"Ealing IAPT and CBT"

I would like to share my experience, I have suffered from phobias, panic attacks, anxiety and OCD since a small child. The main thing I wanted to conquer was my fear of travel as it was becoming debilitating. Over the years I have tried many routes to tackle the problems but never seemed to be able to over come the fears.  I was referred for CBT earlier this year and within a few weeks was lucky enough to be assigned to a therapist called Walter.  I knew as soon as I met him that he was the right therapist for me as I liked his approach and the way he explained things to me.  Now ultimately for CBT to be successful it is down the the individual to put in the work and face their fears, which of course is daunting and the one thing we all want to avoid.  But Walter made me realise that small steps was the way forward and some weeks if I felt that I didnt really achieve much he would pick up on the smallest thing that I had done and turn it into a positive which made me start to realise that I was actually improving and that just because I wasnt jumping on a plane instantly or booking a cruise I was actually starting to do more then I had in years.  I looked forward to all of my sessions and realised that so much of my thinking was just irrational thoughts that I had blown up in my mind and that changing my thought pattern was all that was needed.  I soon realised that some of my thinking was the same thoughts that everyone has in certain situations but they dont let them take over and so I started to apply this to my own thinking when anxious.  As I started to go places I hadnt been for a long time which did  involve some of those horrible "what if" anxious thoughts but I have to remind myself that it is just thoughts and very unlikely to become a reality and the feeling of enjoyment and happiness of being out and about spurred me on to do more and at my last session with Walter we did a check list of what I need to do should I start to feel myself slipping into a relapse. I think for CBT to be successful you do need a therapist that you find easy to talk to and who makes you really question your thought process.  I went to London this week on a train and saw so many places I have never seen before it was amazing and although I was very anxious all the way there I kept reminding myself how good it was going to be to say I did it and show the photos to my  friends.  I am still working on this and want to be able to get to the seaside and travel far without anxiety or panic and I am determined to achieve this.

I think it would be great if there was a talking follow up service for people, like a talking group or meeting place so we could all share our fears etc and help each other.  I have been applying the same theory to all of my fears and it is working, I feel like a different person this summer and would urge anyone struggling with fears etc to have CBT.  

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