1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Does Therapy Work?

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by CuriousArticles, Jun 16, 2015.

  1. CuriousArticles

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2014
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Southampton, UK
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    Hi. So. Anyone?

    I'm having some talking therapy and cbt in a few month for my anxiety and stress and was wondering what people's experiences were of it? I'm kind of worried it's just gonna be a waste of time...I mean, I talk about thing a lot with my boyfriend and friends, so what can I get from it?
     
  2. Libra Neko

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2014
    Messages:
    936
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    the world my mind created
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Therapy helps me because I can tell my therapist anything. There is no one else in my life whom I could confide all my feelings to. For instance, my best friend is my mom, so if I have major complaints about her, I have to do it in therapy. I don't want to make people feel bad by complaining about their flaws to their faces.
     
  3. Silver Sparrow

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2011
    Messages:
    673
    Likes Received:
    22
    Location:
    Northeast US
    Therapy is and has been enormously helpful for me.

    However, you really have to put in the work. Don't go in expecting to find a remedy or a trick within the first couple sessions. My first therapist, I would just sit there and expect things to magically become better. When I found a therapist whom I connected with, therapy became a lot more productive.

    Additionally, you said that your therapy will likely include CBT. CBT can be one of the most helpful therapies (especially for anxiety), but it is highly structured and you have to be committed to putting in the work.
     
  4. Starwind78

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2014
    Messages:
    128
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    Therapy was truly life changing for me. The best advice I can give is to be picky and be ready to walk away from a therapist/psychiatrist if you need to. I know too many people who just gave up after going to one or two sessions with a pill pusher. It's easy for me to say shop around because I was lucky and didn't need to, but when you find someone you can trust and who cares, you'll know and it can be extremely freeing.

    However, one thing many people get spooked by is criticism - even though it's probably the most essential part of therapy. While therapists do spend a lot of time healing their patients from things that were not their fault, they are also their to improve their functioning. The most important components of my therapy were fixing my misconceptions and attitudes and my therapist threw a few verbal slaps - let me tell you! - to get those points across when I was being stubborn.

    Also, make sure to find someone who uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Someone using humanistic or old school Freudism (psychoanalysis) is not using methods backed by evidence.
     
    #4 Starwind78, Jun 17, 2015
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2015
  5. CuriousArticles

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2014
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Southampton, UK
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    @Starwind Well, I'm going to an NHS CBT service for talking therapy. So no psychoanalysis and no drugs. I'm not sure what access I'll get to choosing a therapist....but I expect if I don't like who I see I'll be able to wait to see someone else. I can't exactly afford to pay for private therapy for at least a year when I'm out of education again. I'm pretty good at taking criticism on board, even if I don't always react well to it, so fingers crossed it goes okay.

    @Silver Sparrow I'll bear that all in mind. I'm not expecting a quick fix, I've just read up on lots of material to help with anxiety and not really found them very helpful as I feel like I already do what they suggest and still have problems. I'm hoping a therapist will be able to do more for me than I can do by myself.

    @libra That's a good point.

    Just got to wait 2 months for an appointment now.
     
  6. Aspen

    Advisor Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2014
    Messages:
    1,470
    Likes Received:
    239
    Location:
    Ohio
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Therapy encompasses a number of different things, none of which work for everyone. However, with a good therapist that you trust, it can definitely help. I saw a counselor for six months my last semester of college and it was just talk therapy but I found it helped a lot. I've never tried CBT but I will when I can afford a psychologist.
     
  7. Nelly1

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2015
    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Brighton
    Gender:
    Female
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I used to be very closed minded about therapy, with my old psychologist I used to refuse to talk, I hated, hated, hated it and refused to talk, partly because my Dad was there and I'm not very close with him. Then I eventually stopped going, and later I went to see an art therapist. I didn't really do any art with her though, I chose to just talk with her.
    I have to say, it helped me be more open, but I still kept a lot from her and every time I wanted to raise a subject, I just got too shy. I feel very guilty because I tend to burden my mum with most of my worries, and I wish I could spare her some things. I recently ended it with my art therapist as she's in close contact with my tutor and my doctor, and I'd rather not have more appointments at the hospital. I'm hoping to meet a woman therapist who is not going to be around a lot, so she's just my secret keeper. I think my old therapist concentrated too much on my medical life, which isn't what I want anymore.

    I think you should meet him/her, decide if you like them, maybe go for a few sessions and decide after that. But you should make sure you're comfortable with them as a person, which sounds odd as it's their job but you'd be surprised what puts you off!
     
  8. CuriousArticles

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2014
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Southampton, UK
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    Actually a couple of friends and my sister have all said a similar things to me: that if you don't want help, not ready for it, or just don't feel comfortable with the person, you just don't talk about the important things, and make minor problems seem like the important ones...or just make stuff up.

    One of them found the guy she spoke to kept wanting to talk about things that weren't a problem and not listening properly and stuff, concentrating on the wrong things, like your old therapist.

    So I'm going to try really hard to find someone who's right for me. Some of the stuff I should probably talk about are things I wouldn't even want to mention here, where I'm pretty much anonymous, for fear of how people would react, let alone talking to my friends and family. So I'll need to make sure I'm comfortable with them. I'm really nervous...
     
  9. Nelly1

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2015
    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Brighton
    Gender:
    Female
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Well, that's completely understandable and I know what you mean. I wouldn't want people on here to know certain things about me either, I just hope you find a good therapist who you do want to share things with. Will you have to go private? We're considering going private for reasons above about the whole medical connection, but I have yet to find out wether it's my preferred choice. In any case, good luck. I hope you find 'the one'.
     
  10. Starwind78

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2014
    Messages:
    128
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    "Just got to wait 2 months for an appointment now."

    Hang in there! I know - it's the worst. Just when you want a therapist, you're at your most desperate and need somebody NOW, but there are rarely enough therapists (especially the good ones) to go around.

    As for meds, start with therapy, but do not be afraid of them - just pill pushers themselves who don't do their job. Modern medications like your SSRIs and their even newer (but more expensive cousins) don't have the crazy Sybil-esque side effects portrayed in popular culture. To be honest, unless you are practically catatonic, most of the effect of anti-depressants is straight placebo. For a med I'm taking, I looked it up and know it to be around 75%.

    Whatever you do though, be wary of benzodiazepines (benzos) like Valium and Xanax. Because they are so strong and kick in so quickly, they have a high potential for addiction.