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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Hey Hawkeye,
Good to hear you made it through your first session! I don't think I'd handle exposure therapy very well either! Just the thought - ugh! We'll just end that thought right there thanks!! Maybe you'll be able to give all of us emetophobes tips further down the road!
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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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Keep up the good work!! Taking the first step is the hardest.. just remember baby steps..
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IBS-C gas, bloating and acid reflux
Babies is the plan for 2008!!Hope this IBS cooperates.
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I have a feeling you may be hearing from me a lot in the next few days/weeks. I'm feeling absolutely phobic today. Every day I hear about someone with a stomach bug and feel like I'm surrounded by viruses! I had trouble eating at both lunch and now dinner tonight. Feeling queasy right now. I feel like I'm letting my guard down and will get sick because of going to therapy even though I know that's ridiculous.
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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appt. #2
#324104 - 02/05/08 07:59 PM
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hawkeye
Reged: 06/16/03
Posts: 705
Loc: NYC
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Hi Everyone,
Went to appt. #2 today. This is one of the hardest things I've ever done in working on myself. (And i've done quite a bit in the past of both therapy and bodywork which brought up difficult emotions!) I nearly walked out of the office twice during my session. I'm doing CBT, but also some talk about my past. I'm debating what to share or not here- so for now, not much. Thanks for all your encouragement, I'll need it to keep going back for these heart wrenching sessions.
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Re: appt. #2
#324192 - 02/06/08 12:52 PM
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Toady
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 1299
Loc: A small city, Northwestern Ontario, Canada
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You may share, or not share, as much information as you feel comfortable doing. We're not writers for National Enquirer and need all of your juicy tidbits! But, if you feel like sharing, you know we are all here to help and listen. Keep up the appts!!
Hugs!
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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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I agree with Toady, share if it makes you feel better. If not we are still here for you no matter what I do want to add though that #1 I'm glad you stuck with the session and didn't walk out each time. That's the first step of knowing you can do this!!! #2 if it's any consolation, I had anxiety issues and went to my Dr. to help me deal with the anxiety. I did have to talk about my childhood some which I knew was more than likely part of the reason I was having anxiety. My father was an alcoholic growing up and I was a nervous wreck worrying about his drinking all of my childhood life. He never physically abused me but it definitly mentally affected me. With that said, I did inherit the anxiety from him and with CBT was able to get past my own issues(which sound silly now but at the time weren't)which was abandonment issues with my husband. I rarely worry about silly things like that now because I got help. You too will realize this in the end! Hang in there!!!
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~~~Lisa~~~
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Too scared to eat dinner at the moment. I got hurt today - am a little afraid I have a minor concussion. Something fell on my head at work. I'm going to stop by the doctor for in the morning because I doubt its really a concussion, and I don't want to spend the night in the ER. Anyway, between that, and all of my anxieties stirred up from my appointment yesterday I feel totally wound up tight. Blah.....
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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