therapy

[beastieangel01]

has anyone here gone to a therapist/psychiatrist?

I'm seriously thinking about looking in to it, and perhaps going. I'm not expecting to be "fixed" necessarily. Or even improve over night. But I have a lot of things I want to try and work on and/or get worked out in my head and I am pretty sure I may need a professional for it.

If you have gone; did you find it helpful? any tips on finding a good therapist to go to?

Also, I hear from people sometimes that just finding a good "ear" to talk to will help but I am a little beyond that point. A professional I think is the level I need to seek.

[abcdefz]

If you do, you and your therapist should decide how many sessions before you're done. That helps you both focus on the work rather
than just letting it go on and on.

Also, commit to really doing the work. If it's cognitive therapy you have to be incredibly diligent to get any good out of it. It's really
hard if you're not a disciplined person, and pretty useless.

[hpdrifter]

I have. Finding a good therapist is hard. The only good one I found moved away. The others I have seen were really bad at hiding the fact that they weren't intersted in helping me as much as hearing themselves talk or getting me to come for more appointments.

[Lex Diamonds]

There was a good thread about this a couple of weeks ago.

This was my bit (I have had a personal "shrink" before):

Originally Posted by The Padster

In my personal opinion, counselling and psychiatry are quite negative practises and only build delusion and unhealthy dependance on constructed routines or mindframes. Maybe this is why it didn't work for me (because I don't believe in the practise) but I believe, perhaps anachronistically, that it is much healthier to deal with these things on your own, regardless of any temporary damage or depression. I just think that counselling is more of a short term solution whereas if you manage to settle yourself independently the problem will be more permanently resolved.

If you want to give it a try though then do, and do it individually not as a group- it might work for you. I have spoken to a few people who have gone through it and come out happier/more carefree, so it could do you some good.

[b i o n i c]

the rapist!

[beastiegirrl101]

analrapist!

[b i o n i c]

the rapist does anal his sis!

[beastieangel01]

I appreciate the insights.

I've been trying to handle things on my own and it's just starting to turn in to just in my head to things I say/how I react to things/behaivor in general. All of which is bordering on not being healthy for me or anyone around me. So therapy is definitely something I feel I need to try.

Also it sounds like cognitive therapy will not at all work for me. I'm not at all a disciplined person.

I also like the idea of deciding a number of sessions. Even if I go beyond that, to at least establish it with the person instead of possibly running in to those like hp was mentioning.

thanks again, all.

[beastieangel01]

p.s. if the rapist does anal I'm totally not going to therapy

[Lex Diamonds]

Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

And if you do snap and go crazy remember to come here and post nude pics!

kthxbye

[Planetary]

Originally Posted by beastieangel01

I appreciate the insights.

I've been trying to handle things on my own and it's just starting to turn in to just in my head to things I say/how I react to things/behaivor in general. All of which is bordering on not being healthy for me or anyone around me. So therapy is definitely something I feel I need to try.

Also it sounds like cognitive therapy will not at all work for me. I'm not at all a disciplined person.

I also like the idea of deciding a number of sessions. Even if I go beyond that, to at least establish it with the person instead of possibly running in to those like hp was mentioning.

thanks again, all.

np

[hpdrifter]

I disagree with Padster on this one. I think if you can find a good one, therapist can do a lot for you.

[hpdrifter]

I'll just respectfully disagree with that too. I don't take a large dose but mine have definitely helped me.

Seriously, if you're born with an imbalance what's wrong with correcting that medically? In my opinion it isn't that different from any other medical problem, people who have diabetes have to take insulin to function normally, my brain isn't balanced right so I take something to help it.

[MC Moot]

I've been more than a few times with varied results....but I am a BSW so my opinion is pretty biased....in my youth I went for bereavement counseling for about a year, once a week to help cope with the loss of a parent...very beneficial, helped me transition through the grief and loss...the second time I went for marriage counseling after things had dissolved beyond reconciliation and I had an extremely contentious and negative experience which I found to be completely ineffective and only served to foster a poisoned environment….bad stuff….I can still get wildly angry about that lady…the counselor not my ex….and about 3 years ago I wanted change in my life so I persued a open cousel particularly with regards to substance abuse…and eventually it took…I thought I was gonna be a hop head for life but my man worked it out with me through the use of cognitive and recognition/avoidance schemes…again, I benefit from having access to private confidential counsel through my employee benefit package and as well as from sister or partner agencies in the community whom we exchange services with por gratis…

[TOY]

I used to see a therapist 3-4 years ago. Would really like to go back to her again, but now she is seeing my sister. Shit.

Just remember it's important to "shop around" for the right one.

[Guy Incognito]

Just an update to the thread padster put in: I went to the assesment and it already helped but i was on a bit of a downer afterwards but now already feel a bit better now i have wokred a coupla things out so i would recommend going.
also actually just talking about it and getting different opinions on here helped.

[Guy Incognito]

Originally Posted by cmute rhyme

Sounds like denial to me.

no - thats a river in egypt (be dum dum - i'm here all week!)

[cosmo105]

personally, it didn't do much for me. time and moving on did. but it's worth a try.

[Dorothy Wood]

I only really had a good therapist once. she was christian-based, but didn't talk about christianity at all.

the only thing I haven't liked about therapy is how much they kiss your ass. I went after times of trauma when I was a kid and a teenager, so I think they were being really gentle with me or something. last time I went it was because I was in crisis/suicidal around age 21...I was diagnosed with mild clinical depression because of it. never had any meds though. I think that it was good to talk to someone, but I kind of needed someone to tell me to grow up and deal with life rather than hold my hand.


as I mentioned in another thread, one of my good friends is a therapist and she helps. mostly because she tells me it's alright for me to be crazy, and that it'd be weird if I wasn't crazy after all the stupid shit that happened in my childhood. and she's not afraid to tell you when you're being an idiot. it took a huge load off of my shoulders actually.


try it out and don't be afraid to shop around. also, like cosmo said time and just basic human maturation helps a lot if you let it.

[scotty]

The most important thing is to get someone good. I know its been said before in this thread, but its incredibly important. A bad therapist is about as useful as tits on a bull. They have to be skilled, compassionate and hard - not afraid to tell it like it is if necessary - and you have to like them. Try, also, to find someone who is skilled in the issues you want dealt with - a drug and alcohol counsellor may not be the best with eating disorders, for example. Word of mouth is the best way to find a good one, ask people you know who have seen someone about their experiences with therapists. You also have to be able to end the therapeutic relationship if things aren't working out the way you want them to, usuallly its a good idea to talk with them on the phone before your first session. A short explanation of why you are seeking counselling, what methods they use, availability, possible number of sessions and regularity of sessions. Keep it short and sweet, most therapists are to busy to be kept on the phone for to long

I've been seeing a psychologist every three weeks for just over a year now for an anxiety condition and sporadic bouts of depression and other issues that I'm not going to go into here and she's very good. But, I also had the inside running, because my partner is a psychologist as well, so all I had to do was ask her who the good ones are.

[Randetica]

a therapist made some tests with me but so far there wasnt enough money for a therapy so ill just rot in my apartement for the rest of my life

[jennyb]

I saw a therapist and it was the best! I hear I lucked out because finding one that works well with you is difficult. At first I was apprehensive, I mean, "I'm not crazy."... I had to take who my insurance would cover and it was a persian woman... as I was having issues with relationship stuff and what not I was worried culturally (with male/female roles) what may come up... nothing funky and only everything good.

I find that talking to a professional is so freeing. When you talk to your closest of friends or family deep down you fear they may judge you or what decisions you make in your life impact them therefore you feel held back from saying what you really want. My therapist just sat back, listened, and at all the right times would ask me a question about why I thought/felt a certain way and forced me to either justify it or go... yeah, maybe I'm off base. But I did most if not all of the talking and, go figure, the problem solving!

It's really amazing when it gets to the point of reflecting on your life and how your life experiences from childhood on really dictate how you handle your adult life.

I was never offered any sort of medication and would be extremely wary of taking any ever.

I think EVERYONE could benefit from seeking professional help in this department at least once in their lives. The importance of mental health is too great and rarely acknowledged properly. We think nothing of running to the doctor when we have a broken leg; but, when it's a broken heart or mind ............ ?

[beastieangel01]

Originally Posted by jennygirl

I find that talking to a professional is so freeing. When you talk to your closest of friends or family deep down you fear they may judge you or what decisions you make in your life impact them therefore you feel held back from saying what you really want. My therapist just sat back, listened, and at all the right times would ask me a question about why I thought/felt a certain way and forced me to either justify it or go... yeah, maybe I'm off base. But I did most if not all of the talking and, go figure, the problem solving!

I was never offered any sort of medication and would be extremely wary of taking any ever.

this is pretty much what I'm hoping to get from it and my feeling on the matter.

thank you

[The Notorious LOL]

I think its difficult to apply a blanket statement towards therapy of "it wont work". Its really a case by case basis and I think it depends on your expectations going into it. Furthermore, it depends on why the person is seeking out counseling to begin with. I think if its a person who was physically/sexually abused as a child, to say that they'll just figure things out in time is not only ridiculous but dangerous.

I saw a therapist for about a year because I felt shitty with no real explanation for it. I could have spoken to friends but generally the company you keep, you keep because they have similar outlooks on life. Getting perspective on your own life from an outside source kind of tilts it on its axis a bit and gives you a chance to better examine what you need/want. I would say go for it.

[Oswaldo]

Yes i went for physical therapy last year due to my old back pain i did not give proper attention i though will be fine automatically but day by day it became worst so my doctor suggest me about physical therapy so i visit them and after some sessions of therapies i really felt the difference.......

[MCAadROCKMiKEd7]

I've been to therapy, and I have a psychatrist (Whom I love very much) my therapist didnt turn out as good as I wanted, but I found a new place (Thanks to one of the BBMB members helped me find it actually) and i'm excited, therapy is good if you can find a therapist you can connect with and can tell them everything truly and not tell them what they wanna hear.

Good luck

[Turchinator]

Oswaldo joins a message board and bumps 4 threads with the word "therapy" so he can talk about his bad back.

awesome.

[Echewta]

Originally Posted by Oswaldo

Yes i went for physical therapy last year due to my old back pain i did not give proper attention i though will be fine automatically but day by day it became worst so my doctor suggest me about physical therapy so i visit them and after some sessions of therapies i really felt the difference.......

Geez, you sound like me.

[russhie]

Lots of people here seem to seek out professional help, I didn't realise therapy was such a widespread thing.

I partially agree with Padster on this one - I was made to speak with a counsellor after a guy I knew attempted to rape me. I just didn't engage with her, I resented being made to talk about "why I was here". I guess I veiwed the whole excercise as pointless. Other people making a bigger deal of it than me, I can't say that the incident caused me much of a problem because I feel I answered my own questions about it and moved on.

Relying on myself to work through life's problems - loss, grief, disfunctional relationships, destructive thinking/behaviour, anxiety and (for me) to a lesser extent addiction, has made me stronger and more capable than if I had sought help from a third party. That's not to say that there is no place for therapy - obviously for some people it is beneficial and indeed necessary.

[Kid Presentable]

It's always good to get somebody to check your approach, russhie. Once in a while.