Therapy, thoughts, opinions, comments, crackers, cheese, etc.

[Drake]

Lately I've been thinking a lot about going to a pyschiatrist, to help me progress and get better. I'm just kinda worried and nervous about it though, there's a lot of things that I'm unsure of and I'm afraid of. Like, what if I fall for this person? (she's going to be female, I literally cannot talk to guys about my emotional problems, this alone seems like something for therapy lmao). One of my friends from here said I should bring that up to her, but wouldn't that just make her like...fuckin creeped out? or feel weird you know?


Another thing is, my mom is bipoloar...which I'm pretty sure I am as well. Obviously I haven't been diagnosed but I'm 95% sure as soon as they do their test they'll find out I am. Anyway, my mom still isn't happy :\ Like even after years of therapy, taking meds, all that stuff she's still often happy one week, sad the next. I understand that not everyones the same but I feel like this really is my last hope here...I've honestly tried to better myself as much as I can without therapy but I can't get over those mental boundaries. I feel like if therapy and or medication can't help me I'm messed :\


I unno guys, I just wanted your thoughts, opinions and comments on it. Have you ever been? Would you ever go? Have you thought about it? That kinda thing, thanks for taking the time to read. Happy holidays <3

 

[Brian]

I went to one when I was younger. Back then I didn't need it, lol. Now though I sometimes think about it myself.

They do their job to make money just like anyone else. And to make money they need to be understanding, non-judgemental and help you find insight into your problems. So that's what a good psychologist does. They expect you to come to them with all manner of problems...and I don't think someone would go through all those years of schooling if they didn't have at least something of a passion and interest in doing their job right.

As for you falling for a female therapist, It's not uncommon. I believe they probably are trained to deal with and probably expect those situations. Just keep in mind you're not really communicating with her personally...it's not a social chit chat. It's a therapy session; a form of treatment. That is the mindset she is in and hence her real personality will more or less probably not show. Actually, talking to her about it would probably be the best bet and would make her feel the least awkward than if she's left to just read all the signs for herself

Have you ever watched The Sopranos? That has a very good depiction of an interesting therapist-patient relationship involving conflicting emotions and the patient 'falling' for the doctor.

And try not to expect to be diagnosed as bipolar. If they test you for it, answer questions honestly; don't just pick ones that seem like a shortcut to getting the diagnosis 'over with'; then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.


The only thing keeping me from a therapist right now is the cost. I can't really afford it or even really justify it because things aren't always bad. But, if I can land a nice fire job with nice benefits, I'll probably look in to it. When I was a kid my therapist was male...he was a really nice guy. And even though I didn't really have need for it (no idea why my parents sent me to him...), I certainly felt like I could tell him my problems. I still would, actually.

 

[Lonesome Crow]

I could had been dianosed with Bi polor too when I first got clean and sober.
I was put on prozac for a while...but **** I felt nothing so
how in the hell was I going to grow emotionally if I felt nothing ?
So...I threw those **** pills away. I had narley withdraws too,
but I want me feelings today. I'm working very closely with my
sponsor and inspit of it all...I'm actaully pretty darn happy today.
i don't have those emotional roller coaster after a long term relationship break up
and a death of a love one...I got throught it
clean and sober. I'm stable and serene for the most part now.

My sponsor is a M.D.....he's not giving my ass pills..becuase he knows it'll kill me...lol
Instead he tells me jokes to help me laugh and tells me to work on myself....stay positive and all that good stuff.
Obviously,if he's my sponsor..he's a recoverying addict too...lmao

Not trying to thump the book on you Drake..but it say religion,
physchiatry wasn't sufficent for us.

My ex went to the doctor/therapy for almost a year...over $50,000 worth
after her relaped or during it...it didn't help worth a fresia becuase she was still using.
She's more wacked out than ever. She's on all kinds of medication
and pills...A pill for every freaken ill. I don't even know who
the heck she is anymore...wheather she's self medicated or
taking persciptions drugs. She's too been dianosed with bi polor.

Then again...I lived with her for over a decade. I've witness her
when she was well...not using any drugs or drinking working her
recovery program. She was happy and the nicest person you'll ever meet for the first 7 years of our relationship.
She advance in her career too...all the good healhty normal people do.
Well...she's a social worker...not some hype or a bum you see in a dark alley.
Now she just dysfunctional as heck from all the drugs that's she pumping into her system.
Dr. jeckle and Mrs Hyde...on persciption drugs. She gose into a deep depression without her pills,
but when she's on them..she's like a fucken robot or in a zone.

My dad recently got sober...after all these years...thank god. He seems so much happier
and it's peaceful and sereen around the house. Nope..he's not a whino either.
I didn't grow up in a trialer park..lol I live in a very nice part of town.
He once was a CEO, now he holds a very high position where he works at.

Most people have a wrong impression of who's an addict or are missed-informed.
Addicts comes from all walks of life..Even my minister is a recovering alki/addict

Life on life's term isn't too easy for most of us..if you're like
me...when the rough gets going...I tend to go into a tail spin.
It dosn't hit me overnite...it's progressive and the end result was not a freaken Jockpot.lol
I needed help...but I went into isolation...
Duh...isolation is worst thing that I could had done for a person
like me...I suffered darely. What do you think meetings are ?
It's group therapy. It's even in the basic text...lol

err...remember it also say...the theraputic value of one addict
helping another ? Is it not the same principle the some people
here on ALL are doing ...helping one another to get well ?

It dose say FIRST THINGS FIRST for reasons. Therapy might
help after we stop pumping mood changing and mind altering
substance in our system.

As you know...taking drugs of any form...numbs the hell out
of us...you know, how the hell are we're going to grow emotionally
if we can't feel our emotions ?

Err..drugs shock the hell out of our central nerve sytem..lol
Then we wonder why it feels wierd or feel bi polor after we get clean....
We stopped growning mentally and emotionally the day we started using...lol remember ?
well...how in the heck are we suppost to make good life's decisions if we're wacked out of our minds...DUH

I relapsed 4-5 times when I first went into recovery...I kept going back to those dran meetings.
It took me almost 2 years to get my first year clean and sober.
I manage to put 12 years clean time together..then I relasped...I tored me a new ass hole.
I felt lost again as always. I'm working on my 5th years again.
I've been struggling with my ex's disease for the past 5 years. Her addictions..kicked my freaken ass too.
I stopped attending my meetings...or support system and starting wanting to do it on my own again...will fresia !!!
As you know...when logged onto ALL...i was pretty fucken lost and miserible....freaken clean and sober.
My sponsor told me.."wtf are you fucken crazy???( lol I was)...people hang themselves isolating and not working thier program
even if they are abstance." Will...that's exactly what i thought about doing the day i logged onto ALL.
Poeple here care for me..it was a bridge i needed to get out of isolation....my baby steps.
Draging my ass back into those rooms and asking for help was hard for me to do,but
it was will worth it. I need that FACE 2 FACE contact with people. I'm much happier today.
It's only been less than 90 days since I started going back to those meetings...much, much improvements already.

 

[Fender]

Lately I've been thinking a lot about going to a pyschiatrist, to help me progress and get better. I'm just kinda worried and nervous about it though, there's a lot of things that I'm unsure of and I'm afraid of. Like, what if I fall for this person? (she's going to be female, I literally cannot talk to guys about my emotional problems, this alone seems like something for therapy lmao). One of my friends from here said I should bring that up to her, but wouldn't that just make her like...fuckin creeped out? or feel weird you know?


Another thing is, my mom is bipoloar...which I'm pretty sure I am as well. Obviously I haven't been diagnosed but I'm 95% sure as soon as they do their test they'll find out I am. Anyway, my mom still isn't happy :\ Like even after years of therapy, taking meds, all that stuff she's still often happy one week, sad the next. I understand that not everyones the same but I feel like this really is my last hope here...I've honestly tried to better myself as much as I can without therapy but I can't get over those mental boundaries. I feel like if therapy and or medication can't help me I'm messed :\


I unno guys, I just wanted your thoughts, opinions and comments on it. Have you ever been? Would you ever go? Have you thought about it? That kinda thing, thanks for taking the time to read. Happy holidays <3

There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking help. I think I would be an entirely different person today if I had gotten some growing up. Remember that there is a difference between Psychiatrists and Psychologists. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication and perform ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). A psychologist is for treating depression, social anxiety, PTSD, and pretty much any other mental difficulty. Personally, I would suggest seeing a psychologist, don't worry, they are real doctors who can help you. You will notice though, they usually have a Ph.D. not a M.D. They are not medical doctors and they will not prescribe drugs to you.

I think trying to go drug free is the best way to do this, I know if I could afford and get the guts to do it, I would have seen one. Now I have a different state of mind though, and I think I will make it O.K.

As for whether or not you should see one, well, that is entirely up to you, but I suggest at least going to one therapy session and tell the psychologist everything about how you feel. You will be surprised at how good it feels to talk to them. I know a psychologist who no longer practices, and he has a way of communicating with people and just making them feel good.

 

[Claire1978]

I started seeing a therapist a couple of months ago to help me deal with my social anxiety and my fear of people not liking me once they get to know me. It has helped a lot. And a lot of times it's nice just to have someone to talk to.

I think it's important to find the right one, though. I tried a couple different ones before I found one whose approach worked best for me. Someone who wouldn't judge or make me feel weird for feeling as I do, someone who not only listens but also gives insights, solutions, and helps me develop an action plan for overcoming my fears and insecurities.

I understand your concerns, but I think it can be a very positive thing if you find the right person.

 

[Fender]

I started seeing a therapist a couple of months ago to help me deal with my social anxiety and my fear of people not liking me once they get to know me. It has helped a lot. And a lot of times it's nice just to have someone to talk to.

I think it's important to find the right one, though. I tried a couple different ones before I found one whose approach worked best for me. Someone who wouldn't judge or make me feel weird for feeling as I do, someone who not only listens but also gives insights, solutions, and helps me develop an action plan for overcoming my fears and insecurities.

I understand your concerns, but I think it can be a very positive thing if you find the right person.

I totally agree with Claire, I didn't mention anything regarding that in my post. Like she was saying, finding the right psychologist can make all the difference. You may have to try a couple of them before you find one that you like and that you feel can actually help you.

 

[LonelyDragon]

I know I should see one. But the cost is so prohibitive. And being in a small town my options are pretty limited.

 

[Claire1978]

I know I should see one. But the cost is so prohibitive. And being in a small town my options are pretty limited.

My health insurance covers mine. If that is not an option, you could look into sliding scale and/or free services.

At least you are taking a positive step by being here now. Even though I am new here, I am already finding this forum to be pretty good therapy - it is so nice to meet so many people who struggle with some of the same things I do. And since we can all relate and empathize, perhaps we can just be your "therapists" for now.

 

[SophiaGrace]

you should try a psychologist. it cant hurt right?

Believe it or not falling in love with one's therapist is quite common. It's called Transference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transference

 

[NeverMore]

I went to therapy for a while last january-february, I think it couldn't hurt for you to try it out. It hekps a lot to just have someone to talk things out with and often times they can give you good advice which can be even better than meds. I know that when I went it helped a lot with my anxiety around people and depressed moods, not because they gave me pills to take (which they wanted to) but because of some of the things they told me about how thought processes work and how to deal with negative thoughts.

As for embarrassing yourself in front of the psychiatrist or making her feel uncomfortable, I wouldn't worry about that too much, that's what she gets paid to do deal with, awkwardness and uncomfortable things

Just remember they can't force you to do anything you don't want to, and you can stop anytime you want.

 

[VanillaCreme]

Happiness doesn't come from a pill. For me, it took someone special to make me realize what happiness was. But, if you think it might make you feel better, I'm supporting you, Drake.