New to the Website. CBT, does it help and whats the process?

[longman]

I've suffered with anxiety related issues for a few years now. I never look forward to anything exciting and I don't even know what I'm worrying myself sick about?

I don't enjoy eating out in front of people and get that choking feeling when drinking in in front of people (not alcohol).

I've recently had a bout of sudden urges to go to the toilet when I clearly don't need to go?

I still battle through things and put myself into these uncomfortable sittuations to try and somewhat confront the fear. But I feel I need help to combat it.

I've read up about CBT and would deffinetely like to try it but am unsure of the process to get into these classes and as to whether they really help?

Thanks in advance.

[evilimbic]

CBT can really help but it's a lot like physiotherapy for the brain - it only works if you engage with it and do the homework! It works best when you have some pretty clear cut issues that need to be addressed rather than a swirling morass of anxiety/depression that you can't really tease out into strands to address. Talk to your G.P. about them and they should be able to refer you through to IAPT who can start you off iapt.nhs.uk/

[Elbo]

I have had CBT for my agoraphphobia GAD and panic disorder it really helped especially with the destructive thinking process that as anxiety sufferers we have and teaches you that all the extremes you think will happen will not and you retrain your brain by proving to yourself with small challenges that you can do without extreme panic, you never have to do anything you don't want to it really is a good thing to go for.

Hope it helps xxx

[longman]

Thanks guys really appreciate your responses. Very helpful. Will see the docs this week and get the ball rolling. Got to start making positive steps x