CBT

After the Holidays are over, I plan on looking for a Psychologist specializing in CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
I have read that CBT is extremely beneficial for Anxiety and Adult ADD. I figure it is worth a shot.
I am doing well on the wellbutrin ( no pun intended.) but I don't like marinating my brain in so many chemicals.
I had asked my PCP what he thought about that kind of therapy and he had commented that the antidepressants only mask symptoms, the problem is still there.
His quote was " CBT is actually more of a cure"
OK, sounds good to me... gonna give it a try.

But I'll tell ya, searching for a therapist with a PHD is no easy task! It's just as anxiety producing as anything I ever saw! Plus the fact that I feel like I've been dropped in the middle of an ocean and told to try to find my own way to shore..

When I asked my DR. If he could recommend anyone, he said that due to FERPA regulations he didn't know anything about any mental health professionals. One of the bad side effects of these privacy laws... You can't get a referral from your PCP for one anymore.
Funny how we have to have so much extreme privacy medically and at the same time have virtually no privacy in other things due to the Patriot Act.
Although I certainly understand the well meaning intentions behind both laws, the backlash from them causes a whole new set of problems!

But I digress, I have been told to try the Psychological Associations and there are referral searches right there on the websites. Most of the PHD's are at least an hour's drive away from me.. sheesh! I will not take off work for this, I just can't.
So, that restricts my search...
I tried a bit but then decided it would be best to wait until after the holidays.
I will post again if I find out a better way to search for help. I don't know if anyone reads this thing or not, but just in case.. Having info on finding a mental health professional is worthy of sharing ;)

Anxiety or deprssion? Ay that's the question...

wow, it's been awhile since I have posted ;)
I did do the journaling thing and I did go back to the Doctor after all.
Funny, he put me Wellbutrin in addition to the Concerta. I am now on Wellbutrin 300mgs a day and Concerta 36mgs. a day.
The reason why it's "funny" is that Wellbutrin is not the usual antidepressant that is used for anxiety. I checked on the net and there have been no clinical trials thus far to see if Wellbutrin is an effective treatment. Hmmmmm.

As far as my reaction to the Wellbutrin however, it has been very positive. The 2nd week I began to have chest pains. Scared the crap out of me!!
After talking to the nurse, we agreed that it was most likely increased anxiety ( panic attacks?) or some mega superman gas.. whew! All I know is that it hurt and my heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest. I went and took my BP and it was normal, my Heart rate was elevated buy still normal. OK, so now I know a tast anyway of a mild panic attack. ( That was mild? Geez I don't EVER want to know what a full blown one feels like!)

A couple weeks later, the beneficial part started kicking in. I do feel calmer, and oh my gosh do I ever have a TON of energy! Concerta NEVER did that and I kinda thought that it would because it was a stimulant.

So, was a suffering from anxiety, depression or both? Not quite sure. but which ever it was the wellbutrin is definatley helping. I'm even less particular about how things are done. ummm I guess I mean that I am less perfectionistic and also more even tempered.

I am HAPPY.. wow, I have always been doing fine... I thought that was happy.. Nope, happy is a clearly different emotion than just "fine"
Happy means you feel like smiling when no one else is around.....

Come to think of it, maybe I have been suffering from a little of both.
I don't have the exact number, but I seem to remember that it was around 60% of Adult ADDers do suffer from some form of depression or anxiety along with their ADD. It rarely travels alone..