My name is Susan and I’m in my 60s. I’ve always struggled with anxiety and I’ve had Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the past. After the loss of a close family member, I knew I needed more help.
I went to my doctor and to my surprise, she thanked me for seeking help. Although I was anxious, I started to feel positive about my future.
I don’t know how I got to my first session as felt so panicked. I could feel my hands getting sweaty, my heart pounding, my neck felt tense, and I felt a bit sick. I kept telling myself to stay seated. However after a while I started to relax and take in what was being said. I took work home with me and was determined to learn skills to help me manage my anxiety.
My treatment was a worry management course, where I was taught Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques. I really liked the one where you set a time each day to go over worries, instead of worrying about them at the time. Writing my worries down and going over and over my worries during my 'worry time', helped to get them out of my head.
CBT has made me look at anxiety differently. Before it was all-consuming and now I understand it more. It is not something I worry about now. If I get a bit stressed I know it won’t last and doesn’t feel half as bad as before I had CBT. Now I feel more confident and relaxed. I feel able to cope and understand myself and like this a new me.
I would encourage anyone who struggles with worries or anxiety to seek help. You can self-refer to steps2change online or speak to your GP.
