Your opinion on counseling/therapists (girlfriends, love, husband, friend)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Where is your evidence that short-term is the best therapy?
You mention that you offended some of your clients because they didn't return. You say that without a lot of sympathy or empathy. That is very interesting. Was that intentionally done ? To get clients you dislike to "go away"?
There is very little hard proof that anyone has a chemical imbalance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by profgent1
I'm a clinician and you all are mostly right on. There has to be a fit, there are good and bad therapists, you should have clear goals, you have to work hard and be honest, you can't heal what is dead, and short-term provides the greater benefits. I've never heard therapist broken down by talk, CBT, and psychiatrist, although I appreciate the distinctions identified. I have offered benefit (to divorce and stay together) with couples and I've helped a few clients (individually) looking to change. It is not in the theoretical orientation that change occurs, it is in the relational connection, i.e., the fit. If it doesn't work, find another. I often recommend therapy. There are times I have also told people to go away. I don't want to waste their time and I don't think my time or any therapists time should be wasted either. And I also think I've genuinely offended people, and they haven't returned. Also, I've been on both sides of the chair - as therapist and as client. It does help and it is cleansing. As far as a test for ADHD/ADD - there are a number of indices diagnostically and with assessment instruments - no hard or fast certainties, but frequently enough info is given to shore up or erase doubts regarding that and any diagnosis. Finally, if you know a diagnosis and the symptoms, you can provide greater relief. I think it would be more disconcerting to know you had something going on but no one could put their finger on it. I'm not necessarily into meds, but they sure help when indicated. I've seen kids and adults with ADHD settle down, anxiety mellow out, and depression, come back to the living. My recommendation: don't over prescribe, use for S/T as much as possible, and learn to live holistically.
And as far as the Japanese and depression - did someone say honorifics: death to a student who is not successful, death to a businessperson who brings shame on their company, hari-kari and kamikaze? I can't see anything normal about persons killing themselves, even if identity is rooted in the community. If it's not depression, call it something else, but even as culturally sanctioned acts, these behaviors are not within the realm of normal. That being said, chemical imbalances are not specific to culture, they are specific to humans, and the million dollar industry is for pills, not for health.
Having said that, I am enjoying this thread. Please carry on.
IMO, the best counsel you can get is from family and friends (that you trust). Not only is it free, but people who are close to you in your life tend to know much more about you including things you keep "in the closet". You can then take that advice and verify/discuss it on an internet form like CD.
As far as ADD, you should do more research on the actual industry that comes up with all these various "so called" dysfunctions/disorders. What I'm trying to say is that the industry has no absolute test that is 100% proven to point out that you have specific mental disorder.
Sometimes people go into counseling just to talk about various minor problems. They might need somebody to listen too and that is it. People change at their own pace and have the autonomy to do as they wish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PassTheChocolate
It only works if you are willing to be honest with yourself, and if you have a good therapist, of course. Depending on the issues, it can be exhausting at first. Facing your problems are never easy. I'm all for it. It has taught me a lot.
I also know people who have lied to their therapists.
And you are making judgments about a morbidly obese friend why??
I presume that you are perfect and have never had a bad habit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowsnow
Therapy can give you back your life. I believe you need to see real progress and an end point. The therapy has to be goal oriented with clear objectives. If you don't see progress, you have the wrong therapist.
I've seen therapy do great things and I've also seen people become addicted to/dependent upon therapy. I've seen people either no better or even worse after years of therapy and meds. Go in with your eyes open. The first thing you need to discuss after stating your issues is a reasonable time to see some positive results. Therapy isn't cheap either.
A young woman I knew was quite heavy and she sought therapy to deal with the issues surrounding being a heavy person. Fast forward to years later and she is now morbidly obese and she can recite a litany of reasons why she is fat. She is still desperately unhappy but she has several therapists who are now her enablers. To the tune of 1K per week. Think of all the other things she could have done with that money. And believe me, she's no better off than she was before. She just has great excuses now for why she is fat.
It's great to be able to talk about and understand your problem. But there needs to be positive progress towards resolving the issue.
My micro-biology teacher in high school was diagnosed several times and one of her diagnosis was schizophrenia. She was really one of the most friendly people that I had ever met and a great teacher too. She eventually stopped going to therapists because she didn't want to be labeled. I believe she just wanted someone to talk too. She seemed really lonely, as she was unable to have children.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sierraAZ
My plan is very generous with mental health , unlike other, more important, things. I can go and spill my guts out to my heart's content - $15/h! I can go every day if I want to. But I still prefer you, guys - cheaper and way more entertaining! Besides, I don't get diagnosed that often!
Nothing, artsy. You know how it is - no doctor, no diagnose! Once you start going to them, you'll get every sickness in the book and start being stuffed with crap.
What is your opinion on counseling? Whether it be for marriage or just to help figure out some issues that you had.
My personal opinion is, some of them are helpful and insightful. Others are incompetent and biased, and you are granting them some level of authority that they have not earned.
I had a close relative who was what I would call mentally ill for years. I believe something happened in her childhood, which was in the 1920s. Her own sister also hinted at something like this.
I am not sure when she first had problems but 'stupidly' someone said it was because she had an early hysterectomy in her 40s I guess.
I believe my relative had depression that went diagnosed for years, as well. This runs in my family and I think her life style added to it. She was widowed quite young, tried living on her own for years but after being raised in a large family, being alone exaggerated her condition.
I believe she had a break down and then recovered and came to live with us. (I was just a kid). At age 60 she was in the suburbs without a car (didn't drive) and was used to city living. Her first few years were okay because she belonged to a Senior Citizens club. But as the years past, she was home more and more. She had another breakdown when I was about 13/14 and began therapy that went on for years. She was on some medication and hospitalized.
They never got to the root of her problem and as long as she took the meds she didn't have paranoia or delusions.
However, like I said, her therapy was just to get her more meds. No reason for the depression or the illness was ever discovered.
Having studied some psychology, I believe therapy is a good idea but it should make progress and yes, there needs to be a reason behind 'why' a person is mentally upset...
So if they discover it has to do with her childhood. Then what? You can't go back into a time machine and change everything and make everything hunky doory. Circular thinking is a common error in therapy.
I'm glad that medication has worked for her. Psychiatric medication is really hit and miss. It is trial and error. It causes horrible problems with a lot of people. While with other people it helps them momentarily.
What were her delusions and paranoia about?
Here is a so-called research article that says that perceived discrimination causes psychosis or psychotic disorder. Something tells me this research was done by racists.
"Perceived discrimination may induce delusional ideation and thus contribute to the high observed rates of psychotic disorder in exposed minority populations."
Having studied some psychology, I believe therapy is a good idea but it should make progress and yes, there needs to be a reason behind 'why' a person is mentally upset...
Others are incompetent and biased, and you are granting them some level of authority that they have not earned.
Alright. That is interesting and true.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sierraAZ
Nothing, artsy. You know how it is - no doctor, no diagnose! Once you start going to them, you'll get every sickness in the book and start being stuffed with crap.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, unlike other, more important, things. I can go and spill my guts out to my heart's content - $15/h! I can go every day if I want to. But I still prefer you, guys - cheaper and way more entertaining!
Besides, I don't get diagnosed that often!
