Alice thanks TALKWORKS for the support the service has given her

Alice contacted TALKWORKS when she was struggling with low mood, anxiety and a negative thought process. Through a combination of TALKWORKS’ online support programme, and conversations with a therapist, she was able to learn how to manage the difficulties she was experiencing and feel more like herself again.

“For several months I had been feeling extremely anxious and was finding life difficult.  I run a small business in hospitality which receives reviews from customers.  I found I was stuck in a loop of extreme worry about what people might rate and say on the review.  The anxiety became so great that I slumped into a feeling of despair, but also numb.  I felt empty, emotionless.  I would just sit and feel nothing.  I realised I must be suffering from depression.

I searched online for anxiety help and found TALKWORKS.  My first phone appointment involved a series of questions and then was asked to explain what had been happening and how I was feeling.  My therapist understood me straightaway and offered me three options which were: face to face help, telephone help or an online course with biweekly feedback support.  The latter was Silver Cloud, which I opted for as I am much better with self-paced study type stuff.

The whole experience was extraordinary for me.  My therapist had set up the modules perfectly.  They all focussed on anxiety and depression, the reasons for them happening and having such a strong hold on my life.  I learnt about the path from worry to anxiety to depression.  Understanding the triggers for worry meant I had a chance to prevent the anxiety and the consequent depression.  I read about the negative thought traps, the unhelpful thoughts cycle which goes round and round and round.  Probably the biggest section for me was rumination.  I had never considered myself to be a ruminator, but I was, and I was really good at it!

I threw myself into the modules and completed the CBT cycle almost daily.  I wrote in the journal pretty much every day.  The mood monitors were done regularly.  I set up an activity chart which I committed to and got myself out, doing stuff.  All of this had such a positive effect on, not only my mood, but my mind, the way I was thinking; I became able to shut down the worry, the hypothetical thinking and the ruminating.

Although I have completed the course and been discharged, I still have access to the tools for a year which is a great comfort knowing I can dip back in if needed.

Since finishing the course and feeling so much better, I have realised that I actually worry about a lot of stuff. I had got stuck in the worry, anxious and depressed cycle relating especially to my business. I now have this knowledge and I understand the triggers that could start it all up again with any situation.  I feel very optimistic and positive that I am able to manage these day to day life sensitivities through the learning that TALKWORKS provided me.

I cannot recommend the service highly enough.  It has changed my life – it was a solution for me!”

If you are struggling and would like to access TALKWORKS, you can do so without needing to see a GP or healthcare professional first. We offer a self-referral service, where you can simply complete our online self-referral form, or you can call us on 0300 555 3344. As an NHS service, there is no charge to access our treatment and support.