It may be helpful to know the following things about our regular meets. This list of FAQ's will be regularly updated:
How will I find you? When we're at Marwood Cafe (most of the time at the moment) we'll be a group, usually of between 4 and 10 people and quite likely to be upstairs. I, Martin, have a rather
obnoxious obvious blue/green/yellow mohawk type hairstyle that's hard to miss!
What if I'm late? No-one really minds when you arrive.
Do I have to be a member? No.
Do I have to book in advance or tell someone I'm coming? Nope. We are about as informal as you can get.
Can I bring a friend? If that helps you then yes.
Will I have to stand up and say a little bit about myself? No way. We hate that kind of thing!
Do you have a phone number? Yes, It's a new thing for us. We have a mobile phone number that will be switched on approximately half an hour before the start of each meet and left on during. For the time being this is just for enquiries about that night's meet. (Texts are OK too if that's easier for you.) Martin: 07544 474335
What do we talk about? Loads of things really! Obviously, anything related to anxiety is okay. We are here to share our problems and our experiences. Some of us have got to know each other quite well and so we often discuss things other than anxiety. No-one is obliged to say anything at all.
Does everyone know each other already? Some people have been coming for a while now and have forged genuine friendships. It's about socialising as much as it's about anxiety really. Everyone is friendly and you'll soon settle in.
What if I feel anxious or depressed? So what? We all do sometimes and that makes us some of the best people to understand what you're going through.
What if I panic? This probably won't happen but if it does no-one will judge you and we'll do what we can to help. I have often felt very anxious and occasionally have had full blown panic attacks. Everyone was sympathetic and supportive. I soon found myself talking very openly about how I was feeling.
Going to a meet like this is a big step for me. Is this unusual? Not at all. Many people have walked past a few times and have not managed to come inside on their first attempt. It's great that you're trying and you'll surely succeed if you keep on doing so. Seriously, the first time was very scary for most of us but most people soon settle into it.
Is it therapy? No, it's not therapy in the regular, counselling sense but I believe it's therapeutic for us to meet and discuss our anxiety. We're certainly not therapists or health professionals and have no set framework. This is not CBT, NLP or any kind of psychotherapy.
Who runs the group? We all do. There is no real 'leader' in the conventional sense. I (Martin) make decisions about the meets sometimes when it's impractical to get everyone's opinion and I maintain this website, ably assisted by our moderator.
How many people are at the meets? I would say usually between 4 and 12 people but this number varies.
I want to suggest something. That's great! Your opinions are welcomed and valued. Suggestions can be made publicly online, at the meets or privately to me via email or private message.
What kind of people are you? We are from all walks of life and of varying ages. It changes most weeks depending on who can make it.
How long do the meets last for? A regular evening cafe meet would be a couple of hours. Some people stay for the whole thing and some just pop in for a while.
Where is Bombay Aloo Mix? (Where we sometimes have 'Curry Meetss') 119 ST. James's Street, Brighton BN2 1TH Directions can be found here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=+119+ST.+James%27s+Street,+Brighton+BN2+1TH++&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=20.804414,57.128906&ie=UTF8&ll=50.82051,-0.133917&spn=0.010818,0.027895&t=h&z=16&iwloc=AWhen is the next meet? Specific information about each upcoming meet is posted in the 'meet-up and Events section of the forum. The next two meets will always be in
bold writing.
http://brightonanxietyforum.com/baf/index.php/board,17.0.htmlWell, I hope that begins to answer at least some of your questions. Please do feel free to suggest any more that you think should be here.
Best wishes,
Martin.
Topic: Frequently Asked Questions about our meets. (Read 2596 times)