I'm new here, my name is Pat. Is there anyone out there who has tried with or without success cognitive behavior therapy? I am trying it as a last resort. Doing this on my own with a workbook.
Suggestions, comments, help, advice. I am so tired of constant anxiety. Something has got to change.
thank you
Hi hansenplfl....Welcome to the Anxiety Forum. You may be very right in that you are suffering from several anxiety disorder and not Bipolar. Was it a psychiatrist that did the diagnosis? CBT can and does help many however it does take a lot of work on your part. Working hard to move forward as well as being patient. Nothing happens overnight. There is no quick or magic solution to anxiety.
Therapy is always a good way to put you on the right path to healing. Doing your own research and learning all you can on anxiety and it's effect on the body and brain helps in that understanding the issue will help you work towards your goal.
In addition, there are many good books out there that can help. One is Dr. Claire Weekes book on Hope & Help for your Nerves. Amazon carries both the book as well as the CD. She stresses how important it is to ACCEPT that anxiety is not dangerous and to get over the symptoms it's a matter of acceptance and floating past the thought. The thoughts we have are just that, a thought. It is not a fact. When we allow our minds to be taken over by mind chatter of negativity, it produces fear that waxes and wanes within our body.
I personally use meditation and deep breathing to keep myself at an even keel so I never fall back into the pit of fear and worry. It takes time but so well worth it. I got off my benzo pills because I felt they no longer worked. So you can very well get better without being on medication. I wish you well and keep coming back to the forum for support and understanding. You will pick up many good suggestions how others handle their anxiety. Keep an open mind and pick and choose what may work for you. I wish you well.
Oh thank you, Agora 1 for your kind reply and insight to my anxiety. I understand CBT is going to be a long haul road but after 40 years of trying the everything I strongly believe that your thoughts mirror my own. Thoughts are just thoughts and they are so fleeting. My behaviors are just an effect of the anxiety thoughts. It is hard, though, to actively put that rational belief into effect when the anxiety overwhelms me.
I, too, try meditation, counting my breaths, mantras: anything to get through the moment. It does help if the anxiety doesn't drown me in waves of terror.
I have purchased books on CBT, researched on the internet. At 67 it is time for me to do something to do help myself. I feel as though I can't depend on all those medication/diagnosis changes; all those psych dr/therapist changes. All of them have different ideas on what is good for me. Maybe it is time for me to take charge and live minute to minute, learn coping strategies for the anxiety.
thank you, Agora 1 for answering my post. I wish you the best and I will come back and try to help other people like you have helped me.
Best wishes to you, pat
Pat, we learn from our experiences with life, with anxiety. If I've learned anything, it is to be our own advocate. You are right, it's time to take charge of our lives and do what is good for us. This is a great forum and it's people like you who make it great by paying it forward as we heal. Have a good day and remember you are never alone.
Thank you Agora1 for your support and belief in me. You have done more for me in 24 hours than some medications have done for years. I hope my own trials and errors can be of assistance to others in this forum. I am so grateful for searching for the Internet and finding this site. Thank you for your support and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you as you have helped me.
Best, Pat
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