Okie dokie!
I think my life is moving in the right direction now! My case-manager Jenn just e-mailed me to offer me an Occupational Therapist who can help me with my shopping issue.
I have never had any long-term success in getting help with my fears. So far I have tried professional driving lessons and doing social anxiety exercises from a book.
I had been working with my past psychiatrist, Dr. Dinton, for 2 1/2 years doing individual and group therapy. Part of the individual therapy was spend reading books and doing exercises on my own but also with the doctor's support. I had been working on a book that used exposure therapy to overcome my social anxiety. Dr. Dinton eventually had to tell me to stop doing the exercises altogether because my anxiety was waaay to high.
So, I don't know if an occupational therapist is the right person to help with anxiety strategies along with my social anxiety and agoraphobia but I can try this new therapy and see what works....I'm sure this will be very scary therapy but whatever...
I know nothing about the wait times for an occupational therapist. Wait times for somethings are over a year for some specialties. So, in the meantime Jenn is not agreeing to take me shopping (I guess unless she can separate from me and do her own thing for a bit at the grocery store).
By the time I get this Occupational therapist I will hopefully be driving and doing my own shopping anyway...I have no issue with shopping on my own if I am able to control my own transportation and not have to risk panicking and not finding my ride. Is this really a shopping issue? Not even sure.
I will take what comes first and in the meantime I won't bug Kerri about shopping. We can go together even though that might take more time as our diets are very different. But, it will all work out somehow.
Yes I am annoyed with the whole process of case-management at the moment (well, have been since the start 7 1/2 years ago, lol). I just don't get what a case-manager is suppose to do. Their mandate says:
Based on the strengths model of case management delivery, ------ case managers provide individualized, flexible, and client directed support to individuals suffering from severe and persistent mental illness. The focus is upon client strengths, interests and abilities. The service is provided in the client’s environment and is portable, following the client when he/she changes housing.
...and they said they want us to be independent one day so I guess that's why we can't shop with them, meh! I wish they had clearly stated that before we got the the superstore. It's just a huge let down. Then the fear I feel is enormous! How is that suppose to help with my confidence???
When I asked for supportive counselling I was told I need to do other stuff too like get out of the house with the case-manager. I'm doing that now but yeah it took about 7 years, lol.
Case-managers have taken me to appointments and not complained but it has come to the point where I am now letting them decide what to do because I have no clue anymore and I am not interested in a fight....
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