000]

Therapy is a mere taste of what things like CBT are about. A few weeks sessions aren't going to unpick years of problems. IAPT has been criticised for weakening therapy from professional associations because it's more about treating mild issues.

So, for those of us who need a lot more than 6 sessions at Level 2 or 12-15 at Level 3, you look to yourself and take responsibility for the future. What you have learned is to be applied again, again, again and despite it being demoralising - again.

If you go into therapy thinking it will sort this out you can be in for a big disappointment. They just don't have the resources for many of us.

Self help and the tools & techniques taught are not to be put down after you leave. They are about changing your thoughts, behaviours and reactions. Once you have done all that you will find it instinctive to do things a different way. Until you reach that point you just have to keep trying. The alternative is remain as you are.

It's a chronic issue. With chronic problems it can take some time to even find what helps and then even longer to find it works for you. Once you find things that do you keep trying until you see progress.

Don't fall into the trap of modern thinking we just take pills, like so many doctors think too!

As for now, you are demoralised and annoyed by feeling as you do. We know - we've all been there. Get out your therapy notes, getting reading useful stuff on Google about mental health and healthy behaviours and work on it. Try not to let the low moods take over and feel sick of your life.

And yes, we've been there too. Whilst it's common on here people complain that others aren't changing and falling into despairing traps that appear as self pity I'm betting both nuts on the fact there is no mental health sufferer out there, past or present, who hasn't felt like that. The only difference is you are telling people and eventually people get frustrated. This is where you would be better documenting in a journal as it will avoid the arguments and also (far more importantly than upsetting some people on the internet) be treating your reassurance seeking and done the write way (positive language is important in reframing conclusions, not negative down on yourself terms) will help influence your negative automated thoughts & Cognitive Distortions.

Yeah. I get you- I'll have a look into self-help techniques it's just hard to convince myself that I don't have cancer, you know? I remember when I started the sertraline I thought that it would sort my problems out and that would be it- but you're right it's a lot more than that.

And yeah it's so demoralizing. I feel like death because I can't relax as I'm so focused on my stomach and I feel like I'm going insane

Imagine how I'd cope if it turns out I do have cancer and have to go through chemotherapy..

I don't know, can I carry on using the forum? It's become a ritual for me to log how I feel on here. Not just for advice but it reminds me that I'm not alone, as it can get very lonely. People don't have to reply but if you do of course I'm grateful

[BlueIris]

If the forum is a crutch for you, you need to think very carefully about how you use it.

There's a lot of absolute nonsense spoken about the power of positivity, however, when it comes to health anxiety you really do need to be careful about how you frame your self-talk. Try to tell yourself what you'd tell a friend if they were in your position.

Also, on a more personal note, this obsessional documentation of your bowel movements is kinda gross

[Toby2000]

If the forum is a crutch for you, you need to think very carefully about how you use it.

There's a lot of absolute nonsense spoken about the power of positivity, however, when it comes to health anxiety you really do need to be careful about how you frame your self-talk. Try to tell yourself what you'd tell a friend if they were in your position.

Also, on a more personal note, this obsessional documentation of your bowel movements is kinda gross

I think it's a crutch for most people who come on here with problems, or it should be, it's an amazing site and community

That's a good way of looking at it- if a friend said they had a very vague stomach ache and they think it's bowel cancer, if they'd eaten what I'd eaten, I wouldn't agree with them

And yeah I know, of course it's disgusting, I cringe when typing it out, but we're on the bowel issues section

[BlueIris]

My fault for worrying about you, I guess That's fair.

[Toby2000]

Sorry I didn't mean to sound rude. I know it's unhealthy but-I don't know there's no sane way to explain it

[Quinn1]

Like you said in a post you replied to,It Is Anxiety.
Give yourself a rest and stop and breath.