Cognitive behavioral therapy?!
Question:
Cognitive behavioral therapy?
i have a bad chase of emetophobia (fear of puking ect)...its making me feel constantly sick (which is obviously my worst fear) i heard this kind of therapy can be used for such things? who has any experiences with this kind of therapy???
thanks
Answers:
I started CBT in 2000 after a bout of anxiety and panic attacks with a phobia that I had some life threatening illness. No amount of tests, scans, ct, mri and specialist consults could convicence me otherwise. Part of my brain told me that I was being silly and I knew I was ok but the other part was convinced that I was going to die.
The anxiety about this overtook my life - i couldnt work or relax without chronic worrying with panic attacks.
I went to an excellent psychologist who started me with CBT. I also used to talk to her about a lot of things bothering me - so part of my sessions were discussing issues that had kind of made me end up with the anxiety and part of the consult was about teaching me new ways to think about things.
I can now see a direct link from a thought just passing in my brain to full on panic. It is the screwed up thinking that makes you scared and probably nauseous that tells you that you are about to be sick.
It takes some effort and you have to watch almost every thought you have but in essence when you have a thought: eg. oh my god, i have a headache, i must have a brain tumour .....your then challenge your thinking: Ok, lets look at the evidence - eg. you have had a mri and there was no brain tumour, your hand feels funny because you were leaning on it....
It is a process that if you practice enough you end up just automatically challenge your thinking without having to concentrate or think about it too much - and then those scary thoughts just float in and out of your brain and you end up not even noticing them.
There are some good books out there - perhaps check your library or book store..
Goodluck - I feel compassion for you as I know how awful these things can make you. I am completely better now - iut doesnt take long to get that terrified feeling to go away if you work hard at it. Within a few weeks I was much better.