Silvercloud

[Closed for repairs]

Hi new user here,

I’d like to know has anyone had any experience of an online service, called Silvercloud.

Ive been put on it by the local mental health people, while on the waiting list for face to face therapy.

Has anyone got any tips to get the best out of it, as it seems like along time before my supporter reviews...

thanks

[gingerbreadgirl]

Hi closed for repairs 

Welcome to the forum  

I haven't heard of silvercloud - hopefully others on the forum can offer an opinion on that. 

Do you have any self help books for ocd? Personally I think that would be the best preparation for therapy. A really good one is "break free from ocd" by Paul salkovskis. Another one is "pulling the trigger" by Adam Shaw. Brain lock (Jeffrey schwarz) is also a good place to start. 

There's also a lot of support and knowledge on this forum, there's usually someone around to give some advice  

Gbg x 

[LeopardM]

Hi,

I use Silvercloud and I've found it to be really helpful. I found the combination of online study, tools and exercises that you could do at a steady pace you were comfortable with, combined with phone reviews with a supporter worked really well. I've had my last review but I'm still using the tools to maintain progress.

My tips would be:

Make steady progress a bit at a time, rather than trying to do too much all in one go.

Work through the whole programme, I found some parts were really useful (and I still use them) others less relevant to me, but still worth doing.

Do the homework/write up before each review so it gives you a starting point to talk through what is important to you.

I hope it goes well for you, good luck

[Closed for repairs]

@LeopardM

Thanks for that, that’s really helpful.

[Closed for repairs]

@gingerbreadgirl

Hi,

Thanks,  I’ve got “Break free”,  and some others , not had a look at brain lock or pulling the trigger yet.

[Closed for repairs]

Bit of an update with how I'm getting on with Silvercloud.

I've been doing it for a month and just had my first review, 

My supporter is a real person, and has read the stuff I have done.

My next review is in two weeks and is a phone one.

I've skimmed through the whole thing, ( Computer access is spotty so I get what I can done when I can.)

And am now working through it one bit at a time.

The user interface can be a bit buggy, specially on a phone.

Some of the exercises (tools), are the sort of thing you can do on your own , like the mood monitor, and journal.

But with out guidance from your supporter, its just information gathering.

The tools that are supposed to help you think "correctly",  need supervision too, as it is all to easy to approach them like a puzzle game, and get nothing out of them even though you have got them "right".

Likewise the quizzes, it's easy to get the right answer, as I know the point that is being made, but it's just an exercise in box ticking, if you don't change your thinking.

Overall I feel that this will succeed or fail due to the quality of support,(so far so good),  as it would be more convenient to use a book.

( The support seems to come from the NHS, with Silvercloud providing the course).

 

Edited September 12, 2019 by Closed for repairs
Typo

[Closed for repairs]

@Petal

I had to self refer, through my local NHS trust I used the web page and then they got back to me with a telephone assessment, then put me on Silver cloud while I wait for One to one CBT.

Hope that helps.

[Closed for repairs]

@Petal

Im sure it’s already been suggested, but Break free from OCD is a good self help book.

It does have OCD in massive bright letters on the cover, but if you want to be more discreet you can get it as an E book I’m sure .

 

 

[Closed for repairs]

Update;

I've been on Silvercloud, now for a couple of months, and had an online review and two phone ones.

I was a bit sceptical about the over the phone review, but actually it works really well, and saves a lot of time at my end, as I don't have to travel miles and wait about. Also might can get right on with any homework straight away while it's fresh. I found writing a precis of the review, helpful although I can't read my writing now, I'm sure that it has fixed the information in my head better.

The material on line is not too technical, and I read through it in a day or so.

I had a month wait before my first review so I wasn't going to do 1 bit and then be reviewed, now I'm on a two week schedule, I've gone back and am working my way more slowly through it.

The tools are ok abit clunky on my phone, but usable.

I like the mood monitor, as it lets you look back on how you have been feeling, not sure if it is terribly good at linking lifestyle with moods as it is trying, and it's a bit of a fiddle to enter some of the information, it won't let me record more than 9 hours of sleep for example.

My NHS supporter had been great , very patient and able to explain things I didn't get.

I think the quality of the support is crucial especially with getting the cognitive stuff to stick, as other wise it could all be a bit difficult to use the tools to change anything.

Today I'm starting to work on my Hierarchy of Fear, a ladder based metaphor, involving splitting up a compulsion, into manageable bits and ranking them before, doing Exposure to the easier ones first. My supporter has said that it can't be too easy I have to get used to the discomfort.

I won't lie I am scared stiff, and all I plan to do to day is not check a light over lunch time, I thought it would be too easy but as it got nearer I got more and more worried.

I managed to spend 15 minutes, before I had to distract my self with dinner

Tomorrow I'm going to try my proper home work of leaving and not checking the light till I come back at home time 4 hours later.

 

 

[Closed for repairs]

I know it's bad form, but I'm just bumping this as I thought it may help.

Sorry

[Just me.]

On 10/10/2019 at 14:23, Closed for repairs said:

Update;

I've been on Silvercloud, now for a couple of months, and had an online review and two phone ones.

I was a bit sceptical about the over the phone review, but actually it works really well, and saves a lot of time at my end, as I don't have to travel miles and wait about. Also might can get right on with any homework straight away while it's fresh. I found writing a precis of the review, helpful although I can't read my writing now, I'm sure that it has fixed the information in my head better.

The material on line is not too technical, and I read through it in a day or so.

I had a month wait before my first review so I wasn't going to do 1 bit and then be reviewed, now I'm on a two week schedule, I've gone back and am working my way more slowly through it.

The tools are ok abit clunky on my phone, but usable.

I like the mood monitor, as it lets you look back on how you have been feeling, not sure if it is terribly good at linking lifestyle with moods as it is trying, and it's a bit of a fiddle to enter some of the information, it won't let me record more than 9 hours of sleep for example.

My NHS supporter had been great , very patient and able to explain things I didn't get.

I think the quality of the support is crucial especially with getting the cognitive stuff to stick, as other wise it could all be a bit difficult to use the tools to change anything.

Today I'm starting to work on my Hierarchy of Fear, a ladder based metaphor, involving splitting up a compulsion, into manageable bits and ranking them before, doing Exposure to the easier ones first. My supporter has said that it can't be too easy I have to get used to the discomfort.

I won't lie I am scared stiff, and all I plan to do to day is not check a light over lunch time, I thought it would be too easy but as it got nearer I got more and more worried.

I managed to spend 15 minutes, before I had to distract my self with dinner

Tomorrow I'm going to try my proper home work of leaving and not checking the light till I come back at home time 4 hours later.

 

 

Hey closed for repairs,

I have started silver cloud a couple of weeks ago through the same route in which you did.

I'm glad you're finding you're supporter helpful, I'm very worried about the telephone reviews as I'm not great on the phone and find it uncomfortable!

I know it all seems uncomfortable at the moment but remember to take your time, I'm sure you will get there. Just remember how well you're doing to be seeking help, it's a big step.

Thank you for sharing your experience with it all as it helps me to have an understanding of what is to come.

[Closed for repairs]

17 hours ago, Just me. said:

I'm glad you're finding you're supporter helpful, I'm very worried about the telephone reviews as I'm not great on the phone and find it uncomfortable!

Same here,  I hate talking on the phone, but it worked really well, I found I was actually more relaxed as I didn’t have to do the whole getting somewhere I hadn’t been before thing, that always winds me up.

I did take the day off and made sure I was in a quiet room with no distractions, all my paper work, pen and notepad etc. I also found access to the website was helpful.

i find it works if I treat like a  face to face review, rather than a phone call it helps, and I have the advantage that it’s taking place in “My Office’ not theirs.

I find writing up my notes straight away  helps  as does making a start on any home work you get.

Im afraid it’s all a bit like being back at school,  and a lot of the things that get you the best out of education apply here as well, it turns out that my teachers were right..

There are some of the same pitfalls too,  I spent most of my revision time when I did my exams, making timetables and colour coding books, making sure I had lots of rest, and didn’t do much revising.

I think if I’m not careful I could do the same here, there lots of loverly computer based things to fill in and avoid doing anything! I’ve set lots of goals and made lots of “fear ladders” but have been rather less successful in putting things into action.

I have a review next week and I feel the old “ not done my homework” guilt creeping up, I’m going to say my dog ate it!

[Just me.]

2 minutes ago, Closed for repairs said:

and I have the advantage that it’s taking place in “My Office’ not theirs.

I love this idea! Never thought of it that way but that's definitely helpful.

Yeah I was the same with homework but at least you're acknowledging that there may be a bit of procrastination there

4 minutes ago, Closed for repairs said:

I’m going to say my dog ate it!

Haha! They may not believe you on that one

Hope your review goes well!

[Closed for repairs]

Silvercloud update 

Had my review, very helpful to be able to discuss, some of the more "admin" problems of the ERP, work. 

For instance I'm working on an exposure ladder involving not checking some lights, and finding a way to "sit with the discomfort, with no distractions," Is  turning into a comedy of errors. To make it work I'm having to find somewere to stay for at least an hour, with out distractions.

Anyway it's handy to be able to discuss these things.

The bad news is apparently there is a limit on the number of phone reviews you can have, and Ive used them all.

It also looks like I won't be getting any face to face therapy for at least six months.

I also think the access to the silver cloud website may be time limited as well.

My staff counseling sessions are also due to finish, and I'm a bit worried I'll fall down the cracks in  few months when everything has finished but I'm still not fixed.

Having said that at least I'll have some idea of how CBT works and can put it into practice on my own .

 

[Gemma7]

Your updates on Silvercloud are really interesting

I'm surprised by the whole no distractions thing. I don't get why having no distractions for an hour is helpful. 

Are you focusing much on the cognitive aspects of therapy? Like beliefs, how ocd works, why to change, what biases you have, the vicious flower? 

[Closed for repairs]

7 minutes ago, Gemma7 said:

Your updates on Silvercloud are really interesting

I'm surprised by the whole no distractions thing. I don't get why having no distractions for an hour is helpful. 

Are you focusing much on the cognitive aspects of therapy? Like beliefs, how ocd works, why to change, what biases you have, the vicious flower? 

Yes, it's not specifically an hour I'm ment to wait till my anxiety is below 50 percent of my starting anxiety., I'm afraid I'm interpreting that as until I get bored, but as part of my exercise is to work up to being able to leave site, for the day with no checking, I have to make the time I'm away fairly long or it feels a bit too unreal.

It's the cognitive bits I'm having trouble with, I can do the paper exercise like the vicious flower, (vicious random scribble, I'm my case,) but the concepts don't stick, I keep working my way through A/B arguments, and various diagrams with acronyms, on a Fake it till you make it basis in the hope that if I do it long enough  it will  stick.

I think this is where face to face or at least telephone, contact is useful, as the therapist has no doubt come across this problem before, and has some ideas to help.

[Gemma7]

4 minutes ago, Closed for repairs said:

Yes, it's not specifically an hour I'm ment to wait till my anxiety is below 50 percent of my starting anxiety., I'm afraid I'm interpreting that as until I get bored, but as part of my exercise is to work up to being able to leave site, for the day with no checking, I have to make the time I'm away fairly long or it feels a bit too unreal.

Are you finding it easier to not do checks? If so, that's excellent, although well done for trying that deserves an excellent too 

5 minutes ago, Closed for repairs said:

It's the cognitive bits I'm having trouble with, I can do the paper exercise like the vicious flower, (vicious random scribble, I'm my case,) but the concepts don't stick, I keep working my way through A/B arguments, and various diagrams with acronyms, on a Fake it till you make it basis in the hope that if I do it long enough  it will  stick.

Yeah i think the concepts are really hard to grasp. Is the Silvercloud programme doing any of it with you? 

What concepts do you struggle with the most, is there anything we could help with? 

7 minutes ago, Closed for repairs said:

I think this is where face to face or at least telephone, contact is useful, as the therapist has no doubt come across this problem before, and has some ideas to help.

Absolutely you can't replace someone working through your problem with you

[Closed for repairs]

So I have "finished" Silvercloud, and am all better....

Well no...

By finished I mean I only get six reviews and then I'm on my own, although I have access to the web site, for a year.

And by better,  well no, I understand what's going on more, and I know how it's all supposed to work, but it's like driving a car, I know how a car works, but I can't drive one...

I'm doing my best,doing the exercises, and trying the exposures.

But feel a bit lost with out knowing I'm getting a review.

I'll have to check my email tonight to see if they have sent me any follow up admin.

So what do I think 

Well it's too short as a stand alone course, if you are using it as a pre face to face thing it's ok, except that I'm still months away from that.

It may be longer if you agree to it instead of face to face. Don't know.

My supporter was great and I was impressed with the phone sessions, they work well as long as you can find the space and quiet to deal with them.

I don't suppose it works so well on a mobile in Macdonald's.

You appear to get 3 phone calls and 3 online reviews, you get the review online for the calls as well, and an email, and my supporter sent me leaflets on various things.

The online materials were fine, but I'd blown through them in an afternoon or two, (my fault)

I ended up reading the transcripts of the videos as I found them annoying.

And talking of annoying I really hated all the relaxation exercises, I found they had the opposite effect, they even started with a "ding".

The web site was a bit buggy on my ancient android phone, and the even older iPad I tried it on .

I've not got very much access to a computer, do had to do a lot in down time at work,(hence going fast at the start).

I'll be honest I'd have done better with a book and some work sheets, as logging on and using the tools became a bit of a chore.

So to sum up, I thought the support was excellent, but 3 phone calls is not enough.

The website is fine, but it's less accessible than a book ( in my case) and the tools ended up being just something else I had to do.

I may have some more to say with a bit more time, but I thought I'd get this down while it was fresh in my mind.