I have friends who have been forced to see a therapist for various reasons (cutting, suicidal). they all tell me it just make things worse. maybe you have to decide to go. Well if i had to talk to one i'd probably just go over the edge, if you understand... So does therapy help people or not, and why would you want to open up to a complete stranger. i think that people i know could understand me a LOT better that a therapist. a therapist would never understand my problems!

I went to a very bullsh** shrink for anxiety attacks. He was like "Umm...are you afraid of animals? Is that what's bothering you?" Me-No, I love animals. They don't bother me at all, this isn't caused by a phobia". Shrink- "Oh. Are you afraid of snakes? Are you afraid of dogs? Are you afraid of insects?" ::sigh:: Then he told me if I stopped having anxiety attacks I could play connect four with him. How motivational.

I have been to therapy because of some issues I had which likely 3/4 of YN knows about. I'd say that the first psycologist I went to just made me feel worse, he wanted me to recall and tell him everything that happened which just made me more depressed and suicidal at the time. I went to 3 psycologists and wasn't satisfied and I ended up going to a psychiatrist. I went to him twice before realizing that it was me who needed to help myself and not depend on other people to do so. So, I looked around and I found other methods of therapy, things like yoga and such, that helped me a lot more.

Sure, I could have gone the easy road and taken drugs/pills to calm myself down, but I decided I did not want to be a person whose emotional status depended on pills. Pills only give you like a high, to be blunt, like an orgasm. It's good but it won't really last long and won't solve any problems permanently. I realized that the only person who can truly help me was me.

Don't get me wrong, there are people in life that are like angels; they bring certain "miracles" in your life. Whether it be happiness or great effective advice or just encouragement, they give you that extra push to go on. The problem with this is that people, instead of just being "pushed" by these "angels", they want to be carried the whole way. You have to balance. Listen to the people that care about you, your family, your friends, your therapist, even that random stranger that changes your life somehow, but balance between using them as support and using yourself as your support.

About a therapist not understanding, it could be the case but it isn't always true. Some therapists just do it for cash, others do it for a sheer liking of helping people. I personally believe no one ever understands the expiriences I have gone through unless they have lived through something similar, but that doesn't mean a therapist can't help either. It depends on your case personally.

Sorry, I rambled.

It's really something you can't be forced on. I choose to go see a therapist for my affliction, and I think it helped. It certainly got a lot of stuff of my chest!

quote:

ur friends might judge u secretly or they will make u feel worse by critizing

sorry but they wouldnt be true friends then.

jenos, i think you hit the nail right on the head.

It definetly depends on the therapist... the right ones really do help and understand you. I would suggest start checking them out one by one and whenever you don't connect with one move on to the next one.

Part of it is finding a therapist who is non-judgemental and listens, but also there are many different methods of therapy so it is important to find a therapist who uses the techniques that you find most helpful.

it can be a good experience so long as you have a good therapist. try to get a recommendation from someone you trust if you decide to see one. the good ones are very helpful. the bad ones can be very hurtful.

I for one think therapy is a good thing. Its better to tell ur problems to a complete stranger than to ur friends becuz ur friends might judge u secretly or they will make u feel worse by critizing. I am in therapy and it has helped me a alot.

If you think it will work, it will work. If you don't think it will work, it won't.

Therapy is really the only thing keeping me sane right now. I have anorexia and it helps more than you could imagine.