today

Hi everyone

anxiety crept back in last nicht and had to take 2 diazepam then and one today,so the one a day thing hasnt really worked,still its early days.Have been out so thats good,still flitting from ok to anxious,CPN said it will be like a rollercoaster.Tommorow I have assessment for CAT,which is a type of therapy,does anyone know what its like?I really hope they think I will be suitable,I know the pills alone wont work and now i dont have the crisis team I feel a bit scared.They said thats normal too but none of it is ever nice.

I struggle to do the smallest thing,I want to get better but thats so hard

Jo x

hi jo,

don't try to come off the diazepam too quickly, you can get rebound anxiety, you have to taper off them slowly. Know this cuz i've been through it. Not sure what c.a.t stands for ? Today for me has been difficult feelings of dread crept back i hate it.. have no energy and no motivation all i seem to do is chain smoke.. hate myself today.. :twisted:

Hi charlies girl,

CAT is cognitive analytical therapy (?!)I cant say Id ever heard of it either.

The GP is to take over my prescriptions and I only have 7 days of diazepam left.Am trying 1 a day but had 2 yesterday as it was a bad one.I too just sit around trying really hard to keep the house up together.I have packing to do for kids trips and it just defeats me,am seriously anxious again,would deffinitely press the 'end it all button today'

Because my 13 year old makes bedtimes and mornings so stressful it seems to taint the rest of the day,when will it all stop?

I hate myself too,hope you feel better today though

Jox :cry:

Jo, be interesting to know how it goes, [cat]. Your doctor should know that you can not just come off the diaz, straight away therefore he should allow you to taper. I know that they are reluctant to prescribe it for any more than 4 weeks and 3 months in bad cases, but they will if they think it is needed and not being abused, which you are not doing. My daughter is nine and can be difficult and yes it starts the stress thing off and makes things harder. I too find it hard dealing with her mood swings and demands.. hope your day is better than yesterday! speak later..x :wink:

Jo, CharliesGirl

Hi

Was interested to hear about your CAT treatment.

Done a bit research for you

Good luck with your new treatment

Thinking about you (As Usual) Take Care x

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) was developed by Anthony Ryle. This brief therapy was developed in the context of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom with the aim of providing effective and affordable psychological treatment which could be realistically provided in a resource constrained National Health Service.

CAT further evolved as an integrated therapy based on ideas from psychoanalytic therapy, cognitive therapy and Vygotskian ideas.

The model gives emphasis on collaborative work with the client, and focuses on the understanding of the patterns of maladaptive behaviours. The aim of the therapy is to enable the client to recognise these patterns and understand their origins, and subsequently to learn alternative strategies in order to cope better. CAT includes terms such as Snags, Dilemmas, Traps,and Sequential Diagrammatic Reformulation. Recently the concept of core pain has been replaced by Reciprocal Roles and Reciprocal Role Procedure (Target Problem Procedure).

Typically the therapy comprises 16 sessions. In the first 4 - 6 sessions the therapist collects all the relevant information. After that, the therapist writes a reformulation letter to the client. This letter summarises the therapist's understanding of the client's problems. Particular attention is given to understanding the connection between childhood patterns of behaviour and their impact on adult life

Guess what,it turns out todays appointment was a psychiatric assessment again not about therapy at all.i need major help and advice now they have diagnosed me as lower end Bi Polar.Am v v shocked and although everything about my life magically falls into place now,all the mad things I have done and the down times,these meds not working etc etc,I am really knocked sideways and feel really scared.This has massive repercussions for my job as a health care professional,it will be longer than the 2 months I have left before I go back and I will be on half pay.I dont know how well cope.I have to think about which mood stabilisers to go with,olanzapine isnt actually working,then theres lithium or depakote.I have to have bloods done,I am totally blown away,help please!

Jo

I'm on lithium Jo !,000mg at night. The blood tests are every three months except at the beginning when they might be every week until the lithium in your blood is within the theraputic range and that can differ from person to person. Lithium has a scary list of side effects and it needs to been taken seriously but it does work. I have been on it for ten years I think. Side effects for me have included dry mouth, thirst, fine tremors in my hands, low blood pressure also some memory loss. Positives have been that I haven't gone too low or too high. I hope it works for you. My thyroid, liver and kdney function are all fine. Take care.

HI Pooh Bear

does it cause weight gain?or your hair falling out,I think Depakote does and Im already battling poor self esteem and bulimia!

This has totally shocked me,thanks for any advice

JOx :o

Lithium hasn't caused me to gain weight. Mirtazapine has. I have a tremendous head of hair thick and bushy. No sign of it falling out. I have it cut every five weeks because it grows so quickly. Hope this helps.