Good Evening

[Peacewithin1]

Does anyone feel like seeing a therapist makes anxiety worse? That one visit made me anxious all day after. It was like old wounds were being opened up talking about my past . Then I went to see my physical therapist the next day and felt better. Now I have a psych evaluation coming up and I don't think it's for me.

[Michele_B]

Maybe it's one of those things that gets worse before its gets better. Kind of like being put on medication. I know the first two weeks of being on a daily were awful for me. My anxiety was almost worse!

[Peacewithin1 in reply to Michele_B]

It's possible this may be the case. I don't know.

[kama24]

No, I can't say that I have ever felt worse after an appointment with the physciatrist, if anything usually like I've unburdened my mind. You could always go and try it, no one can make you stay, you can excuse yourself and leave, but you might not get in if you need to again.

[Peacewithin1 in reply to kama24]

Thanks that's true.

[Beevee]

Just be mindful that when in an anxious state when anything and everything seems to be a problem, it can be rich pickings for a therapist who doesn't understand that it is the anxiety that is the problem, not the anxious thoughts which are a by-product of anxiety. Delving into the past looking for reasons why you are anxious could make things worse. Anxiety magnifies emotions tenfold so any guilt you may had about anything buried in the past and forgotten about may now seem unbearable in your sensitised state.

In the early days of my anxiety when I didn't understand what was happening to me, I saw a therapist who advised me to leave my job because I was too stressed and to go to marriage guidance because I thought I didn't love my wife. I still have the same job and wife!!

[Peacewithin1 in reply to Beevee]

Thank You. That's how I was feeling, very sensitive to the fact that she was digging in my past and I get it that, that's her job but I felt like the session was pointless. It wasn't therapeutic at all.

[Cat33 in reply to Beevee]

I can well believe the experience you had with the therapist and very glad you didn't take the advice

[Cat33]

Hello Tanae first of all I will say I'm sure a lot of people gain great benefit from seeing a therapist but for me I'm like you it made me feel far worse

I didn't want to go over things that happened in the past all I wanted was help in getting me well and moving on

I found spending an hour having something really relaxing like a back massage or whatever and the support from my GP did me much more good than raking up bad memories

I wish you lots of luck in your recovery xx

[Peacewithin1 in reply to Cat33]

Thank You. I was thinking to try massage therapy.

[Cat33 in reply to Peacewithin1]

Oh please go for it it's so relaxing and will make you feel wonderful

[91342]

It seems to me it is like throwing gasoline on a fire. You are anxious and adding stressful memories is only going to heighten that anxiety. I am not here to say that people may not have unresolved issues but for the most part I do not believe it has much to do with this disease. Back to the drawing board please.

[Peacewithin1 in reply to 91342]

Thank You I agree. I understand my past and I am at peace with it. I was just answering the questions as truthful as possible and then she made it seem as though I was hanging on to my past lol. I was like ummmmm okay.

[FXP_OK in reply to Peacewithin1]

Maybe you just haven't found the right therapist. Anxiety is a tough thing to cracking on your own.

[Peacewithin1 in reply to FXP_OK]

It's very possible that may be the case. That was my very first time.

[Cat33 in reply to Peacewithin1]

I think they put words in your mouth they did me

[Peacewithin1 in reply to Cat33]

I agree. She was saying the Psychiatrist may offer Lexapro to help with my sleeping after I continuously told her I haven't had any sleeping issues in about 6 Months or more lol.

[Cat33 in reply to Peacewithin1]

Sounds about right !! I went to one as I was waiting I just looked through a book that was sitting on the table She walked in introduced herself then after she we had chatted for a like while she said Now tell me why did you look at that book !! How it was her book hadn't it occurred to me that it was private and how has it made me feel to get caught 😂 Honestly I began to wonder who needed help Id only picked it up like you do a Hello magazine in the doctors waiting room Then every time I used the word "you"she stopped me and said I should say "I"

Needless to say I didn't go back 😱