What is Therapy like?

[Ixtlilton]

I have been thinking about going to therapy for a while. I found out recently that it is easily accessible from my school. Although, I am a little nervous about what actually happens in therapy. Can someone who has had, or currently in it somewhat explain what it is like?

 

[BPD Barbie]

It's different for everyone for a number of reason. Why you are going to therapy, what your diagnosis, who's doing the therapy.
For me, I see a psychiatrist weekly. I go in, she asks how I've been, adjusts meds, suggests any additional help, organises any other therapies I may need etc. I tell her everything, literally everything, we have a very trusting relationship. But not every psychiatrist is the same and not everyone has the same experiences. I went through many to find the one that works, it's pretty normal to have to do that.
Good luck and let us know how it goes for you

 

[Walking Disaster]

I was in therapy for 1 year, well for me it was like going in this place, sit down on the chair and talking to my therapist, in my case but i think it's the same for everyone in psychotherapy you decide what to say and start talk about that situation or feeling, and when you are describing it the therapist should help you figure out things, finding some links or asking you questions about what you were feeling in that moment and things like that, it depends on what you are saying to him/her and what you want to achieve..i never gave her what i wanted to achieve or particular indications of what i wanted so for me it was more like talking and hear a responde with some ideas, i should say that for me most things my therapist told me were things i already knew or thought about. but yeah it's really good for venting in particular situations, if it doens't cost you a lot of money i think you should try it, if you don't feel good or get in touch with the therapist just quit.

 

[Backwood_tilt]

But not every psychiatrist is the same and not everyone has the same experiences. I went through many to find the one that works, it's pretty normal to have to do that.

Rlly important. If you truly want to find a good therapist who will help you it will take work, especially on your part in terms of building that relationship of trust and respect and openness with them.

 

[Ixtlilton]

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully, I can muster up the courage to ask for therapy tomorrow. Thanks guys!

 

[hershberger]

To sort of echo Barbie, it's quite hard to say exactly what therapy is going to be in a general sense. I tried therapy in the late 90s (sucked), 2003 (slight progress, then we hit a wall), 2017 (was like talking to a wall), and 2019-2020 (wonderful, perfect therapist). As you can tell: (1) I'm old, and (2) you can get wildly different results from therapists.

I think the main thing I have learned from my current therapist is that I had this preconceived notion of what therapy was supposed to be: me saying something, and the therapist saying, "And how does that make you feel?" (I'm kind of stealing from the author Brene Brown there.) I wanted them to give me advice, to tell me when I was full of shit, to make me feel comfortable in talking about all the deepest, darkest parts of what rattles around in my brain. The therapist I have now does all that. She listens, lets me ramble, and then ever so gently brings me back to what I need to work on and what I need to avoid.

In short: give yourself some time to get to know your therapist, and vice versa. If you're not 100% comfortable with him/her after a few months, then it's probably better to find someone else. I wish you all the luck in the world. I told my therapist once, "There's 167 hours a week where I feel lost, and this one hour where I don't." May you find that as well.

 

[UpandDownPrincess]

I've spent years and years in therapy! That doesn't mean it doesn't work, just that being bipolar is very special

You'll talk about what's going on with you - sometimes about real life stuff, sometimes about what's in your head.

Your therapist can ask questions, point out ways you're thinking that are not helpful, and sometimes just commiserate and agree that something sucks ass.

Some therapists like to give homework (like try to get dressed every day this week or keep a journal of when you feel angry) and some don't. I have found some of these exercises helpful, others not.

They'll have tissues, but they're usually of the sandpaper variety so if you're a crier, bring your own.

Any more specific questions? Feel free to ask away!

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

Lots of good advice here, don't feel the need to add more of what it's like.

But I'd like to say something I wish someone would tell me if I'd made the OP:

If it doesn't feel good to be with that person and disclose things about yourself to them, don't.

If you don't feel comfortable with the person, and if their style does not resonate with you, walk away. It's like being intimate with someone just because you're lonely -- if they're not a good fit, they won't suddenly become one later, and you'll be dissatisfied, or keep on digging for the pony that surely must be under such a big pile of shit.

 

[squirtsoda]

It's hard to say what therapy is like really, it depends both on you and the therapist. For me, I tend to ruin it by keeping the therapy to talking about my week and just bullshitting, never getting down to what is actually going on. I have a great therapist who actually coordinates and has a working relationship with my psychiatrist. They actually care about me, probably too much for a professional relationship, they really lost their shit when I almost died in November. And I feel horrible about it.

However, if I was remotely honest with either of them, I'd be in the psych ward ASAP. Basically I make it a waste of money. But I don't intend on dying naturally.

 

[TheEndof]

I have been thinking about going to therapy for a while. I found out recently that it is easily accessible from my school. Although, I am a little nervous about what actually happens in therapy. Can someone who has had, or currently in it somewhat explain what it is like?

I highly recommend it if you've never been. It can be very nice to just have someone to talk and vent your feelings to, especially if you haven't had the chance to do it before. Most therapists who I've been to have been helpful in the way it's helpful to have a friend who cares about your well being listen and offer advice. In the long run, I never found it to be particularly beneficial to my overall mental health but it definitely has helped me get through some rough times. I can't say why I don't see the benefit for myself in the long term. I think I begin to feel like I'm just talking about the same things over and over again with no real resolution. That's just me and everyone has different experiences depending on your therapist's style and your own willingness to engage and be open. I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't ready to be open. If you're just going to BS your way through it, it's definitely a waste of time.

 

[TAW122]

It varies between therapists and mental health professionals as well as other people. To sum up my experiences though, mine was basically you walk in, they ask you introductory questions as well as some important and incriminatory questions (the infamous - have you ever thought about harming yourself or hurting others or thinking about suicide? If you answered, 'Yes' then they may take additional action against you such as interrogating you and talking to you like a criminal, probing you and making sure you aren't going hurt yourself or others and what not.) After the battery of questions and what not, then the session (first session is like an introduction, an interview to some degree) proceeds to talk about your goals and why you sought out therapy for. It will greatly vary from therapist to therapist and patient to patient from this point, it just depends on the issue at hand.

Subsequent sessions are generally moot for me as the therapist never answers "why" or "how" but instead asks inane questions and gives the run-around (I have written my own threads about why therapists and counselors aren't really for me; not medicine - but that's a different topic). Hope this helps give you some idea of what therapy is like.

 

[AintNoWayOut]

useless for me bc im fucked

 

[PDAnnie2610]

Experience varies. I've found that it helps make living less painful most days, because of the skills learnt and the self-awareness gained.

 

[Carrotcake]

It mostly depends on the type of therapy. For example, a very common type of therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy. Here you work on the mechanism of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. The goal is basically to learn new patterns of behavior and thought. Another common type is psychotherapy. Here you work on understanding yourself and what brought you to where you are now.

 

[mathieu]

It's just like blah blah blah.... Wow that was no help to me whatsoever!

 

[terry_a_davis]

I had cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety years ago, didn't help.

 

[squirtsoda]

I had cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety years ago, didn't help.

Agreed

 

[Throwmyselfaway]

I'm starting this weekend. I have the legit list I can speak about and the mental list to not say that will put me on a psych hold

 

[Ghost2211]

For me it helps with somethings, but since I can't talk about suicidal ideations there Is an upper limit to how much it can help.

 

[squirtsoda]

For me it helps with somethings, but since I can't talk about suicidal ideations there Is an upper limit to how much it can help.

I push my therapist close to the limit, she understands my pro choice views and I'm pretty sure she knows I'm not going to die a natural death. As long as I don't reveal a plan or that I have a plan I'm in the clear.

 

[Ghost2211]

I push my therapist close to the limit, she understands my pro choice views and I'm pretty sure she knows I'm not going to die a natural death. As long as I don't reveal a plan or that I have a plan I'm in the clear.

Same, she basically told me it's fine as long as I don't mention I ever intend to die or have a plan.

 

[OddOne]

I have been thinking about going to therapy for a while. I found out recently that it is easily accessible from my school. Although, I am a little nervous about what actually happens in therapy. Can someone who has had, or currently in it somewhat explain what it is like?

Make sure your school will not just triage you. My school just gave a couple of token sessions and it wasnt enough to get through I was troubled with. Therapy could be a lifelong commitment and that's fine. Make sure you have the resources to get treatment in school or continue treatment outside of school.

I push my therapist close to the limit, she understands my pro choice views and I'm pretty sure she knows I'm not going to die a natural death. As long as I don't reveal a plan or that I have a plan I'm in the clear.

Most mental health professionals have to intervene if they believe self-harm is imminent. You can share your interest in CTB, and that's wont be punished. The moment you mentioned having a clarity of plan or certainty of intention prepare to be held against your will. Things to not discuss: method of CTB, and timeline for CTB. Mileage will vary based on therapist, but I have done well by avoiding those two topics.

 

[cant cry]

It was nerve racking at first, but I got used to it. It felt like talking to a friend after a while.
If the school thing doesn't work out, you might want to try something I did years ago when I was searching for one to help me get out of an abusive marriage. I wrote out two paragraphs of my problems and then copied and pasted that to ten different counselors online. Half didn't respond so they were automatically out. A few responded briefly but I didn't like their responses.
Two wrote me a great deal back, trying to help me out and they were the ones I checked out (I wanted a second opinion). They were both more concerned about me than money and helped get me out of a dangerous situation. They even continued to write me back online when I said I didn't have money for sessions anymore lol. Best of luck

 

[_Minsk]

more pills than genuine help.. not much face to face talks with professionals, its just listening + 'aha' 'aha' and hoping for the pills to fix you..

 

[ArtsyDrawer]

There are a lot of types.
I went for online therapy because of what I feel is a valid, though admittedly racist reason. At first it's awkward. You're sitting with this guy who's supposed to help you, and the only way for him to do that is if you completely open up to him.
This is another reason I went online: this guy has no leverage where I live. This is both good and bad, admittedly. He can't give me antidepressants.
Point is, the first date is going to be awkward as fuck. You will probably need to repeat your first date with a bunch of people because a good chunk are absolute dicks. A bit of advice - go for somebody about 40-45 years old. The old ones think they're masters of psychology.
Second, it's absolutely not what you expect even after you're made aware it's not like the movies. You're not going to lay on an expensive couch and lament. Your therapist turns into a sort of friend who you have weekly meetings, and you also barf money at him.
Seriously, 180$, and that's AFTER the site calculated I'm worthy for the "improvised cripple discount".
I think the trickiest part is figuring out what's good for you. I can't handle women, for example. I will lock up, and it doesn't matter if it's Emma Watson, or if it's a Karen from Walmart. The obese one.
I ended up with a fatherly guy, and he fulfills my needs for... fuck me if I know what. Well, among them is probably a fatherly figure that accepts I see suicide as an option. We talk about the weirdest shit, too. One second I'm rambling about neurology and various scanners, suddenly his kid pops up (the kid is like 5, mind you), and suddenly my dad mode turns out. I don't even have children! I sometimes wonder if he uses his kid as a therapy tool on me.
Also, he doesn't seem to mind me and the kid are having talks about suicide. The fucking kid is 5 years old!
He probably IS using his kid on me, now that I think about it.

So yeah... therapy... It's not like sex. When it's good, it's great. When it's not, go find a different therapist.