[dachsiejoy88]

General Coping 32
Life Events 16
Depression 25
Anxiety 37
Phobias 83
Self-Esteem 33
Eating Disorders 20
Schizophrenia 0
Dissociation 17
Mania 20
Sexual Issues 6
Relationship Issues 38
Alcohol 0
Drugs 0
Physical Issues 0
Smoking Issues 0
Gambling Issues 0
Technology Issues 44
Obsessions/Compulsions 56
Posttraumatic Stress 58
Borderline Traits 21

The test said I had three serious concerns, being:

Phobias 83
Obsessions/Compulsions 56
Posttraumatic Stress 58

My fear was that I was already in therapy and while it helped me be a stronger person (I had a problem with telling people no and being taken advantage of by my "friends"), it was doing nothing for my phobias and other issues. Sometimes I think therapy might have made it worse...I really hated talking about them, I felt like therapy was all "Your fears are stupid and you should get over them" versus "This is why your feeling this way, let me give you some tips to help you" or something...I'm no doctor, but I just felt put down and like I was being annoying and that my fears are irrational (DUH! That's why I was trying to get over them!)...therapy only lasted 6 months before our mental health clinic got shut down, and there's no therapists for me to see until we move next month...and I'm scared to go back because it wasn't working.

[Travelinglady]

Hi, dachsiejoy88! I am sorry your therapist wasn't helpful. It sounds like you need a different kind of therapist who will actually help you with your fears, as you say. Maybe a clinical psychologist.....

[dachsiejoy88]

Hi Travelinglady! Thank you for the advice...if I go back I think I will ask for a clinical psychologist, if they let me request one. I honestly have no problems with therapists that aren't doctors, I just didn't feel like I was being helped. Our first two sessions she tried to get me to overcome my fears, but when I couldn't explain why I was afraid (actually, I did explain...but she didn't think it was a good enough reason for my continued fear) and she couldn't get me to agree to go back to the doctor, she just switched the topic for the remainder of our sessions. She'd come back every few sessions and asked if I was ready to go, and when I told her I was still working on getting over my fears, she'd move right on. No offer of ways to help or anything. I don't know what to do. For a little while I thought I was un-helpable (sorry I know that's not a word) but my husband said I just might need someone more trained to help deal with my issues and she just wasn't equipped to help.

She thought I had depression but she wasn't legally able to prescribe medicine, so she sent me to a psychiatrist...he said with the level of my anxiety and issues, I should be seeing a therapist every week, but mine could only see me every 2-3 weeks due to a busy schedule. He was a very nice guy who was patient-focused, and told me that I could have antidepressants if I wanted because he thought they would help but he didn't want to force them on me, but I was scared to start them and wanted to keep trying therapy instead...now that winter's over I don't feel nearly as depressed, but my anxiety is still high.

[Travelinglady]

Thanks for giving more information. Yeah, it sounds like a different therapist is in the cards.