experience of drugs / counselling? ??

danih

I was prescribed antidepressants - citalopram -4 weeks ago, for anxiety and depression. I was also referred to a counsellor, who I saw for the first time yesterday. It's a general counselling approach it seems. Not CBT. The first session focused on what I expect from counselling, how long I have suffered from anxiety and depression, and my background.

I requested a referral to counselling, my dr suggested the drugs - wasn't sure at first, but its unreal how well they work - haven't bn this settled in my own head for years!

I've never had counselling, or used anti- depressants before.
The plan is to calm my head enough with the drugs to let me focus on the counselling, and sorting my head out for the long term. Hoping to b off the drugs in less then a year.

not sure I know what to expect.

what are your own experiences of the drugs / counselling approach?

elsien

Worked for me. I was off work with stress related depression, I was very resistant to the idea of taking anti-depressants but it took a while for the counselling to come through and I wasn't coping so the GP persuaded me to give them a go. ( I was worried I'd become psychologically dependant on them.)
I think the counselling was about 8 sessions because it was issue related. I spend the first couple crying and not really able to say a lot, but it certainly helped by making me to think about the changes and coping strategies I needed. I also had "homework" and targets to try to achieve before each session - getting my @rse off the settee and getting out of the house was one of the first ones. The counsellor also suggested group psychotherapy but that's really not me so I gave that one a miss. The counsellor gave me the order of the boot when she reckoned I could get on with things by myself and was in danger of becoming reliant - in retrospect she was probably correct.
I did end up needing the medication to be increased for a bit, and was probably on it a couple of years in total which was longer than expected. But overall the combined approach did the trick and although I've struggled a few times since, I've managed to get back on track with what I learned without needing further input.

danih

Great to hear that you have coped after coming off the drugs - and that the counselling has worked!

I've had anxiety and depression since I was a teenager - was in far too many foster homes during those years. I got good gcse's, a levels, 2 degrees. I have worked since I was 15, never been unemployed or on benefits. I'm married to a wonderful man. So I've coped up until a few weeks ago. I could manage the panic attacks, and kept my head well in the sand about many other issues. I went to my doctor because the straw had broken the camels back, and I was about to crash, for the first time.

the drugs are wonderful - but I need to keep reminding myself they are a pain relief, and aren't actually fixing the problem.

Counting_Pennies_2

danih wrote: »

I was also referred to a counsellor, who I saw for the first time yesterday. It's a general counselling approach it seems. Not CBT.

Have you seen if you can self refer to Talking Therapies?


If you do a google search for your local area it should come up.


It is an NHS service that seems to work alongside the existing services.


I just called my local branch, had a telephone interview and within a week I had my first appointment.


It seems to be very good. The lady spoke about how they only offer CBT (which is what you have said you are looking for)


She said they don't do the going back over life and finding links to the past, but they look at dealing with the issues facing you now and giving you tools to help yourself.


The only caveat is you must stop any other counselling or wait for that counselling to finish before they can continue your referral. If you are continuing with your counselling, they will just put a date in the diary when those sessions are due to finish and then you can have your first session with them.


They will be able to determine what it is you need, a telephone appointment, face to face. You will have a web site to look at after your first session. Then they will see you for one or two sessions, or 6 or more depending on what your need is.


I have found it very encouraging.


hth

Hermia

danih wrote: »

I was prescribed antidepressants - citalopram -4 weeks ago, for anxiety and depression. I was also referred to a counsellor, who I saw for the first time yesterday. It's a general counselling approach it seems. Not CBT. The first session focused on what I expect from counselling, how long I have suffered from anxiety and depression, and my background.

I requested a referral to counselling, my dr suggested the drugs - wasn't sure at first, but its unreal how well they work - haven't bn this settled in my own head for years!

I've never had counselling, or used anti- depressants before.
The plan is to calm my head enough with the drugs to let me focus on the counselling, and sorting my head out for the long term. Hoping to b off the drugs in less then a year.

not sure I know what to expect.

what are your own experiences of the drugs / counselling approach?

A friend of mine has/had social phobia and anxiety and she did a drugs/counselling regime. It worked really well for her. She started on the drugs and when they were working well she started counselling and once that was making a difference she began to reduce the drugs. She has always been anti-meds, but she doesn't think she could have wholeheartedly thrown herself into the counselling without them.