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Old Mar 05, 2009, 03:54 AM
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phoenix7 phoenix7 is offline
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Member Since: Oct 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 8,135
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rapunzel View Post
I see this differently. I think that mayby the Pdoc could have done a better job of making sure that both of you understood each other correctly, but I think what she said was intended to be helpful.

Pdocs don't usually do therapy these days, and don't really have the time to talk about most of what would be addressed in therapy, and usually they don't have the same training that therapists do. They mostly prescribe medication.

and thats all I wanted her to do - I made it clear I had a therapist

What I'm hearing here is that abuse history doesn't get fixed by medication (although it might help with managing current symptoms), and you would be better off if you had therapy to address what happened to you and how it is affecting you now.

the SA didnt even get mentioned till today and she said to just get therapy on and off when I had need of it for that and I said I didnt have any need of it!
Also, I think she was trying to point you in the direction of a starting place. Learned helplessness, applied to people, means that when you have been in a no-win situation and you couldn't get out of it, you learn that nothing that you do is going to work, and there is no point in trying. It is very sad, but that is how that stuff affects us. There is an up side though. If you can learn helplessness, then you can also learn to overcome it. But it takes work and someone to help you to re-learn. That's a good thing to talk about in therapy.
I have never stopped fighting - I never gave up - I have fought these symptoms of ptsd over and over - sometimes I may lay down for a while - but I always get up again - I wont let my past or my present beat me - by offering hope/help and then taking it away she only re-inforces what I learned as a child and have tried to unlearn - that people will always let you down .... she didnt explain in what context the learned helplessness was - its like givng a kid a spoon in a kitchen and saying go cook! I will discuss this with my T next time i see her - which is way too far away - for crying out loud - I dont want to be weak and I dont want to spiral like this over stupid words!
Martin Seligman originally presented the concept of "learned helplessness." He didn't stop there. He noticed that animals that had been affected by learned helplessness recovered when he worked with them and taught them that they could escape the painful or uncomfortable situation, and get what they wanted. Now Martin Seligman teaches about "learned optimism." If you google his name or "learned optimism" or "learned helplessness" you will find a wealth of information.
I have his book authentic happiness - guess I should read it -
thankyou for putting a different viewpoint - I have no doubt she meant to be helpful - we obviously didnt communicate - if I spiral its my own fault because I give the words power - I need to stop that - thanks again
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