counceling depression vs situational

[Kumachan]

What do you guys think about/have experienced "professional help" in case of a situational(reactive) depression? Can we even agree that someone's depression is treatable with medication/counceling if its just shitty life situation? My sister recommended seeing a professional for my depression, but what can they possibly do? Send me back in time so i could have behaved differently? Sedate me to the point when i simply dont care? I feel like i made a terrible mistake + a road accident + some unrelated family shit for good measure:) i honestly cant imagine how therapy can help me function in daily life, at least suicidal thoughts give some kind of relief...
what do you think?

 

[k75]

I believe that's the type of thing therapy is most helpful for, actually. Without knowing all the details or actually being a therapist myself, I can't really back up that statement. But I've seen it happen.

It's true that they can't fix the event or make it not have happened. But one thing therapy can do is teach you new coping skills to deal with things differently. Teach you new ways of thinking. You can also just talk and work through things bothering you that way. There are a lot of ways it could help. Even a combo of therapy and meds could help a lot. If you have access to it, why not try and see?

 

[Deleted member 1465]

I coped with depression all my life to the point that in my forties I'd come to terms with it and was relatively happy. Then illness struck and stripped all that away. I need help managing my illness more than my depression.
So for me, counselling, whilst I'm always open to other people's views, often seems a bit condescending. Yes, I know about coping mechanisms, yes, I've practiced distraction methods and CBT, yes I've looked at different perspectives and learned why I react the way i do in different situations.
I always want to say to the counsellor - have you done these things? But I'm not mentally ill, she says. Er... aren't you? Don't we all fit onto the scale somewhere these days? I question the value of this for me, but I don't outright discard the potential. I guess a good counsellor with some actual life experience rather than just text book sound byte responses is the key. it's worth a shot but it depends on the counsellor and the individual circumstances too.

 

[k75]

I guess a good counsellor with some actual life experience rather than just text book sound byte responses is the key. it's worth a shot but it depends on the counsellor and the individual circumstances too.

This! This is key. The best therapists I've had are ones who have actually been in counseling themselves and have first hand experience with mental illness. They know what's bullshit and what actually helps. They also tend to be less trigger happy when it comes to suicidal ideation. They are hard to find, but they exist.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

This! This is key. The best therapists I've had are ones who have actually been in counseling themselves and have first hand experience with mental illness. They know what's bullshit and what actually helps. They also tend to be less trigger happy when it comes to suicidal ideation. They are hard to find, but they exist.

Yes, I don't discount the principle, but I've only had people half my age giving nail on text book responses that I could get of the internet or the Samaritans. Saying things like 'your physical illness notwithstanding...' just makes me want to jump out the window, cus i know i'm better off on my own. But give me someone with empathy and experience and I'd be there every week. Someone else's perspective is always a good thing if they can actually listen. But if they don't listen, then it's a waste of everyone's time.

 

[k75]

Yes, I don't discount the principle, but I've only had people half my age giving nail on text book responses that I could get of the internet or the Samaritans. Saying things like 'your physical illness notwithstanding...' just makes me want to jump out the window, cus i know i'm better off on my own. But give me someone with empathy and experience and I'd be there every week. Someone else's perspective is always a good thing if they can actually listen. But if they don't listen, then it's a waste of everyone's time.

Yeah, that's definitely not helpful at all. It's not even real therapy, in my opinion. I went through several therapists in a row last year that were super young and inexperienced. Not helpful at all. One liked to ask me if I really thought I was living my best life and if I actually wanted to get better. She just couldn't seem to think beyond the textbook.

The best therapist I've had actually managed to reframe some guilt and grief I've been haunted by for over 35 years, and it was enlightening.

 

[Oyoy]

Yeah, that's definitely not helpful at all. It's not even real therapy, in my opinion. I went through several therapists in a row last year that were super young and inexperienced. Not helpful at all. One liked to ask me if I really thought I was living my best life and if I actually wanted to get better. She just couldn't seem to think beyond the textbook.

The best therapist I've had actually managed to reframe some guilt and grief I've been haunted by for over 35 years, and it was enlightening.

That was very helpful for me
I have been haunted by.my past. I know that the key would be finding humor or positive aspects of my past. I don't know how.

 

[Beautiful_Disgrace]

I have seen several therapists and in my opinion, it only has made my issues worse. I always end up talking about things and then being told to let it go, like I haven't been trying to do that my whole life. I end up shutting down and not showing up to my next appointments after that.

Everyone tells me I haven't found the right therapist, but it's so hard to find the motivation to keep being disappointed. I tell my story so many times that I'm just tired of it.

 

[KadathianStr1d3r]

Counseling with words is useless. Better to counsel something physical to trick your brain into feeling a lot better by exercising and looking at your gains to feel better about yourself.
Dude just get a physical therapist and work out if you can, counseling is just a waste of time and also is nothing more than a corrupted monopolized system so don't due therapy my man! Best of luck dude!

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

I find the methods are important, especially going to a trauma-informed therapist who uses EMDR, somatic therapies, and/or energy psychology techniques such as EFT and TAT. Talking only does so much, it does not release the trauma. CBT helps to reframe things and sometimes offers some good life skills, but in my experience it does not release trauma.