Discussion [Poll] Are you receiving therapy/ professional MH care?

[Cemetery_Flowers]

I've been in the NHS mental health system for a decade now. I started with children's mental health services when I was 14 and got transferred to adult mental health services just before my 18th birthday. I'm 24 now and still in the system.

I've been on lots of different medications (antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazapines), none of which have worked. I've done a DBT course which in my opinion was awful and a complete waste of time. I'm currently on a 6 month therapy program with a psychologist (that I was on a 6 year waiting list for) which will be coming to an end soon. My psychologist is such a kind and caring person but the therapy part just isn't working. I don't know what treatment I will be given when this program ends, if any. There's been talk of discharging me from mental health services even though I clearly need some kind of help.

I think my brain has been defective from birth to be honest and that's why nothing is working. Even the professionals are giving up on me now. I have no hope for the future.

 

[unicornblue]

Tons of therapy, tons of medication. The only good thing is that after all these years, nobody can blame me that I didn't try.

Feel this.. 3 different in pt stays.. 6 years currently of consistent therapy, complying with medication, psychiatrist, have gone up to 4 fking psych meds.. trying so hard. So at least.. if I do finally finish. At least I know I tried.

 

[noreason.toexist]

Was in psychiatric care for anxiety attacks so I decided to also try to get therapy for the plethora of other things I got going on (partly because of the recommendation of my psychiatrist). I was legit told that I'm just imagining everything, and it all comes from anxiety and that I should go into a day clinic instead.

I'm sure if I didn't have the "proof" of my anxiety with the psychiatrist's note, they would've told me I'm just imagining that as well.

Couple that with how fucking hard it is to get into therapy in the first place, I am not trying that again.

 

[beautifulpristine]

Tried in the past, it went horribly. Was given strong medication that melted my brain (and gave me extreme nausea, nerve damage, and worsened my thoughts!) and that was it.

My current job offers free mental health "wellness checks" with a psychiatrist, but I'm afraid scheduling one could ironically lead to me getting fired lol

 

[jimmyinnout]

In my opinion: most "mh" professionals are "r3tards" with a saviours complex. Either they gave me the same advice I could get by going on tumblr and searching "#depression" or they gave me 0 advice at all, and rather just let me talk and talk until spotify had enough data to confirm better help ads were ABSOLUTELY relevant to me + individuals in a similar "predicament"

 

[Unsolved]

I've been on meds and therapy, stopped for a month and it got much worse so I'll probably be back on meds again.

 

[fuzzydunlop]

I've been in therapy and taken medication for years. I currently have an emdr psychologist and substance abuse counselor at the VA and a counselor at the vet center. I have therapy 2 to 3 times a week. I also take meds for depression, anxiety, and even an antipsychotic. All this and I still want to kill myself.

 

[CannabisMuncher]

therapy does help me a bit, but not nearly enough to keep me going sometimes. my meds dont work though.

i feel greatful to have therapy, and its been keeping me somewhat sane, but its not perfect. i still feel SI. and its really hard to feel fully better throughout my life. so while it helps, it just isnt a full on solution for me. im sure it helps many people, and im happy for them. but i also know it does the inverse for others, which have my sympathy. id love to live happily but it feels like it might not even be an option for me

 

[argieb]

Pick the answer most suitable for your situation.

Laughs in American. There's no fucking help or hope here. There's no grace or anything that just want you to fucking die.

 

[itsgone2]

In the past I've seen my therapist once. She's great. My pcp twice, also great. A np for meds. She was really sweet and friendly. I've texted 741741 and 998 chat line. Both of those workers were great. I've started Prozac and have seroquel for sleep. After all that, I still have major issues. Still can't sleep and spend almost all day in pain from the anxiety. I'm now down 18 pounds this month and I wasn't overweight. So when people say we need more resources I do understand but there are limits. Not everyone can be fixed by meds and talking and whatever else. It's sad. I'd give anything to live life over, make different choices, see if life was any better. But like many here, I feel stuck.

 

[FuzzyRylan]

I've tried therapy multiple times the health service here has tried lots of times but ultimately any positive result only lasts a few month afterwards then i fall back into the old train of thoughts. The medication also have varying effects between "great" and "oh jesus why". I got put on lots of different anti-depressants none worked without horrific side effects (and being allergic to one too as it turned out), so they put me on an anti-psychotic to try using it to numb the feelings to begin with, sadly its all feelings...

 

[witchcraft]

I tried therapy for ~10yrs and, well, here I am.

I do not like wording it this way because I do not want anyone here to think I am judging them (I am not), but I will not take the soma anymore. Haven't for about 7 years now, for better and for worse.

Therapy to me is like the equivalent of paying for a sex worker. Not disrespecting sex workers, but it's just... not a replacement for genuine social bonds embedded within a healthy community nested in a healthy society, that's all. A therapist cannot get you a sweet job at their company. A therapist cannot bring you chicken noodle soup when you are sick. A therapist cannot be your Samwise Gamgee. This will likely be obvious to most, but a therapist cannot be a friend or family or lover. Hell, even a stranger might be able to do more for you. It's a weird one way street in which you cannot do anything for them, and they can hardly do anything for you.

But YMMV. I am not discouraging people from therapy or trying to make them doubt their engagement with therapy in any way. I am strictly speaking about my own experience, that's all. When I said "you" I was referring to myself.

When I woke one morning to police banging on my door and windows, taking me to a mental ward because of something I vented to my therapist (partly my fault for using strong language), I will never go to a therapist ever again. They cannot provide me with the opportunities or answers that I need, and I will never be able to be honest about my thoughts or feelings ever again. I am going to be traumatized by that experience for the rest of my life. At the expense of sounding dramatic, I have never been the same since that incident. I could have been held indefinitely and who knows what else.

Also, I am too old to be covered by my parents' insurance, and I am unemployed because working makes me CTB-idal.

 

[Spectre]

I really don't think my issues are mental health related my life just sucks.

 

[huifu]

I'm on therapy only, it has never helped before and I don't think it's helping now, I'll still keep going in hopes to get a diagnose and go to the psychiatrist, my meds didn't work before, I am scared nothing is going to work in the end

 

[gimpyfairy]

Curious to see how many people would vote that its not helping if there was an option like "Yes - but its not working"

I'm on both therapy and medications currently and neither are working despite multiple therapist changes and countless medications being tried.

Edit:

If anyone reads this and they feel discouraged, therapy & medications work differently with everyone, so my situation doesn't necessarily coincide with yours.