I just wondered if anyone has ever used or tried CBT to manage any negative thinking ,since their BC diagnosis?
I am 5 years post DX now and am mostly back on track with life. However, over the past couple of years, i have found that i do not react well to forthcoming potentially stressful situations. To give an example, i had my work review yesterday. Well, you would have thought they were going to hang me the way i was reacting Two days before, i was thinking VERY irrational thoughts, that they were going to sack me and that i was totally rubbish at my job. As it turned out, it went fine and the meeting was very posititve. Then before that, was my cancerversary (date of DX) and i found myself getting stressed before that! The same with any kind of appointment at the hospital and anything work related.
So, i need to find positive ways of conquering this anxiety and wondered whether CBT might be the way forward, either face to face with a therapsist or online?
Your thouughts and experiences are very much welcomed.
Hello Naz, I have just finished about 10 weeks face to face with a counseller through macmillan. Could possibly of gone through my GP. but BCN suggestd this route, I found the first few visits very strange, but gradually got there. I would definately recommend it. i have also had CBT - some years ago, because of work related stress etc.(off work for 4 months and then 3 months phased return) so I can reaaly sympathise with you., and understand how you felt the few days before your annual review. I did my CBT as an on-line course over 6 weeks, I found when I was seeing the counsellor recently that I was remembering some of the tips/methods from the CBT and using them, ie do one thing a day/.week etc, at it finally worked.
So pleased the review was very positive- well done.
I find every Christmas since my mastectomy very traumatic (I had my mastectomy on December 9 2005) I enjoy the lead up to Xmas but Christmas and Boxing Day are a nightmare!! I also suffer from bouts of severe depression and rages!! I am not the same person since diagnosis and treatment
Hi Naz, I was just flicking through the site and came across your post. Like all the lovely ladies on this site I would really like to help you in some way. I too have the same thoughts and feelings, I’m pretty sure we all do from time to time. I think it helps to know your triggers, (you have identified yours) and try to work on them. I find if I am sad and bored or alone for too long, I resort to deep self distructing thoughts and feelings. If I distract myself with,like going outside for some fresh air or doing something that pleases me more often, then the bad thoughts go away for a while. MacMillan do walks in various places, not only are you benefitting from exercise, but you also meet up with lovely ladies who are in the same position as yourself, you can off load some of your worries and feelings and share them with others, or not as the case may be, you will not be judged! When I had a couple of sessions of cbt I was told to try to please myself more often, the more you do it the more positive you become! I am only nearly 2 years down the line, and I am becomming more optomistic as the time goes by. I hope this post doesn’t sound patronising in any way, I don’t mean to be, but this is how I am helping myself and perhaps could help you too! best of luck Naz,will be thinking of you! xx