Aaron, 40, from Bury, shared how support from NHS Bury Talking Therapies helped him after struggling with emotional issues that left him feeling lost, angry, and isolated.
The dad-of-three said he reached a breaking point after battling anxiety, anger, and paranoia—feeling ‘completely scattered’.
Aaron said: “I was angry with life and angry with everyone and everything.
“Nobody wanted to be around me because I was no fun to talk to.
“They’d ask what was wrong – but I didn’t know.”
Noreen Iqbal (Image: Supplied)
Aaron said he eventually referred himself to the service, run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, in a bid to save his relationship and improve life for his family.
He began weekly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions, delivered by phone and video call.
During therapy, his therapist Noreen Iqbal helped him explore long-standing issues around low self-worth, obsessive-compulsive behaviours, and body dysmorphia.
He said: “It went in one ear and out the other.
“No matter what I heard, I never believed I was good enough for those around me.
“I’d be worried about what I looked like and never felt like I was attractive.”
Ms Iqbal, a registered mental health nurse and CBT therapist, said: “By discovering the root cause of his issues, we could then develop the right coping mechanisms to allow him to improve his life.
“Aaron wanted to work on his anger management, but we soon identified that he was highly anxious.”
Through CBT, Aaron began setting small challenges to break unhelpful routines and test his beliefs.
Aaron said: “She challenged me each week by asking me to do something differently.
“I delayed things like my weekly haircut, which meant a lot to me as it made me feel that I looked a certain way that I was happy with.
“In the end I managed to push it back for three weeks—something that really pushed me out of my comfort zone.
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“But I did it, and I could see the difference.
“It became clear to me that I could take control of my situation and feelings.”
Aaron says he now feels like a “totally different person.”
He said: “I’m more confident, doing well at work, and really enjoy being around my family.”