Toilet anxiety - heart attack and/or stroke

[nomorepanic]

You won't know until you try and do you not want to try anything to be over this?

[Pamplemousse]

The worry is that after 45 years of this, I'm incurable - it's become as natural as breathing.

I'll have a look - where is it?

[nomorepanic]

Never say never

Look at the sticky threads in this HA forum - there is one about CBT e-books.

[Pamplemousse]

Never say never

Look at the sticky threads in this HA forum - there is one about CBT e-books.

As mentioned though, I've probably had four sessions of CBT in the last ten years and it just hasn't worked.

[nomorepanic]

4 sessions in 10 years ?? Is that all? You should be having at least 6 sessions yearly if you can get it.

I get the impression you don't want to give it a go and at least try so I won't reply further and leave you to it.

Good luck with everything.

[NoraB]

My dear old aunty died on the lav. However, perspective. She had a 60 a day fag habit and had smoked since she was a teenager. She was an alcoholic and anorexic. Her lungs were totally knackered and her heart was failing. Even so, by some voodoo she made it to 66 years of age - which surprised us all - and makes me wonder how old she could have lived to if she had taken a bit more care of herself? Also, she had chronic constipation - which happens when your blood is 40% proof and you live on one Jacob's cracker a day, so yeah it happens. But. I've got to say that' dead before she hit the floor' comforted me because it means my auntie's brain wouldn't have had time to register anything, and, ya know, as deaths go (and we all have to go) I don't think it's a bad way to go myself. As long as whoever finds me wipes my arse and pulls my pants back up (and flushes)

Reality is PM that in the unlikely event of you having a cardiac arrest on the loo - you won't know much (if anything) about it.

[NotDeadYet]

As mentioned though, I've probably had four sessions of CBT in the last ten years and it just hasn't worked.

Help clarify this for me. Does 4 sessions mean 4 one-hour discussions with a therapist or 4 sessions that lasted several weeks or months each where you were seeing a therapist regularly during that time?

[Carnation]

I always enjoy reading your posts Nora, but I have to disagree with you on some of your points.
My auntie smoked 60-80 fags a day for near enough 60 years and latterly cut down to about 20.
She eats like a mouse, but downs whiskey, Gin and brandy every day. (Not altogether). She's so thin and fragile that if you blew your nose she'd more than likely fall over.
She is now an incredible 98 years old approaching 99 in the next couple of months.
She also rarely gets ill. Explain that one? Not literally, but in a manner of speaking.

As for death by poo pamplemousse, it is extremely rare and normally would be coupled with a condition of sorts.
I've never heard of anyone dying on the toilet until Nora posted, except for Elvis who was tanked up with medication and a very sick man.

[Pamplemousse]

Help clarify this for me. Does 4 sessions mean 4 one-hour discussions with a therapist or 4 sessions that lasted several weeks or months each where you were seeing a therapist regularly during that time?

Each "session" as I termed them, was six to eight consultations of CBT, usually on a weekly basis with a duration of 30 - 45 minutes each. The last lot was entirely online so it was the latter part of your question.

As I have pointed out - whilst I see the CBT on offer, I doubt its efficacy; Nic's comment of "You should be having at least 6 sessions yearly if you can get it" kind of suggests to me that CBT doesn't really work if it has to be repeated that often. Given the pressures here in my part of the world where mental health provision is already poor makes me feel it'd be better given to people whose lives are really messed up by their mental state.

[Carnation]

Pamplemousse, I think Nic was trying to point out that CBT or therapy sessions need replenishing from time to time when our minds tend to wander into that turmoil of overthinking stuff that sends down that rabbit hole of anxiousness and panic.
Personally I don't think 6-8 sessions are enough or give you long enough to process your trauma.
And it all depends if you can find a therapist that you feel comfortable with, which makes a huge difference.
But the CBT course on NMP is free and very easy to follow.
And of course this NMP Site is support too and we have Nic to thank for that pamplemousse.