Seeking Help

Hi @Felicity73

Welcome to the Sane Forums, hopefully you will find this a supportive community and be able to share, gain support and feel connected to the community. Our members should be waking soon to offer their suggestions in how to best deal with the anxiety of finding support.

Welcome,

Kobe, overnight moderator.

Hi @Felicity73 ,

Welcome to forums,

I too found it difficult to do my first post too so well done,

I'm pretty similar to @CheerBear I took in fluffy toys, fidget spinners, colouring books even board and card Games.

It is hard to initiate the helping process and keep anxiety and nervousness in check but it is normal to feel this way.

I saw my psych for 3 years and it was almost a year before we really started talking about my main issues and reason for being there. A good mental health professional won't rush you into talking, and they are very aware that it is difficult for most people.

I am at the other end of the scale now I have been 6 months without my psych it has been difficult, but I am managing to cope and have few bad days now.

HI @Felicity73 and welcome, i'm pretty new here myself.

I'd suggest making a list of the key points you want to discuss or try to get across. That way if you get a bit lost when talking you have something to get you back on track. I'd also try and focus on breathing nice and deep if you start to feel a bit anxious. Try and stay calm and remember that they are there to help you, not to make things diffucult. At least that should be the intent.

@Former-Member, @CheerBear and @KobeCat have some great coping mechanisms you can employ as well.

Welcome again @Felicity73, you've joined a great community and you did fine with your first post Nothing extra to add here except maybe focusing on controlling your breath if you start to feel anxious, it's often one of the only things we can control and feeling each inhale & exhale sometimes helps us relax. Much better advice from the others above, but hope it helps as well

Hi and welcome from me too @Felicity73 I really agree with @CheerBear and @Gazza75 's suggestions. Welcome to you too @Gazza75 we haven't met.

I always have high anxiety about a new therapist too. Starting the disclosure process all over again. Making a list over a couple of weeks beforehand works for me - just jotting in point form topics as I think of them e.g. particular experiences, especially traumatic ones, things that have triggered flashbacks, mood swings, memory blocks or surges, what's happening on the harder days. I always say 'the more you tell them, the more specifically they can help you'. And for me it's often been carrying a particular crystal or stone in my pocket that I can feel when I get stumped or emotional during the session. It earths me a bit. Also remembering to focus on breath is really important at times - probably the no. 1 coping strategy. And telling yourself you are in a safe place.

I also agree with starting off by telling them how you feel about being there. They will usually ask questions from there to guide you.

There's also quite a lot of therapists who start the sessions with asking you to do a timeline of your life with them.

If you have a good rapport with the therapist it will get easier to share with them as you build a trusting connection over time.

But also remember - you have the right to shop around if you don't feel a good rapport with them.

And it's ok for you to ask them questions about their education and particular therapy methods they use or areas they are most experienced in.

That's my 2 bobs' worth.

Thank you all, ill try that, i should be going to talk to a therapist soon, so ill see how it goes, thank you a lot for the ideas.