Quote:
Originally Posted by victorianpunk
I quit therapy a few months ago after it was getting me nowhere. I was diagnosed with ASPD ... and later two different shrinks gave me a new diagnosis... At least a sociopath would have some aura of "cool" attached to it, and I could make "Bad to the Bone" my entrance music. Instead... I'm schizotypal (STPD) Basically, it's a big, shrinkspeak way of saying I'm a weirdo. It has no negative impact on my life whatsoever aside from the maladaptive daydreaming that costed me my job because it was hard to focus (I'll find another one soon enough, so it's fine) I've started working on that myself and I can stay in reality now long enough to get things done.
Anyway, all my shrinks wanted to do was get me to change into something I'm not. I have only a few friends who I don't hang out with often. I'm fine with that. Shrinks are whining at me to spend time with people. I say no, and they say "humans are social animals." We're also spiritual animals, does that mean atheists need help?
I have very few real goals in life and I'm content to just work and go home and not "rock the boat." Shrinks say "you need to have goals and ambitions." Yeah, so I have something to be disappointed by?
I have dated and had sex, and I find it overrated and ... Shrinks just want to make me want to date and have sex with women when I'm happier with porn and fantasies.
Which brings me to the thesis statement: therapy is simply a means to make people conform to society's lame standards and expectations. ... Frankly, as long as I can hold a job, I don't care what people think. As long as I have a cat and/or some rodents to snuggle with, I have no real need for human companionship.
Whenever I talk about my issues, shrinks always try to get me to change my thinking. Why? If I'm happy, what's the harm? ... And the fact that I am not interested in relationships and trust doesn't stop them.
Anyone else notice this? How shrinks try to make people change who they are just to conform with a worthless society, as opposed to helping people be the best selves they can be?
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I've attempted to edit your quote to a minimum, only to put my reply in context...
First of all, although
neurosis is an obsolete psychological term, I'll use it to indicate a minor psychological problem. The real defining statement of having a mental problem can be divided into two simple questions? (1) Is your condition affecting your ability to function successfully in life? Is your condition making you unhappy, at least to a degree that you want to change?
If you feel that you are dealing with your life problems (work, living, relations with others, enjoying life) and if you are not unhappy with your life as it is, then I don't understand at all why you would even take the time to seek professional help.
There is no one correct "fits all" conception of life. If your therapists are trying to manipulate you into their conception of your perfect life, then they are guilty of
projection (term I won't get into, but in effect trying to force their values on you). A therapist's job is to find out why you are having problems functioning, or why you are unhappy. Perhaps you are caught up in the problem that if you are seeking their help, then you must have a problem, and if you have a problem you are challenging them to fix it.
Your enjoyment of contact with animals is a healthy sign. Like seeks like. Animals have no problems unless they are abused. Could be why there are no animal-shrinks.
I love animals because higher animals (at least mammals) treat you the same way you treat them. Love them and they will love you, to the best of their ability. -- BTW your comment about ambient, I like ambient too on occasion, very peaceful!
The real questions I have for you are (1) Why are you unhappy? (2) Why do you seek change? (3) Why
do you think psychologists are trying to make you conform? Why do you even need them? From your statement I quoted, you seem happy, you seem that your functionality is adequate for you, and it seems to me that your seeking psychotherapy is sending the wrong message that you are either unhappy or not meeting your functional goals in your life.
So here are my questions for you:
1. Are you happy the way you are?
2. Are you functional in your life and employment?
3. Do you feel there is anything missing from your life?
4. Do you interface with other people to the degree that they do not complain?
5. Why are you seeking counseling at all? If #1-4 above indicate you are happy with things the way they are, then why seek to change them?
Remember that the primary goal of psychotherapy is to help patients deal with leading a functional life, and to help them when they are NOT, and to help if patients experience a feeling of
dysphoria: a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life, or experience
anhedonia: an inability to feel pleasure.
If you are leading a functional life that meets your expectations, if you interface with other people without any serious problems (all people have some problems with other people), if you are satisfied with your life and you experience satisfactory pleasure in your life, then it seems to me you are seeking a cure for a disease you don't have.
Or even if a psychologist can find a DSM-IV diagnosis for you, if it's not a problem for you then it's not a problem. Don't bother with psychologists until you feel that you have a problem, until you are unhappy, until you are failing in life. That is the time you should seek counseling.
Just beware of one fact. People often delude themselves into thinking everything is okay. Or they delude themselves into thinking this is all life is. If you are certain you need no help then get on with your life. One day if you realize you need help, you already know where you can find it.