Therapist Pressuring Me!--> please respond

Mostly he wants to use those because of my high anxiety levels. I have been on medications that didn't really work and well, my medication now I actually haven't been taking it everyday so maybe that's why. Idk maybe he is overwhelmed with all my issues. Being a victim of sexual assault I have a lot of anxieties and then also like no motivation to really do anything. I've gotten a bit better. The past few months I just slept my life away and this is my last semester of my Masters program and I'm not sure if I will even graduate because I'm behind in my class. It's like I just never feel like doing anything. I do what I have to do. I got back in grad school because I wanted to force myself to resume my life. Also my therapist recently diagnosed me with an eating disorder... And now I have a doctor who checks on me weekly. So it's a bit overwhelming.

When he first was pressing this issue it was for my anxieties and depression but last week he sent me some study about eating disorders and tDCS and that he could duplicate that study on me. So you know, it's all a bit overwhelming. Then my doctor is now concerned because he's not an eating disorder specialist. Everyone is in my corner and that makes me want to back away and run. I think my therapist senses that. I hope he just doesn't bring the treatment up at all.

As he says avoidance is my "MO"

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Sorry for your struggles. I had similar problems in graduate school.

Do you have a psychiatrist? is that the doctor who checks on you?
It sounds so overwhelming.

Just wanted to mention--about the medications, if you were prescribed antidepressants for anxiety, then they likely won't work if you don't take them everyday. Hope things get better for you.

Avoidance is your MO? I always run from people who say things like that - basically they're telling you you have no right to say no to anything at all.

Another thought - do you think you have an eating disorder? You're noncommittal in your post. Because if you don't think that, then it's awfully convenient that he diagnosed you with one and...behold! this treatment can fix that too!

What I would do if you can't just walk away is ask for a second opinion on this treatment next time he brings it up. And a second opinion that's not from a buddy of his, i.e., no one he recommends. Maybe your doctor can facilitate that.

Or I'd tell him I was interested in the treatment (even if I wasn't), but I thought I should get it from someone else. And see if he drops the subject if he realizes he won't be profiting.

If my therapist were to pressure me to do something I did not want to do and not let up, I would have to change therapists. I would let your therapist know you are angry that he is pushing this when you have consistently said "no" and you don't want to hear about it anymore! If he gets grumpy or changes his quality of therapy that you like, I'd say it wasn't working and try with someone else.

Actually I work for a doctor right now and so since I wouldn't confide in my regular doctor, he agreed to take over my care. I do have a psychiatrist but I stopped going to him. It was pointless. All he did was ask me questions and adjust my dose. He always told me to do research and then let him know what I decide if I want to increase my dose etc. He was too laid back. Waste of time.

I had a really bad experience when I was taking Effexor faithfully and so now I guess I believe a little less in medicines.

Yea, I just his little comments go in one ear and out the other one. I'm still working on being labeled with eating disorder. I was going to him for other issues and maybe I shared too much. I do have a problem with food and I do things I probably shouldn't do but since I'm not underweight I just don't feel like it's that big of a deal. My labs did show that my electrolytes were off a bit and since I work out a lot, I think he's actually worried about my health. He said he thinks I should be inpatient but since he knows I don't want that, he will try other things first. At this point, sometimes I get scared and just shut down and back away and I'm leaning towards that. I'm very introverted and I'm not one who really likes a lot of attention. With people telling me how much I should eat, what weight I should be, how long I should exercise, I shouldn't trust my thoughts & I am in school and I have 2 jobs. I wish I could snap my finger and my life is fixed. I wonder maybe if I will always have these struggles forever then I should just accept it. The child in me wants to hide under my covers and just stay there until life magically fixes itself but I'm not that naive.

Do people actually beat depression? I've been living with anxiety and depression since I was a child. I hate to think that this is my life yet I lack the motivation or hope to fix it. It's a cruel world.

I'm also in (taking time off) grad schoo. It's hard.

Just a thought though, there are a lot of different types of meds for anxiety that are different from SNRIs or SSRIs that you could try. The treatment he is suggesting doesn't seem to have very strong data that it actually works, and that's a lot of money for a student (or for anyone).

Maybe you could ask the doctor you work for, for a referral to a psychiatrist and get help with new meds and a therapy referral to a less questionable therapist at the same time? It sounds like you need some help dealing with things and all of that TDCS talk and even the treatments takes away from time you could be working on dealing better with things in the present.

Just a thought. Hugs.

GU89
Evaluating a treatment can be a confusing challenge at any age, even for something as tangible like a painful knee. I empathize with your frustration sorting out the people and information, something I wasn't faced with until I was older.

I stick with the providers who hear me, are methodical and scientific, who hold back conclusions and who don't seem to be one size fit all. When I find a doctor I like, I ask for a referral. Even then, it's tough and doubts remain.

Bottom line is that providers should be the source of comfort and assistance, not distress.

A good therapist let's u guide the sessions for the most part. He should let u know what's available but back ur decision on what will work best for u. Ask y he is so bent on this other treatment. State ur reasons for not wanting it. If he carries on about it I would find a new therapist cuz u may have become a cash cow. I'm always worried that I've become an insurance claim and not a person. If we get well they lose money so I'm paranoid about how much they really care.

To draw upon this, I had a therapist who was pushing me to pay her a ridiculous amount when I was already struggling with money and she knew it. I think it's unethical to suggest something that would *add* to your stress with very expensive treatments.

It's your care. It shouldn't be a debate.

I think that if you continue to work with this person, you need to stop letting these kinds of things slide and make sure you're telling him "no" in a clear, non-negotiable way. Sometimes we try to decline politely by softening the "no," saying we're not sure or maybe someday, not now, etc. But for people who want to hear yes, they will keep trying to get you to say yes unless you shut them down entirely. You have to tell them straight out, "No, and please don't bring it up again" so they can't misunderstand.

Sounds like a big source of stress right there.

Agreed.

Are you sure you want to continue with this therapist who is pushing you to a very expensive treatment you can't afford, a treatment that it seems he would benefit financially from, plus he doesn't want to listen to you when you say no.
Honestly I would switch therapists, the guy doesn't seem trustworthy at all.

Just quit this therapist. I can tell you I asked my psychiatrist about this therapy and he told me to save my money and it doesn't work.

YOU are the captain of this ship, not the therapist. You are using a TIME-TESTED THERAPY that is covered by your insurance and you shouldn't have to have the therapist implying that you aren't doing everything you can to help yourself.

Personally, I wouldn't even put up with even a small comment. I'd let the therapist know in no uncertain terms that either the discussion of that "therapy" stop or you are going to stop your therapy with him.

I make good money but no way I'd pay 2k for this. You are a college student! Dump this t!

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Thanks everyone for your feedback. Today he brought it up again and I just said sorry I don't have that kind of money and I think he finally gave up. We will see. He said I will need to stick with his treatment plans for me since I decided against the brain stimulation stuff.

I think I'm in the clear for now after months of him bringing it up. Me being in charge of my therapy?? Yea right. Pretty sure the therapist is in charge. I kinda felt like if the treatment was that dire then he should give for free.

I don't think that's right how your therapist made you pay for expensive therapy even when you didn't have the money. Thanks to me needing an emergency surgery last month, I've met my out of pocket deductible. So now I don't even need to pay for my sessions. I just wish he recommended things that could be filed with my insurance.