Who to see, psychatrist or psychologist

Former Member

I don't know. Ever since my gp had a baby I really don't think she can give a damn one way or another. Unfortunatly, by that time I got myself sucked into some shitty insurance and keeps me with her. Anywho, I need help. My anxiety is going thru the roof. I need to work on my issues, I have anxiety and severe anxiety and I hope to all hopes in 3 years I'll be a highschool teacher so I best get help now but I don't know which one.

I really can't think of specific things that get me this way... I'm phone-a-phobia but thats it... I, now, can speak in public without a care, though phones are a whole nother issue. I've been to both in the past and I just don't know which is the best to go to... or even start out with. I guess if I need the other they will tell me.

But I, if I'm lucky, only have 3ish years until I have my dream job and need to do everything in my power to make sure I can handle it. I just don't know where to start as I've given up on the gp.

Former Member

The break-through I had with the anxiety I used to get was when I saw a psycotherapist.
My anxiety was really, really badly... I couldn't leave the house on my own at one point; and like you I had phone-phobia too. I used to feel genearlly panicy pretty much most of the time and then got panic attacks ontop of that if the phone rang or I had to talk to someone I didn't know or anything like that.

The guy I saw did these exercises with me to get to the root of the problem (which worked amazingly well because I was totally sceptical about it beforehand, having seen counsellors and stuff before). And then gave me stratagies to cope with anxiety, and stuff to do to avoid a panic attack if I could feel one starting up.
It wasn't an over-night cure, but I've not looked back since and haven't had a panic attack for nearly two years now.
It even got rid of symptoms that I hadn't realised where assosiated with the anxiety too... I'd had urticaria for two years before seeing the psychotherapist and was on antihistamines for it every day, and that cleared up like magic... it only comes back when I'm stressed now.

So maybe that'd be the way to go.

Former Member

How was your phone-aphobia? I just came back to work after a couple days off work as they told me I'd have to call people... quit many a job because of that. I've tried and I can't do it. The only people I can call is the parents and sister. I can't call my boyfriend of 3 years, can't call my brother, never talked to my sister in law. Can't talk to my grandmas... nearly quit my job this week cuz of it...

But there is nothing I want more than to teach. I'll ask for a psychotherapist. Its shamefull. I've been to the head doctors since I"ve been 10 years old... over a decade and don't know anything. I just went where I was told. But now it is up to me...

I'm not lucky like you guys and I have to get "Referrels" or whatever to go places. My job now is barely minimum wage... but I want... I need to make sure I can do thejob I want.

Former Member

Aww hun. It's so hard getting anxious about something that often crops up every day.

I used to unplug the phone because my heart would start racing if it was ringing. I'd only use my mobile because you can see who's calling on it and only ever spoke to my family.
Making phone calls was worse - and I was looking for a job at the time so it was unavoidable sometimes. I'd literally have to work myself up to it for half an hour to an hour and have exactly what I was going to say written down. I'd get shakey, feel sick, my heart would thud and I'd go all funny feeling and then my voice would be all wobbly sounding. It'd take so long to calm down afterwards too.

But I got so fed up with myself for being that way that I made a pact that I wouldn't avoid making the phone calls I needed to make (because I often asked my mum to make calls for me). So I forced myself to make at least one phonecall every day; set time aside to do it in the morning before I'd eaten (not sure why but I felt better doing them on an empty stomach). It took a while for the fully-blown hyperventalating type panicking to stop when I did this... but I did find it easier and easier to do. And I'd told myself it was ok if I felt panicky when I used the phone, but that it wasn't going to stop me. It was amazing how much it helped allowing myself to feel ok about being panicky was. I literally talked myself through it for a while too. 'It's fine if your voice shakes while you're talking to them so long as you get done what you need to do.' and so on. And it really helped forcing myself to do it every day because every day I felt like I'd achieved something and was proud of myself, and then I started almost looking forward to making the calls because I new I was going to feel great about myself afterwards.
I did have some days where I just couldn't do it and I just let myself have a break from it rather than beating myself up about it; but they got fewer and far between.

Now I make phonecalls and answer the phone at work several times a day and don't usually give it a second thought... I do very occasionally get a bit of a fluttery feeling but that's ok. I can live with that.

You sound pretty determind to get ontop of this too so I think you'll be able to do it. You've just got to find the balance between pushing yourself just enough and pushing yourself too hard.