"My 'crash', and recovery."

I had always been good at coping with problems, finding a way through, and quickly coming up with alternative plans when needed. Then earlier this year, things started to build up and I felt that my ability to get on just wasn't there anymore, and I 'crashed'. I panicked at the slightest obstacles, ending up crying and a general mess.

 That's when I decided I couldn't go on like that and turned to my doctor. She gave me antidepressants on a low dose to help with my tearfulness, and told me about 'inclusion thurrock' and self referral. It took me a week and another major meltdown before I admitted to myself that I needed more help.

At 1:30am after a particularly bad shift at work, I went online to sign myself up.

At 10am that same day 'Inclusion Thurrock' rang me back and set up a telephone interview for 2:00pm. 

They were so helpful and reassuring I was on the phone with the assessor for an hour.

I couldn't believe how quickly they 'came to my rescue'.

I was assessed as having a generalized anxiety disorder. Which I'd never recognised myself.

It was suggested that day that I go on a 'Time for change' course, to help me decide what sort of therapy would be best for me.

I was contacted a week or so after that ended, and together we opted for CBT therapy.

That all happened in August and September.

It's now the middle of November, and I have just completed my therapy with Chrissie.

She was so sympathetic to my problems, and helped and guided me throughout each session, so that I could then help myself to get back to dealing with problems the way I used to, but with a slightly different mindset, so that I can look after me, while helping others.

I don't think I could of done it without the guidance and techniques that Chrissie showed me.

I now feel ready to take on the world again, but one step at a time, instead of trying to do everything at once, which is what I was doing before.