Break The Cycle of Anxiety: Part 1
Once I was able to obtain appropriate professional help, I realized how fortunate and blessed I was to have Dr. Rowan, who is known as an expert in the field of Anxiety and has trained with many pioneers, best-selling authors, and experts in Anxiety literature. I knew immediately that I was in the best hands possible. Prior to finding this doctor, I visited many medical clinics, and the only consistent thing throughout the visits was the recognition that I needed help, but no one could put a name to it or recommend where to find that help.
As part of the treatment, I started by making a list of all the things that triggered my Anxiety and rated my anxiety related to each item on a scale of 0 to 10. This scale is referred to as SUDS, which stands for Subjective Units of Distress Scale. Additionally, I had to indicate the rationale for my Anxiety and the rituals/compulsions related to each item I did with the intent to lower my Anxiety.
Once my list, which spanned several pages, was complete, I began by choosing the least anxiety-provoking scenario and challenging my thoughts and actions towards that scenario. I designed a personalized program that worked for me. The key component in designing a program is to make it individualized, starting gradually to overcome Anxiety over time, and not overwhelming oneself by taking on too much too quickly, which could result in therapy not being successful.
Among several types of therapy, the one that was effective for me personally was Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), specifically the evidence-based practice called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
Please watch out for the next blog where I'll be sharing Part 2 of "Breaking the Cycle of Anxiety."
In the upcoming blog, I'll delve further into my experiences with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, the Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) technique, and how these approaches helped me overcome my Anxiety. I'll also discuss the challenges I faced during the treatment process and the valuable lessons I learned along the way.
Thank you for your support, and I look forward to sharing the next part of my journey with you!