Severe anxiety from possible chronic illness (Hypochondria?)

[bigjetplane2]

Hi everyone,

Since last time I posted (10 days ago) I've been having some good online support (by email) from an health professional with a lot of experience with difficult situations and with knowledge of mental health and psychiatry. He has been very supporting and helpful. We started to talk about the possible physical causes of my symptoms and he shared a lot of opinions with me.

With time, as he started to know me better, he realised that I have a lot of situations in my life that for my type of personality, it could be the case that my health problem could be some sort of somatization disorder. I understand the mechanism and I accept that it is possible. As you know, since my first posts in this thread, I always considered all the options and this was one of the options that I even verbalised here.

I'm just not totally convinced. I wish I was, of course. It would be really great if I could be sure that my problem is a mental or psychiatric problem. But the complexity of all that happened is keeping me from accepting the somatization disorder as the main suspect for my symptoms. I mean, it started with a specific episode, it did not start from nothing. And the symptoms are basically the same from day one until now.

So, it's hard to get me convinced. I really feel pain in the throat. I really feel as if something is stuck there. And I really feel like something does not fit anymore as it used to fit when I swallow. As if something is crossed from one side to the other, kind of suffocating me.

Anyone has an opinion on this?

Could it be that since the first day, I assumed that something got stuck in my throat but there's never been anything, even though I felt it there scratching my throat as a stuck foreign body?

Or could it be that I actually had something stuck in my throat for a while, or some sort of temporary damaged, but then once it was gone the mind unconsciously acted as if it was still there and provoked the same symptoms, deceiving my conscious awareness?

Is it possible that when I swallow and feel the pain (which happens all the times I swallow without eating), the pain sensation is actually built in my psyche from a mechanism that it developed that makes it feel as real as it is?

You know, I really want to believe in this theory, because it is probably my last chance of having something that can be treated, allowing me to get my life back, even if the treatment is hard and takes a lot of time. But I'm finding it difficult to really believe in this theory, due to the complexity of the situation itself. It did not start from nothing and it is too real to be my unconscious mind playing a trick on my conscious mind, which basically is what happens with this somatization disorder thing.

Thanks.

So sometimes I literally trick myself into feeling things that I don’t know are there or not.
TMI, hope not, but I have had nipple discharge for a couple of months now. I swear I always feel like my bra is wet from it, but I check and it’s not. But I could swear it is.
I’ve been having this “tight throat” sensation for a couple of weeks now and I feel like my throat is closing is down; but it probably isn’t.
The list goes on and on, as to think I make myself feel and I am so sure I’m feeling them but in the end, I don’t know if I am or not.
So yes, I do believe that you “might” be making the sensations occur?
Let me ask you this, when you’re asleep, does that feeling wake you up?
When you’re totally distracted, do you feel it?

 

[AnthonyMG]

Hi bigjetplane2!

As always, thanks for your support and participation in this thread. I hope you're at least doing a bit better than a few weeks ago.

Yes my friend, I understand everything you say and I can accept that it might be a case of somatization. But my situation, as you know very well (you've been following this thread with attention from the beginning), my symptoms are not just "some sensation" or "strange feeling". They are too intense, too real, and too related to a specific event/accident to get me convinced that I'm making myself feel them. Even believing (as I do) that our unconscious is very powerful and tricky, in ways that seem to go beyond comprehension.

"Let me ask you this, when you’re asleep, does that feeling wake you up?"

Sometimes it keeps me from falling asleep. And the symptoms are the first thing I feel when I wake up, whether in the morning or in the middle of the night. If the feeling/symptom wakes me up, that very subjective. I can say that since I have this, I sleep maybe 6 or 7 hours per night, when before I used to sleep about 9 hours per night.

Anyway, I can't say the symptoms wake me up. Maybe a couple of times, but that is not usual. Because as the symptoms make it harder for me to fall asleep, when I do, I'm already very tired and so it's not that easy to wake me up as I'm exhausted. And also because usually they are not intense enough to wake me up. As I said before, most of the time I'm not into much pain. It is very unpleasant and very uncomfortable ("suffocation-like" agony), but when it comes to pain, it's just slightly painful.

The problem is that I have it all the time, 24/7, and the idea that it can be forever is very hard to deal with. Imagine a day when you are sick, you don't feel much pain, but you feel uncomfortable and ill. You can deal with it well, because you know that in a few days, as usual, it's gone. Now imagine that it remains for 7 months and you're only diagnosis so far tells you that you will be like that forever.


"When you’re totally distracted, do you feel it?"

Some days are better than other days. In the worst days, I may well be totally distracted, even with something that is pleasant and totally excites me, I still feel it as it is impossible to ignore. In the days when I feel better (the symptoms are there but the are softer), sometimes I can say that I don't feel it because I'm totally distracted. Sometime it happens, but it's not usual and as long as I focus on it and do the swallowing test, I can confirm that the symptoms are always there.

But as I said, I can accept that it could be all "somatization" because I know that our unconscious mind is very powerful and tricky, in ways that seem to go beyond comprehension. Or else, I'm still in denial and can't accept that I have a permanent damage, so I'm holding on to this theory as I know that it can be treated and I could regain hope in getting back to my normal life.

Should I stop going to the psychologist and start going to a psychiatrist?

Thanks again.

-

 

[bigjetplane2]

Hi bigjetplane2!

As always, thanks for your support and participation in this thread. I hope you're at least doing a bit better than a few weeks ago.

Yes my friend, I understand everything you say and I can accept that it might be a case of somatization. But my situation, as you know very well (you've been following this thread with attention from the beginning), my symptoms are not just "some sensation" or "strange feeling". They are too intense, too real, and too related to a specific event/accident to get me convinced that I'm making myself feel them. Even believing (as I do) that our unconscious is very powerful and tricky, in ways that seem to go beyond comprehension.

"Let me ask you this, when you’re asleep, does that feeling wake you up?"

Sometimes it keeps me from falling asleep. And the symptoms are the first thing I feel when I wake up, whether in the morning or in the middle of the night. If the feeling/symptom wakes me up, that very subjective. I can say that since I have this, I sleep maybe 6 or 7 hours per night, when before I used to sleep about 9 hours per night.

Anyway, I can't say the symptoms wake me up. Maybe a couple of times, but that is not usual. Because as the symptoms make it harder for me to fall asleep, when I do, I'm already very tired and so it's not that easy to wake me up as I'm exhausted. And also because usually they are not intense enough to wake me up. As I said before, most of the time I'm not into much pain. It is very unpleasant and very uncomfortable ("suffocation-like" agony), but when it comes to pain, it's just slightly painful.

The problem is that I have it all the time, 24/7, and the idea that it can be forever is very hard to deal with. Imagine a day when you are sick, you don't feel much pain, but you feel uncomfortable and ill. You can deal with it well, because you know that in a few days, as usual, it's gone. Now imagine that it remains for 7 months and you're only diagnosis so far tells you that you will be like that forever.


"When you’re totally distracted, do you feel it?"

Some days are better than other days. In the worst days, I may well be totally distracted, even with something that is pleasant and totally excites me, I still feel it as it is impossible to ignore. In the days when I feel better (the symptoms are there but the are softer), sometimes I can say that I don't feel it because I'm totally distracted. Sometime it happens, but it's not usual and as long as I focus on it and do the swallowing test, I can confirm that the symptoms are always there.

But as I said, I can accept that it could be all "somatization" because I know that our unconscious mind is very powerful and tricky, in ways that seem to go beyond comprehension. Or else, I'm still in denial and can't accept that I have a permanent damage, so I'm holding on to this theory as I know that it can be treated and I could regain hope in getting back to my normal life.

Should I stop going to the psychologist and start going to a psychiatrist?

Thanks again.

-

I would consider a psychiatrist next.

 

[bigjetplane2]

Anthony how are you?

 

[AnthonyMG]

Hi bigjetplane2,

Thanks my friend. I'm basically in the same point. Some days a bit better, other days I'm very down.

How have you been doing?

I have my first visit to the psychiatrist for the 3rd of August. I so much want to believe that this is totally psychosomatic, but it's not easy. The symptoms are too real, they originated in a specific episode and the theory of permanent damage to the cartilage of the epiglottis and/or surrounding areas still troubles my mind as it somehow makes sense, it's rare but possible, and totally fits the symptoms.

So, I'm still in the same point, basically, my quality of life is about 20% of what it was before last November and I'm suffering with anxiety as I never did before.

I already did the upper endoscopy, they found nothing. I'm only waiting for the result of the biopsy, which I will get by the 22nd, in a week.

I went to my family doctor (GP) about 10 days ago, as I didn't got there since this happened to me. She passed me a lot of other blood tests and an ultrasound exam of the neck. I think that nothing will come out, but I can do it either way. I think some blood tests might be to discard the possibility of exaggerated immune response to an allergen or bacteria that could have damaged the cartilage, so maybe something relevant can come out.

The GP says that if she can't get to any conclusion and I don't improve, she might send me to the internal medicine department of the main hospital of the region. The visit to the GP was more productive than I expected. At least I feel a bit more protected and faithful, knowing that some possibilities are still open and can be studied.

We'll see what happens. You're welcome to keep passing by... and I'll try to keep you informed.

Thanks and kind regards!
\

 

[AnthonyMG]

Some news that are getting me very very anxious...

I managed to recover an image (like x-ray image) from 2018 where there is possible to see the area of the throat where the epiglottis is.

And I'm not a specialist, but it seems that I can see the epiglottis and that it seems to be symmetric. Like normal size in both sides. While now it is shorter in the left side. This, if confirmed, would be the confirmation of a damage to the cartilage of the epiglottis, which means that it would be a permanent and untreatable damage. Basically, the diagnosis of the doctor that said this but then the other doctors said that it didn't make much sense...

I'm super anxious again. It's so hard...

Now I have to confirm this with a specialist and I'm not sure how long it will take until I have a chance to do it.

-

 

[AnthonyMG]

Hi again!

I still don't know about the configuration of the epiglottis in the image, but maybe it was a side view and it's not possible to check both sides. I still have to discuss this with a specialist in radiographic images.

I started today taking anxiety pills, Librax

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[AnthonyMG]

Update:

3 weeks ago (my last post) I only did the Librax for 3 days. I wasn't enjoying it that much...

A week ago I went to a psychiatrist. Told about the whole story, without getting into deep details, for lack of time, as the story is already too long and has many chapters, so it was not possible to get into details in a 1 hour visit.

The psychiatrist says that in his view it is most likely a psychosomatic disorder, generating the pain and horrible sensation. He says that he's about 90% sure about it. Unfortunately I'm not so sure, at least yet. And I have to admit that I went there and gave him all the arguments for that diagnostic. I basically went there to see if he thinks it can be psychosomatic and so I highlighted the facts that point in that way.

So I'm not too surprised he got convinced that I'm getting all this from a psychosomatic problem. But it can be that, I don't doubt.

And if it is that, it will be very hard to get me rid of this problem. It is going on for such a long time and the symptoms are so "installed" in my mind that it would be a long hard road out of this for me. But I prefer that to the permanent damage theory. If it's psychosomatic, there are chances I can one day get rid of it or at least improve a lot.

The psychiatrist prescribed me Mirtazapine, 15mg per day. An antidepressant. This dosage is the lowest, as there are also 30mg and 45mg pills. Will be the first time in my whole life that I'm going to have this kind of medication.

And I feel so sad that it is because of this macabre situation. I mean, if the symptoms miraculously disappeared tomorrow, the next day I would be the happiest person, anxiety would go away and all the negative and depressive thoughts would automatically vanish. I'm sure of this. So, I'm also sure that I'm anxious and depressed because of the health problem or disease I'm going through. And to accept that the only way to get out this starts by healing my depressive state and anxiety, it's not easy at all.

Maybe I have Globus Pharyngeus, or Crichopharyngeal Spasm, and maybe I could start with other kind of medication, to relax the throat and surrounding muscles. But I'm too desperate to keep looking for more hints and answers, so I will just start with the mirtazapine in about a week to see what happens.

Anyone here has experience with mirtazapine (remeron, etc)?

Tomorrow I will do the neck ultrasound. I know nothing will come out, as with the CT scan and the MRi that I already did. But who knows... it would be so good if they were to find something wrong that could be treated. If I could choose this or winning a millionaire lotery, I would choose this without even thinking twice. But I'm realistic right now and I know it will be just one more disillusion.

-

 

[bigjetplane2]

Update:

3 weeks ago (my last post) I only did the Librax for 3 days. I wasn't enjoying it that much...

A week ago I went to a psychiatrist. Told about the whole story, without getting into deep details, for lack of time, as the story is already too long and has many chapters, so it was not possible to get into details in a 1 hour visit.

The psychiatrist says that in his view it is most likely a psychosomatic disorder, generating the pain and horrible sensation. He says that he's about 90% sure about it. Unfortunately I'm not so sure, at least yet. And I have to admit that I went there and gave him all the arguments for that diagnostic. I basically went there to see if he thinks it can be psychosomatic and so I highlighted the facts that point in that way.

So I'm not too surprised he got convinced that I'm getting all this from a psychosomatic problem. But it can be that, I don't doubt.

And if it is that, it will be very hard to get me rid of this problem. It is going on for such a long time and the symptoms are so "installed" in my mind that it would be a long hard road out of this for me. But I prefer that to the permanent damage theory. If it's psychosomatic, there are chances I can one day get rid of it or at least improve a lot.

The psychiatrist prescribed me Mirtazapine, 15mg per day. An antidepressant. This dosage is the lowest, as there are also 30mg and 45mg pills. Will be the first time in my whole life that I'm going to have this kind of medication.

And I feel so sad that it is because of this macabre situation. I mean, if the symptoms miraculously disappeared tomorrow, the next day I would be the happiest person, anxiety would go away and all the negative and depressive thoughts would automatically vanish. I'm sure of this. So, I'm also sure that I'm anxious and depressed because of the health problem or disease I'm going through. And to accept that the only way to get out this starts by healing my depressive state and anxiety, it's not easy at all.

Maybe I have Globus Pharyngeus, or Crichopharyngeal Spasm, and maybe I could start with other kind of medication, to relax the throat and surrounding muscles. But I'm too desperate to keep looking for more hints and answers, so I will just start with the mirtazapine in about a week to see what happens.

Anyone here has experience with mirtazapine (remeron, etc)?

Tomorrow I will do the neck ultrasound. I know nothing will come out, as with the CT scan and the MRi that I already did. But who knows... it would be so good if they were to find something wrong that could be treated. If I could choose this or winning a millionaire lotery, I would choose this without even thinking twice. But I'm realistic right now and I know it will be just one more disillusion.

-

How did the scans go?

 

[AnthonyMG]

Hi bigjetplane2

As expected my friend. Nothing. The ultrasound technician said that there was nothing to add to the situation. I will only get the report in a few days, but I already know that. The exam was very fast and I wanted to ask some questions that I was not given a chance to.

In 10 days I will go to a rheumatologist so hopefully I will have the chance to ask some of the questions there.

The blood tests also came out normal. Just 2 of the analyses strengthen the idea that the probability of having the severe allergic reaction with cartilage damage is not probable at all.

-

 

[bigjetplane2]

Hi bigjetplane2

As expected my friend. Nothing. The ultrasound technician said that there was nothing to add to the situation. I will only get the report in a few days, but I already know that. The exam was very fast and I wanted to ask some questions that I was not given a chance to.

In 10 days I will go to a rheumatologist so hopefully I will have the chance to ask some of the questions there.

The blood tests also came out normal. Just 2 of the analyses strengthen the idea that the probability of having the severe allergic reaction with cartilage damage is not probable at all.

-

Hang in there. I know how difficult it can be to have a constant worry/pain every single damn day.

 

[AnthonyMG]

Thanks!

It's not easy... and now it's even more difficult with the idea of taking antidepressives. It's the first time I'm going to use this type of medication and I always thought I could live all my life without it, as I've never been depressive at all.

I've been considering the possibility of having what they now call "globus pharyngeus", as the mechanism of manifestation of the possible psychosomatic disorder. I've been reading about people experiences with this situation and I identify with most of what they say.

They feel the same way I do. They say it's like hell on earth, an horrific situation with terrible symptoms, which is very scary. They all say that it changed their life dramatically, loosing all the quality of life. Many see as if they ceased to exist as the person they once were, because the constant feeling is horrible and impossible to ignore, so it's also impossible to focus on other activities and looking in a positive way to the future.

Now, in my case it's all this but even more. It's much worse because they have a relatively well accurate diagnosis. Their symptoms started without a triggering episode. They were told by doctors, after many exams, that all is good with them, hence the globus pharyngeus as an exclusion diagnosis.

This is not my case. I have an ENT specialist who said that I have permanent damage in my epiglottis. A damage that can not be confirmed, but the diagnosis leaves me thinking that I probably won't recover and I will have to deal with this for the rest of my life. So, most people with globus pharyngeus have a life of hell, but they know what they have and they can expect to recover from it one day. My situation is much more complex. I'm not sure I have that condition of if it is a permanent damage that will never go away...



-
Here's something I never posted in this forum. Some photos that show that the epiglottis is smaller in the left (inverted) side. The symptoms would be from this "asymmetry" considering the diagnosis of permanent damage to the epiglottis.

If someone reads this and have enough knowledge to share an opinion, it will be most welcome.

Other ENT specialist says the diagnosis makes no sense. The same says an allergologist and an gastroenterology specialist. As well as my family doctor and some other health professional that I asked about it.

But the fact is that my symptoms are so compatible with the diagnosis of a problem in the epiglottis. First because of the location and second because as I swallow it really feels as if the cartilage is damaged on that side.

Also, if anyone of you know of a way in which I could clarify if that cartilage has suffered a damage or not, please tell me how.

-

 

[AnthonyMG]

And as I've got my hands on the photos, here's two photos of the piece of material that started all this nightmare.

One of these spikes deeply perforated my tongue. This is a fact. A lot of pain that went away in 30 seconds. Problem solved. But then, just a couple of minutes after, the symptoms in the throat started.

Which made me assume that the tip of one of these spikes got stuck in my throat. But this is an assumption, not a fact.

And, given this fact and this assumption, the ENT said that I had a severe allergic reaction with exaggerated auto-immune response that deformed/shrank the epiglottis in the left side.

The symptoms are from that, he says. It will be forever, no treatment or medication possible to alleviate the symptoms. And the symptoms will always remain the same, the body will not adapt, I will have to see it as if I recovered from cancer or from a stroke and have this condition as sequel for the rest of my life.

But this ENT was such a lier... He said that the shape of my epiglottis is not normal, then he showed me photos of other epiglottis that are allegedly normal, from other patients. But this is a big lie. All the other doctors, including another ENT and the gastroenterologist (who says that he sees thousands of epiglottis from the endoscopies he performs) say that my epiglottis is perfectly normal and most likely it has always been with this configuration.

There's also a scientific article in the internet that says the same. I think I can't post links to other websites here, but if you google for "normal laryngeal variability" it is the first result you get.

So, the ENT knew perfectly well that my epiglottis is within the normal variability for this structure, but either way he tried to fool me, telling me that it is not. Only to allow for his theory of diagnosis. Which makes me think that he just was not professional enough to assume that he had not idea about what I have and let go out of the clinic without any answer. So he decided to get me an answer...

With my searches on the internet, the only way this diagnosis could be possible is if the injury in the tongue served as entry door for bacteria in the bloodstream. Then the bacteria stayed in the throat and the body tried to fight the bacteria with an exaggerated auto-immune response that damaged the cartilage of the epiglottis.

But I would probably be the first person in the world to go through this. At least in the internet there are no other similar occurrences. And I searched in english and other two languages, to find absolutely nothing.

-

 

[AnthonyMG]

I everyone!

Wow, more than 2 months without sharing any news here

Here are the news then:

By the 25th of August I started taking 15mg of mirtazapine, as recommended by the psychiatrist. The first month I noticed no improvements, just helped me to sleep better but that was not the problem, I was sleeping relatively well.

I visited the psychiatrist again a month ago and he recommended the upgrade to 30mg. But since then I've been doing a bit better and so I haven't started yet with the 30mg/day regime. Maybe I'll start in the next few days.

The problem is still here and it is still the same, basically. I may worry a bit less about it, at times.

Early this month I visited another ENT specialist. I showed him some photos (that I "took" from the video laryngoscopies) of something that no doctor payed attention to before. He identified it as a cyst. He says that it can be a consequence of a foreign body injury. Or something left by a foreign body that once was lodged there but isn't there anymore. He says that the presence of the cyst may be the cause of my symptoms.

Here is the cyst:




It is visible in one of the images that I posted a couple of months ago, which helps to have a clear view of its location:





So, this is probably my last chance. He can't be sure that this is what is creating the symptoms, so he says that he can take it off but he can't guarantee that the symptoms will go away. But we can try it. Either way, he also agreed with the psychotherapy and the antidepressant, to have an approach as if it is a psychosomatic problem, which he thinks it may very well be the case.

So we agreed that I will keep with the medication and psychotherapy for 2 or 3 more months and then, if I still have the problem and I want to give it a try, he can surgically remove the cyst to see what happens.

If anyone has an opinion, it would be more than welcome.

I've been trying to focus on this possibility, because just imagining that this could be the problem that is generating all the symptoms, helps me to reduce anxiety. Because of the idea of knowing what is going on and also because I know that if this was the case, I could get treated and totally recover or, at least, improve and feel a lot better.

I also consider that maybe it could be a mix of both things. Maybe this cyst gets me some symptoms and then, because I focus a lot on them and on that area of the throat, anxiously, I feel other symptoms that are psychosomatic. As "illusion" symptoms and/or mentally amplifying sensations that have always been there but are seen as problematic to my mind only now that I notice them and associate them with the problem.

Besides this, life has been difficult. The relationship with my wife has been hard. Which together with this health issue and other normal problems from everyday life, it all adds up and make me feel very depressed, especially when I wake up in the morning.

Thanks for reading. Kind regards.

-

 

[MATD]

Hello! I remembered something I saw in a video, I wanted to relate it to you. The video is of a foot doctor helping a patient who had run a sliver of wood into his foot. After several attempts by other doctors, they could not find the sliver of wood in the man’s foot. It was causing him discomfort and pain. From what I recollect, it wasn’t showing up on xray either. So the foot doctor kept digging deeper and deeper and eventually found the piece of wood and was able to successfully remove it. I do find your story highly plausable. A small sliver of the shellfish shell could very well have lodged in your throat and since it resembles bone, could very well be missed by CT and other testing. It wouldn’t take much size at all to create the kind of discomfort you are having. Another story, my own. A couple months ago I underwent some dental extractions. One tooth socket in particular has not healed to the extent the others have and remains tender. I relayed this to my dentist. He did an X-ray but found nothing. Several days later I found a slightly sharp spot in the area and managed to remove a small piece of bone myself. Now I’m not surprised, as this is common, and I expected it. The point is that even though he did an X-ray, he didn’t see that small piece of bone, likely it was hidden by the other bones in my face. I wasn’t crazy. And I don’t think you are either. I think anything that is small enough in size could easily be missed or not be seen in xray. I find that it is highly likely this piece of shell could have embedded in your throat. If you are having the cyst removed, I would hope they look extra close for that piece of shell within it.

 

[bigjetplane2]

Well, at least you got “some” answer and this just might help.
I pray this cyst is the answer to your worries and with the removal it will help.
I was actually thinking about you the other day

 

[AnthonyMG]

I'd be the happiest person in the world if this nightmare ended one day. I'd cry of happiness every day for many, many days...

I had a hard day today, the symptoms are very noticeable and the trigger my anxiety in a terrible way. Just to realize that I'm living this torture for almost a year, makes me cry and want to give up.

Thanks MATD and bigjetplane2! I hope you are doing good, much better than me at least.

MATD, yes, I still have that hope. And I also thought so many times about the possibility of having a sliver of shellfish shell that is hidden but a bone or cartilage, or even absorbed by the tissues in a way that it is not visible in the imaging but causes the symptoms...

Thanks again. I'll keep you updated.

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[MATD]

Will watch for your posts. I just wanted you to know that your situation is entirely believable and possible, that it isn’t all in your head. Anxiety can do a number on us, that’s for certain, but your situation is not the norm for anxiety. If it is still an option, I think if it was me, I’d go for the removal of the cyst. Best to you.

 

[AnthonyMG]

Thanks MATD.

Two friends of mine just told me the same recently. As the last time I looked into the throat (I have an usb cable with cam and led light) was already 3 months ago, today I decided to look again to check if the cyst was still there. It is there and the size is, at least, the same:




If it wasn't there before the "episode" and then it appeared, it is normal that there are some symptoms associated with its presence. This is almost certain, right?

EDIT: as some days the symptoms are softer, what I'm going to do next is checking the throat with the usb cam in one of these days... maybe it is smaller and that would be the final confirmation.

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[MATD]

I have been advocating a book on here to help people with anxiety. “ It’s Only Anxiety” by Carl James on Amazon $11. It is and acceptance method for recovery from anxiety. This method was pioneered by Dr Clair Weekes, a renowned dr, lauded as having cracked to code of anxiety. She herself suffered anxiety. I bet been using the method along side other treatment plans in my own recovery effort. I do know it is helping me. Give it a try if you are game. It is a different approach to recovery. I’ve taken some heat on here for my advocacy, just so you know. But I don’t let it deter me. People need help and if I can help one person, it’s well worth it.