Sarah's story
Sarah had suffered with her mental health for years, but this time she could no longer manage her thoughts and feelings so she turned to Ben…
“I’ve suffered with anxiety and depression on a sliding scale for many years. I can normally manage this with medication but I started to experience symptoms that I could no longer manage on my own.
“Stress is a big trigger for me and after recently going through a career change, restarting education, alongside issues at home, I noticed I no longer had control over my thoughts and feelings.
“When I got in touch with Ben, I was made to feel so welcome and heard. They recognised my struggles and didn’t judge. I reached out on the phone and spoke with a lovely Helpline Advisor. He listened as I cried and unleashed all my worries and anxiety in one go! He allowed me time to get everything off my chest, he took my details down and advised me of the next steps.
“I was later sent a form to fill in about the support I would like and what outcome I wanted to achieve. This was then followed up by another call to explain I would receive some counselling and that they would match me with a counsellor who would be the best fit for my personality and concerns.
“I then had an introductory session (called a chemistry session) with my nominated counsellor to see if we would both feel comfortable going ahead. Once I was matched with a counsellor we organised our sessions between ourselves.
“Going through Ben meant that I could get the right support quickly. This meant I could fully focus on getting better and reducing my anxiety as I knew I was getting professional support. If it hadn’t been for Ben, I would have had to make a self-referral through my GP which has a waiting time of 12 weeks.
“I learnt some techniques to help lessen the physical symptoms of panic as well as some long-term techniques that challenge my unhelpful thinking styles. Since getting support, my symptoms are less intrusive in my daily life and when I do experience ‘blips’ I feel better equipped to deal with them quickly. I still get feelings of anxiety and low mood but I’m better able to manage these by using the techniques and tools I explored during my sessions.
“I know I will always be predisposed to depression and anxiety, but I can now recognise my triggers, what’s in my power to change and I’m better equipped to deal with the intrusive thoughts and feelings. Having had such a positive experience with Ben and my counsellor, I know that if I need more support in the future that I can reach out without being judged.
“The first step to getting help is the hardest! It really is. After that first call to Ben, you will see that they are there to support, inform and guide you along every step of the way. They are open, honest and will not judge.”
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