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Originally Posted by sunrise
I think once you find a decent pdoc, you should just be able to keep him/her. Do you know why you are being bounced from pdoc to pdoc? Is it to do with your ability to pay or insurance?
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I should clarify - there were a total of three psychiatrists. #1 in the hospital held opinion A of me, #2 in the hospital held opinion B, and #3, who I have actually seen for a year and am now seeing again went from thinking opinion B before hospitalization, to opinion A during and after the hospital, and now opinion C as of last week. Confused yet? Me too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunrise
As for therapists, the way you write about being "bounced around", it sounds like it has been out of your control who you go to see. What control do you have? Are you restricted by insurance? Must use a community health center? Must do a particular type of therapy?
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There have also been three therapists. The first I saw for a few months before hospitalization. He was okay (not great, but good enough), but I can't go back to him now because he works for the university I attend... and since I'm on a leave of absence, I can't be seen at their clinic until I come back from leave. The second is the DBT therapist who had her mind made up about me, but who was clearly misinformed on a number of key points. When I tried to disagree with her assumptions of what I was thinking, she accused me of being defensive and narcissistic. I was sent to DBT because I spent a few weeks as "Borderline." Now I'm not again. Now I'm ADD.
The third is this lady who I just met today.
All three were recommended by my psychiatrist, and since I have student insurance, it is fairly restricted. I know CBT and DBT are similar, but DBT was too structured to allow adequate time to address some of my concerns which do not fit into plot of the program. I have done CBT before and found it helpful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunrise
Maybe being with a T who doesn't focus on diagnoses would be helpful. You could focus on solving specific problems in therapy (you are depressed, your relationships are unsatisfactory, you are stressed out, etc.--whatever the case may be), instead of focusing on what is "wrong" with you, which to me is what a diagnosis-centric approach does.
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I'm personally sick of diagnoses, so they only hold one area of importance to me... and that is that the diagnosis often determines the treatment. It's how I ended up at the DBT clinic. (Don't get me wrong - it's not a bad program, but the therapist and I didn't agree, and I wasn't comfortable there.) Now that the psychiatrist doesn't think I'm borderline any more, he wants me to do CBT instead anyway. I agree though - most of my issues can be addressed without applying any label.
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Originally Posted by sunrise
If you are emotionally exhausted, maybe you shouldn't tell too much too soon in therapy. You can explain that to the T, and spend a few sessions getting to know each other, talking about lighter topics, not going deep and dark too fast. It is hard to do intense therapy if you are exhausted.
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Sometimes I feel like there is nothing particularly intense to talk about. Maybe it's my way of protecting myself, but there really isn't anything that I would hesitate to discuss. I've told my story so many times now that I'm sick of hearing it. Now it's just like rambling off facts. I don't even know what "intense" therapy would entail right now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunrise
Another option is to take a break from therapy now and emotionally "rest". Sometimes we need some time to not work on our problems and can then return to therapy in a few months, when we are rested and ready.
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I've been considering that, but I don't think the psychiatrist will let me. When I called him to discuss possibly quitting DBT, he said it would be fine, but was quite firm that I had to be seeing SOMEONE aside from just him. I personally think it might take a while for me to genuinely feel like I need help again... and want to give it an honest try.
Maybe I need to just put the computer down and stop ruminating.
