struggling

[Meg]

Hi Scott,

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- learning to change your thought patterns to more positive and beneficial ones.

There's lots on this site about it, if you go back to the Home page and look down the options on the left or use the search facility at the top of this page to check previous threads mentioning it.

Medication may give you a break - a bit like the ready brek glow feeling - but you're right, they don't intrinsically change anything so unless you make changes within yourself when you're feeling better enough to do it, often when you come off them the previous issues remain, although just sometimes your life may have moved on and the old issues no longer exist. That's when antidepressants are deemed as being truly sucessful but in reality for most people it buys them time.

CBT with medications is a powerful combination, if it's too hard going it alone. CBT is now proved to very effective alone too. Check it out.

Take good care




Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Laurie28]

THAT'S WHAT I MENAT TO SAY!!! - I KNEW SOMEONE COULD EXPLAIN IT BETTER - LOL

LOVE LUCKY

[Shy_guy21]

Thanks Lucky. i think I have heard of Behavioural Therapy I just didn't know that it was CBT.

I've made some self-hypnosis tapes and I'm going to try and use them. i got a book from a library that had the scripts - you just record yourself reading them and listen to it and it is supposed to help you relax. I made loads of them to try and help various issues. So hopefully that will help changing the way I think. Some of them were about helping you to think more positively etc. I haven't had a lot of chance to use them. i've listened a couple of times but teh book said you are supposed to listen every day for a couple of weeks, when you're in the right mood. So when I get time I'll try that. If that doesn't work I'll try and find out about CBT.

Thanks for your resposne.

Take care,
Scott

[Shy_guy21]

Thanks Neal.

[Lottie32]

Dear Scott

I know what you mean about drugs. They can be very scary. I have been prescribed beta blockers and diazepan. I never took the diazepan because I worried I'd get addicted, and anyway it wasn't a long term answer, but do on occassion use the beta blockers. However, so long as you aware of the dangers and side effects, drugs can be useful to "kick-start" you. I have some friends who have used medication very successfully, so try to keep an open mind. With my beta blockers, if I think I want one, I try to see if I can go another 10 minutes before I take one. Usually, I manage to refrain for long enough for my panic to go, then I don't need to take one anyway! However, my beta blockers are for a very specific purpose, to control my panic attacks, so this form of self dosing may not be appropriate to you.

CBT is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Very basically it involves listing all the things you don't/can't do, (i.e. eating out), and then setting small targets to help you reach your goal (i.e. having a meal out with friends). You record your thoughts/actions, and once you have got there, obviously have to keep doing the thing(s). Simplistically, you are training your brain that eating out does not equal panic attack. There are also breathing exercises and other methods to help you achieve what you want to achieve.

I'm sure that Meg can explain it better, but this is a simple resume of what it involves. I see a very nice lady, and have actually started looking forward to our sessions!

With regard to your mental health nurse friend - and please do not take this the wrong way - but it sounds like you were a bit of a door mat there. I too spent most of my free time "doing things" for other people, and just couldn't say no. This was down to a lack of confidence and wanting to be liked. Eventually I realised that some (although not all) people were using me, and had no appreciation for what I was doing. I learnt to say no, my confidence is improving, and my panic is residing!

Understand completely about swimming - I hate it too, but was just trying to suggest something that you could do where you could opt how much you got involved.

What do you campaign for? I have written a couple of articles which have been published in the national press, and I really enjoyed writing them. Unfortunately, my subject area appeals to a very small audience, or else I would have loved to have made a living from it. I would be interested in writing to you - but I don't know if we can just swap e-mail addresses or not. Is it allowed on the site? Sure Meg can advise.

You sound much more positive today - why not go and see the Uni doctor. You don't even have to tell your parents, and if they ask, just say it's more convenient to see the doctor when you are at Uni. Remember, you only have to tell people what you want them to know, and your medical problems should remain your own unless you choose to share them with others.

Good luck with finding a martial arts class.

Take care

Charlie

[Shy_guy21]

Dear Charlie,

I'll try and keep an open mind about the drugs. i lknow that there are so many different types that all have different effects so it's worth considering. Ideally I'd like to sort the underlying problems though and I think if I can somehow manage that then drugs won't be necessary. I'll keep it as an option though. It does scare me. I know if I go to a doctors I'll end up being diagnosed with something. It probably sounds weird. Finding out what is wrong with me is such a daunting prospect even though I want to know so I can get help.

CBT sounds really useful. i think I read something about it, but I'm not sure. Do you have to go to a doctors to start that therapy?

I didn't take it the wrong aeway about what you said regarding that friend. I realised that she was treating me like a doormat. Its eemed thats he would only ever meet me when her other friends were busy and if she wante dtos ee a movie that no one else she knew wanted to see. In the end I think I'm better off without people like her even if it means having no friends. I have one friend who lives many miles away so i don't see her very often. I'm hoping to see her at Christmas though.

i'm glad you're confidence is improving.

I think members are allowed to e-mail each other. When I joined this group there was an option that said include your e-mail address if you want people to contact you. if you check a person's profile there is an option to send them an e-mail without revealing their e-mail address.

I do actually love swimming but I only like swimming in the sea because there aren't so many people around - I can swim far away from everyone else. where as in swimming baths they always seem to be so crowded and I'm self conscious of the way i look so it doesn't really jhelp being in swimming shorts and lots of people seeing you.

There are lots of groups at uni so I'll try and find something suitable.

I'm not sure if I should say what i campaign for because it's a controversial subject. i try to help those wrongly convicted of crimes. That's what some of my writing involves. a lot of the cases are very high profile and so I get a lot of abuse from people who are angry that I support the people involved (even though I know they are innocent).

What do you write about? It sounds impressive that they were published in the national press. I have a few books that have contact details for newspapers and magazines. maybe what you write about has a magazine devoted to it. Then perhaps you could write for the magazine. There are so many publications on the market.

Thank you for your help.

Take care,
Scott

[Shy_guy21]

Thanks Meg, i'll take a look at the site.

Take care,
Scott

[nomorepanic]

quote:Originally posted by Lottie32

but I don't know if we can just swap e-mail addresses or not. Is it allowed on the site? Sure Meg can advise.

Anyone can email each other from the site. If you click on their name, you can then send an email from there (you will not be able to see their email address though). Also, the person has to have checked the box in their profile saying that people can email them. Once you have both exchanged emails you will have the email addresses to reply to [:I]

Nicola

[Shy_guy21]

Thanks Nicola.

How are you?

Take care,
Scott

[nomorepanic]

Hi Scott - I am fine thanks. I am at work at the moment so my replies tend to be shorter as I am not supposed to be on here - lol.

I usually catch up with the forum more in the evening.

I am pleased to hear that you are so much better too. Go back and look at your first post on here and then the later ones - what a turnaround eh? Keep it up :-)

xx

Nicola