Saw a behaviour therapist

I finally met with someone today to discuss my issues. I was hoping/expecting to meet with someone who could provide a diagnosis, but it ends up I was referred to a behaviour therapist. I wasn't finding her very helpful, although it was nice to talk to someone. She was telling me things like 'visualize a big red stop sign everytime you want to cut your hair'. Thanks, but I need more help than that. I know she meant well, and I'm sure her help may come in handy, but I don't think she initially caught on to the magnitude of my problems. In the end, she saw my obsessions, anxieties, need for perfection, and outirght neuroticism... and referred me to a psychiatrist for an assessment. I can't wait.

She asked if she should arrange a doctor to get me a prescription for anti-anxiety meds. The thought of taking drugs still scares me. And I know treatment for BDD is anti-depressants. I figure I can at least wait to be diagnosed before experimenting with drugs, so told her not yet.

My frame of mind has been much clearer lately compared to when I went to my family doctor and acted like a blubbering idiot, so I thought I would be cool and calm this time. However, within 5 seconds I was already breaking down and chocking back tear. Not that it matters. How do you hold up in situations like this?

Just wanted to share. Thanks for listening.

Yo,

I assume it was a cognitive behavioural therapist you saw. That's the form of therapy that I got, but I found some worth from it. She couldn't help with my bulimia, but she managed to help me alleviate my OCD. I still hear her advice in my head even years after I last saw her. Thanks for sharing your 'story' though. If you are tentative about medication, yuo could ask to be given a 'light' tablet. I know that some anti-depressants are more powerful than others. The one I took - Lexapro - took a long time to take effect and that was actually welcome. Others that people take will take effect sooner.

It's up to you. If you think you can handle this without tablets, then that's okay.

Kevin