Therapy... Is it really good to talk?

Before I wrote this post I did a lot of research into the topic of therapy, mainly because although I know an awful lot about psychology and why we might feel or react in a certain kind of way, I have no personal experience of being the other side of the desk so to speak. 

Most of my support work in schools centred around CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) which I have to say, worked incredibly well for most of the students I worked with. 

CBT focusses on challenging and changing cognitive behaviours, improving a persons ability to regulate emotions and teaching them to develop and use personal coping strategies. It is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings and actions are inter-connected and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a vicious cycle. 

My initial response to my own anxiety was to go down the CBT route; so at first I tried recording my thoughts and feelings each day (journaling) to see if I could find out what was triggering my low mood and anxiety. Unfortunately I was unable to identify my own trigger.

Anxiety is only easily managed if you know what it is you are anxious about and I simply did not.

I could be perfectly fine all day long, have a relatively good day and yet still go to bed only to be sucker punched by an enormous panic attack or an overwhelming fear of something horrific happening. I could not even begin to understand why it was happening or how to control it but it had such a negative impact on my life and my recovery. 

Following a telephone assessment with a Personal Wellbeing Practitioner - who was incredibly kind and understanding - I have been placed on a 6 month long waiting list for counselling. Something which I am somewhat sceptical but still open to trying. 

When I put questions about therapy out there on my Instagram account the replies I got really surprised me; most people said that therapy did not help them in the slightest. The responses came from victims of domestic violence, people with anxiety and people who have conquered substance based addictions. Those people did however, send some brilliant suggestions for things I could try such as ASMR. 

I am looking forward to trialling new methods of anxiety management, counselling included, and sharing my experiences with you. 💜