Samia Longchambon on CBT treatment for anxiety: 'It slows your thoughts down'

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Coronation Street star Samia Longchambon has revealed how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has aided her in managing her anxiety.

The 39-year-old actress, who plays Maria Connor in the popular soap, as previously bravely spoken out about her anxiety disorder, and uses her platform to raise awareness and support others.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly on the ITV daytime talk show today, Samia revealed she has had cognitive behavioral therapy over the years, and that it has worked for her.

‘Last year I did a course in it myself, I got a diploma in it, just a foundation diploma so I could take it a lot further, but I just thought it would be fun to learn from the therapist’s angle how it all works, and go behind-the-scenes of the therapy in a way, and try and help myself with it as well,’ Samia explained.

She continued: ‘It’s great, it just gives you a different way of looking at things, whereas normally you might catastrophize them, I certainly do anyway, just go from like nought to 100.

‘It gives you a different way to deal with it and to slow your thoughts down a little bit.’

Lorraine agreed: ‘Anything that helps and anything that helps you understand why you think the way you think.’

CBT focuses on how you think and act now, rather than looking at any past problems. with the patient and therapist working collaboratively to identify unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving that negatively impact the individual’s life.

Last year, Samia spoke to Metro.co.uk during Mental Health Awareness Week, about her anxiety.

She told us: ‘I think I have generalised anxiety – I worry about everything and a lot of the time I don’t even know what it is I am worried about. I have been exploring CBT and doing online course to get a diploma for it – through that, I realised it is general anxiety disorder that I have.’

Talking about how it impacts her day-to-day, Samia added: ‘You feel like a lion is running toward you, it’s like a real fear – that’s the only way I can describe it. There’s nothing worse than someone  saying to you when you’re having an attack – ‘just worry less’ – you think, Wow I hadn’t thought of that! I wish I had thought about that.’

Lorraine airs weekdays from 9am on ITV.

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