Going to a new therapist
#323220 - 01/26/08 07:47 AM
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hawkeye
Reged: 06/16/03
Posts: 705
Loc: NYC
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Hey Everyone,
I'm finally trying a new therapist who does cognitive behavioral therapy. I got a good feeling from her on the phone, and she seemed optimistic about helping me with my anxiety/panic issues. She's worked with other ibs people before too. I'm going on Tuesday. In the meantime I've been in totally heightened anxiety state, as people all around me at work are getting stomach bugs and of course telling me all about their miseries. (I stop them, but it doesn't matter, just hearing a little is plenty). Can't wait until the day I can face this like an adult!
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Good for you Hawkeye! That's a big step.
Sorry your co-workers are always telling you their ailments. I get the same thing.
Best of luck on Tuesday.
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Cassandra
Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.
IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up! 
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Thanks! I'm just not coping well at all this winter - and also can't accept this level of anxiety in my life anymore. I'm certainly motivated enough to change this, we'll see what I can do. Have you done therapy for this before? - nice haircut by the way!
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Kudos to you for taking control of your destiny! I am impressed by your proactive approach, and don't let anyone tell you anything is in your head. You need to get to the bottom of your reactions, and I'm crossing my fingers for you that this therapist will give you some real answers! Hawkeye +1 
~nelly~
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Hey Nelly,
Thanks for the kudos. I'm less than impressed with myself lately so its nice to hear someone else thinks i'm doing something positive! As for all in my head, I don't believe anything is ALL in any part of me and no one is going to change that belief, because I'm a daily walking, talking, panicking, cramping example of the mind-body connection.
The therapist I'm going to does CBT, which is supposed to give you tools to deal with the anxiety and break patterns of panic, phobias, etc. As opposed to traditional therapy where you're digging into your past for root causes. I've done plenty of that one already.
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Hey there! That's great news! I think you will do really good with cognitive therapy. I saw a psychologist oh...many moons ago..I was 21 I think..I'm 40 now.. but anyhow, his approach was cognitive therapy and I can honestly say to this day I still use it at certain times. I'm not really a medication taker, so I didn't at the time want to be put on any type of medications so he used the cognitive approach. He recorded a tape for me to listen to while driving since one of my issues was driving alone. He recommended very good anxiety books that also helped tremendously.
I'm wishing you luck Hawkeye! PLEASE let us know how you make out!
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~~~Lisa~~~
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Hey Hawkeye,
I didn't do CT, but I saw 4 different therapists for anxiety - from a shrink to pyschologist to a social worker, plus school counsellors. They all tried to tell me all of my anxiety problems were rooted in my upbringing - mainly a fear of my father initiated it all. The last lady I saw for over 2 years finally figured out my dad had something to do with my anxiety, but not ALL. It took a long time to work stuff out. It was a while ago now though - 12-13 years. They had me on paxil, zoloft, and finally remeran (sp?). Then I moved out of my parents. And finally the remeran almost killed me and I quit cold turkey all the AD / AA drugs. I still have issues some days, but I think all of the therapy finally did help. Obviously I'm much better than I was because I am no longer found cowering in a corner curled up in a ball in fear of everything. I handle life pretty well now. I still have social / crowd anxiety issues, but for the most part they are manageable. I work, I go shopping, I go to the pool, and I don't worry about doing all of those things anymore. I don't worry about what someone else thinks of me physically (I was quite overweight as a teen, early 20s and VERY self conscious about it) About the only time I have trouble is socials - parties, weddings, etc. where I don't know anyone. Then I tend to be a wallflower and cling to my hubby (if he's there with me).
You are doing a good thing! Don't let anyone tell you different! To admit you needed help was a HUGE step, now you are following through with that. Kuudos to you.
Take care, and HUGS!
ps - I have to post more pics of my hair - now that I styled it it looks much better! Thanks for the compliment!
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Cassandra
Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.
IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up!
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Thanks Cassandra! I'm so tired from being a nervous wreck all weekend over this. I think it may be rough at first - there's a part of me that irrationally,. but STRONGLY believes I'm protecting myself by obsessing like this over getting sick. Like I'm preventing getting sick by being hyper aware of every gurgle of my stomach. Thats been impossible to overcome so far. I'm hopeful that I'll make some progress this winter though.
I'm really tired of wasting my life over this. I somehow manage to do quite a lot, considering. Who knows what I'll have time and energy to create if I can let this go - even partly, no how about completely, I might as well think big...
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Well I dragged myself to my 1st appointment. It was good - I liked her and felt very comfortable with her. When she talked about exposure therapy- meaning for me, getting used to throwing up somehow I fell apart. I can't face that! I will, eventually I hope, but at the moment I can hardly imagine it. So, we start slower - looking at the different thoughts that race through my head - and challenging them. I can do that. I do it all the time already. It was pretty rough today - and then I had to go to work after, which I guess was good as i got to immerse myself in something else instead of staying in that vulnerable state of mind.
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Sounds like it's gonna be a good thing. Especially if you felt comfortable and liked her. I know you know this already but give it time. I know when I started cognitive therapy with my doc I wondered why it wasn't working right away. It eventually did start working but not right away. How often are your appts? I think mine started off like 2 days a week or so then tapered to once every two weeks then 1 time month thereafter. Lot's of luck to ya! You'll work it out I just know it!!
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~~~Lisa~~~
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