POLL: HAS THERAPY HELPED YOU

[Fthis]

I waa thinking about trying therapy, not really to help with being suicidal but for some of the less serious problems, how much has it helped you?

 

[Malletboy]

Therapy has helped me a lot. Although it has taken me years to land a good therapist. My therapist is amazing and has really helped me tackle big and small problems in my life.

 

[Life_and_Death]

Ummm..... Difficult for me to answer even with all those options lol.

I've been doing therapy on my own (without a licensed therapist, just doing what feels right for me) for about 4-5yrs. I'm still working on the whole licensed therapist thing. The first one didn't listen, then covid, then anxiety so havent really done that yet.

As far as helping myself... It hasn't gone horrible. I'm still alive. I'm better in some ways and worse in others. Of course I'm still working on it.

 

[Moose.000]

No, not at all. From military and jail psychologists/psychiatrists to $150 an hour therapists and psychiatric "professionals." It's only given me the opportunity to realize how careless, useless or money hungry they are.

 

[Rayzieka]

I can't for sure say if I can recommend it. It's been a wild ride dealing with therapists but I get up early and go just because I fear losing my ssdi and other benefits.
Out of all the things they've tried to help me with, just talking has helped the most since I don't get to talk to many people,
Their coping methods for my diagnosis don't help very much and the medication is a mess id like to get out of.
But being able to talk out loud every week makes me feel human.

 

[killedbypsychiatry]

I've been to lots of therapists, and unfortunately seeing my last "therapist" cost me my life/ is the reason I'm here (well psychiatrist but she was also a therapist so yeah). Many where a compele scam and I felt as if they where just making money out of my suffering and giving me ridiculous (sometimes even very hurtful) advice, I just saw them since my mom forced me. Although one of the therapists I saw did helped a bit for some time, I don't think there was anything magical about it but simply having someone validate my feelings and the human connection was helpful. I think what's important is looking for someone who fits your needs, in general trauma therapist as well as humanistic are more open and not just label all of your expirences as a "mental illness". Also I think the person really matters, feeling comfortable with them and feeling like they truly care and give you advise that helps.

 

[DyingAbusedSoul]

It made everything far worse in my case

 

[Carrotcake]

Therapy has helped me gain insight in some parts of my personality and how to cope with them.

However, therapy has never helped with the depression. Yes, I learned things. But this learning does not reflect on how I feel.

 

[Bat 17]

My main benefit from therapy is to have someone believe in me (or seem to). I remember in one of our first sessions she said that having heard my story she could completely understand why I had wanted to CTB. No sermons, no platitudes. I was shocked and so relieved I felt I could cry. I think that was a very good approach from her because it built trust which has endured.

We have been doing something called schema therapy which I recommend. It is a way of seeing how experience, particularly negative experience, has created different facets of our personality and ways of interacting with people in the here and now. It provides some order to the complexity.

I've been lucky to have a year of therapy which is quite unusual people usually get just a few sessions on the NHS.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Therapy has helped for any minor setbacks in my life but other people have significant others for that and those don't cost as much plus they're at least there for more than an hour.

I think therapy would be a lot more effective if there was a way for them to be there almost all the time instead of just going once every week or once every two weeks because everything bad that happens in between just sets me back to feeling shitty as usual. Of course I realize this is logistically impossible which is why I don't think therapy is always the right solution, at least not for me.

Plus I'm sick of them always telling me what they think I want to hear rather than what I need to hear. Of course I do like getting my ego stroked for once but it's just not helpful for me in the slightest.

 

[gnomeboy17]

You definitely should try it, it didn't work for me but it depends what you're trying to get from it. The reasons I want to ctb are in the real world, eg, financial issues, grades and being LGBT, therapy can't change any of those. But if you're issues are more about yourself and how you see the world (as opposed to how the world sees you) then it's likely it could help. But no matter your issues it's worth giving it a go. Worse case scenario you can kill yourself ;)

I waa thinking about trying therapy, not really to help with being suicidal but for some of the less serious problems, how much has it helped you?

 

[WornOutLife]

Wow! There are certainly a lot of NOs lol.
Same here. Therapy only made me more suicidal. Talking to my dog and wall is much more effective.

 

[TowerUpright]

It helped me, slightly. But in retrospect, it was probably less of some sort of breakthrough and more like my symptoms abaded because I had a pseudo-friend. Those symptoms come back and go away from time to time.

I will say I think it is of less value, since I cannot be 100 percent honest with him. I can't say anything about CTB thoughts and feelings just because of what he is compelled to do by law or concern.

 

[FuneralCry]

I was nearly forced to do this, and just the idea of it is a big no. Talking cannot fix any of my problems as you cannot change the way my brain is wired and get rid of physical health problems by 'changing the mindset'. I think when I was a kid I have briefly had therapy and I just found it frustrating. I struggle with communication at times and hate the whole environment. It may help others but my personality isn't suited in any way.

 

[Celerity]

The therapy itself? No. The sympathetic ear of the therapist? Yes.

 

[AntiCycleAN]

Sort of. I agree with others that they can provide a person to talk to you that might actually listen or care. Its helped with my anxiety a bit as well. But, it really hasn't helped me with my depression, and really doesn't help solve the fundamental issues of life that make it so horrible for me. Not only my own ever present anhedonia, but the pain of waking up every morning and suffering through the sheer drudgery essential to this meaningless existence full of loneliness and monotony.

 

[possumoutpost]

I got dropped by all the therapists I've had for different reasons. I was able to take some from it but at the same time I'm in the exact same place I was then just more aware of the fucked up shit people did to me as a kid.

 

[saltshaker]

Not really, I was just freaking out that they would hospitalise me again the entire time. It wasn't helpful at all. The only therapist i kind of liked talking to was too expensive. It's just a bunch of people banking on misery really.