# What to expect while going through therapy?



## FauxCyclops (Oct 28, 2010)

Hi there again. Posting from work again trying to get a handle on what I am going through since I begun therapy earlier in the week-- it has definitely not been enough time to show any kind of permanent difference but I am experiencing some unpleasant and unusual symptoms while applying the techniques given to me.

What I took away from the first therapy session was to try and "slow down" rather than "speed up" when I start to experience anxiety; rather than continue worrying and begin to fidget and shift and run to safety and drive home as fast as possible I should relax my muscles and take the task before me slowly, focus on keeping myself level and calm. I have had some success with this; I managed to drive myself home after work yesterday without going into a full-blown freakout, but the feelings of anxiousness were definitely still present.

More than feeling keyed-up or ready to spring into action at any moment I am now feeling more exhausted than anything; the feelings of anxiety seem to have settled lower and spread all around my body, leaving me feeling lethargic, nauseous and depressed. I now want to finish work simply so I can go home and lie down and the drive home is difficult because I find it hard to keep myself awake and focused without resorting to old thought patterns; on my breaks at work I have taken to lying down on the couch in the break room whereas I might normally go for a walk around the mall or sit out on the bench smoking a cigarette. I will still go out and smoke but I will come back in directly afterwards to try and catch a quick rest instead of going to eat lunch or mill around the nearby shops.

How much of this is normal? What should I expect to feel like as I'm going through therapy and my greater recovery process? What should I do to push myself through the next few days of work without wanting to shoot myself or, more realistically, fake an illness so I can stay home and sleep? Any advice would be greatly appreciated


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## odd_one_out (Aug 22, 2006)

FauxCyclops said:


> How much of this is normal? What should I expect to feel like as I'm going through therapy and my greater recovery process? What should I do to push myself through the next few days of work without wanting to shoot myself or, more realistically, fake an illness so I can stay home and sleep? Any advice would be greatly appreciated


If you've recently experienced a large bout of anxiety, it might have naturally morphed into fatigue and exhaustion anyway. But maybe the techniques you're using are also reducing the tension enough that you're now feeling the after effects of being so agitated for an extended period.

One of my brothers experiences similar to you and is undergoing therapy. He tried self-help first but said some techniques caused him to focus more on the anxiety, which exacerbated it. I cannot say what you can expect from therapy because there are too many variables. However, to give yourself the best chance of progress, don't stick with someone too long if it's not helping, find someone experienced with your specific conditions and who can manage any comorbids in conjunction with your main diagnosis, and combine techniques (e.g, such as CBT, relaxation and distraction). Distractions involving problem-solving or anything else cognitively taxing have been shown to disrupt anxiety pathways in the brain.

I've been given advice in therapy, and have also deduced this for myself, that trying to fight and flee from the anxiety exacerbates it. Accepting it reduces it. You say to the anxiety, "bring it on". It's similar to paradoxical intention. While in a bad state, you step back and observe what you're experiencing without fighting it. I've found it the best method for me. Fear of fear acts as a feedback loop and has to be broken at some point. Avoidance (including all subtle safety behaviours) and fighting it only feed the cycle.


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