Anticipating the return or worsening of your symptoms will allow you to plan for what you’re going to do if it happens. We have a number of suggestions for what you should do if you experience a setback.
Please remember: Setbacks are to be expected.
In fact, setbacks are part of the process of learning how to cope with your anxiety. Most therapists who do CBT actually hope that their clients experience a setback, especially toward the end of treatment, so the therapist can help a client learn to cope with them.
Often when people experience a setback they feel like they’re back to square one. This is definitely not the case, and like all negative thoughts, thoughts like this can and should be challenged. In reality, after 12 sessions of this program it’s almost impossible to go back to square one. You’ve learned too much and accomplished too much to ever go back to where you started. Your symptoms will likely never be as bad as they once were and they’ll most likely never have the same control over your life as they once did.
When you experience a setback, understand what’s happening to you and why. Then, work your way out of the setback by using the same tools and techniques that have helped in the past.
If you experience a setback, return to the Panic Program and:
• review the sessions that seem most important
• use the Online Support Group
• use the strategies that you found most helpful
• use the general problem solving skills we’ve discussed
• consult with your family doctor or other mental health professional
Ashley, Health Educator
