Life has always been complicated it seems....sibling with addiction, not sound life choices and then premature daughter, blended families l, neurodiversity etc. Life is busy, and stressful!
Having to make some big life choices soon and feeling the anxiety and panic attacks rising back and creeping in. Sleep, although usually rubbish is now getting harder and brain does not switch off.
Has anyone been through similar? I have tried counselling in the past but didn't really work for me. Any advice would be appreciated
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H3llsB3lls
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Welcome to the community. We are not here to judge you, only to support you.
Having big life choices ahead of you, would you think of having some counseling again? Maybe the support would help you through?
I'm sorry about the sleep pattern. Dealing with all this is so hard when we can't shut our brain off. Meditation helped me shut down my brain but it didn't help me get to sleep. I know it's not for everyone but maybe give it a try or put on some music to focus on?
I'm the same, my sleep is absolutely awful, hence this reply at nearly 3AM, trying to shut my brain down is an absolute nightmare, I've had a very complicated life and very hectic, I've had counselling for my ptsd, and successfully been sober for over 12 years, there's a genuine reason why I turned to alcohol and its difficult trying to explain the whole sad situation, we are all different in many ways, but I can relate to how you're feeling,just talking to strangers in this forum is a great help, and just carry on posting and you'll find that it's not always about your difficulties but occasionally there's humour to be found, kind regards!!!
I'm sorry your having those difficulties!! It's not fun! Welcome to the group!
I've worked with a few counselors that i couldn't relate to. I has sessions with each of them 3 or 4 times before deciding to move on. One I knew from a few years ago became available again. So, I am now working with him and having great success. One of the most important skills is for the counselor to be highly skilled in CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). They will emphasize that avoidance is your enemy and will strongly encourage you to push yourself to do things you done in the past but don't want to now. My counselor also emphasizes the four pillars of emotional health - Acceptance, Empathy, Gratitude and Efficacy. He also stresses the importance of language - written and spoke - to help alleviate anxiety. I have a few lists and make daily entries: Gratitude, All the times i was wrong, Lessons Learned, Things i want to learn, cognitive distortions, what i want to teach about anx. This form of language helps a great deal.
I have found i benefit more from counseling if i prepare for the sessions by creating a list of things i want to learn, or experiences i want to understand. This help the conversation align better with my needs.
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