[Fuzzybear]

There has been much talk in many places, over many years, about the serious side effects of medication (for some people)

I’m not sure if there has been as much talk about the serious side effects of therapy (for some people)

I haven’t been a “regular” on this forum.

Please can someone help me,

I’m having some sort of “crisis” but I do NOT trust the “professionals” irl because they have repeatedly harmed me.

(Meds are not an option. Please don’t suggest a “help line”)

[mindmechanic]

Yeah; bad therapy can do more harm than good. I've seen several mental health "professionals" in the past who were unethical and quick to diagnose and medicate right off the bat in the first session. All of that had me staying away and losing all faith in therapy for years. I only returned to therapy after losing my best friend. And the bad therapy that I had with those mental health "professionals" made my trust issues worse and definitely did get in the way of me establishing a rapport with the therapist. So yeah; bad therapy can have serious side effects and exacerbate trust issues and feelings of safety.

[seeker33]

Oh fuzzy, I'm so sorry!!!

Would you tell us what self help tools have you already tried so we don't repeat what you already know? Maybe then someone could suggest something new that would help?

[here today]

Do you feel comfortable describing the crisis and side effects here? As general or as specific as you feel comfortable with?

I've found that just venting on this forum about bad therapy, and some issues of mine that made me vulnerable to it, has helped some, over time. And the crisis feelings and side effects that resulted from bad therapy have lessened somewhat as well.

[Fuzzybear]

Thanks everyone. I don’t really feel ... (deleted)

Or ... (deleted)

I’ve been told more than once to “move on” - probably this was meant well but it didn’t help

The abuse started when I was born .. (maybe the “disappointment” was already there, the “maternal unit”

when I try to talk, it seems that, somehow .. I get shut down, or that’s the feeling anyway

My PUS (parental units) repeatedly “rammed down my throat” (sorry about the potential triggering expression, it was used by a T who harmed me ... the message that not only was I “never good enough”

But also I wasn’t entitled to speak, or even to express how I felt / feel

[Fuzzybear]

Self help tools..

Meds, pets, volunteering, bubble baths etc -not an option

I have extreme allergies . The medics probably don’t believe me (uk)

Music sometimes helps

Sometimes

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by mindmechanic

Yeah; bad therapy can do more harm than good. I've seen several mental health "professionals" in the past who were unethical and quick to diagnose and medicate right off the bat in the first session. All of that had me staying away and losing all faith in therapy for years. I only returned to therapy after losing my best friend. And the bad therapy that I had with those mental health "professionals" made my trust issues worse and definitely did get in the way of me establishing a rapport with the therapist. So yeah; bad therapy can have serious side effects and exacerbate trust issues and feelings of safety.

I too have seen several mental health “professionals” who were both quick to “diagnose” right away and unethical (and one of them denied medication completely other times too quick to “medicate”

[SalingerEsme]

So sorry Fuzzybear. It is crazy the power parents & childhood have on the ways we fall apart, and try to put ourselves back together. as adults What kind of music helps? I don't have an answer, bc I am struggling too ( ch sa), but I am hoping you are okay.

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by SalingerEsme

So sorry Fuzzybear. It is crazy the power parents & childhood have on the ways we fall apart, and try to put ourselves back together. as adults What kind of music helps? I don't have an answer, bc I am struggling too ( ch sa), but I am hoping you are okay.

I’m sorry you’re struggling with this too, I suck with words, so I need all the help I can get... you put it very “well” .. I’m sorry you “get it” - but, selfishly, I feel a bit less alone ...

Music - several kinds (how about you, if you like some music?)

[seeker33]

It must be so painful, the feeling you can't express with words Do you think maybe finding other ways, such as music would help you express? Either listening or playing an instrument? Or perhaps singing? Dancing? I'm sorry if my suggestions are triggering. I know when I'm in a crisis and someone tries to give me ideas like these I get frustrated and angry and don't want to do anything, I even get angry with the person suggesting. I hope I'm not making you feel this way and if I am I'm sorry and fully understand.

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by seeker33

It must be so painful, the feeling you can't express with words Do you think maybe finding other ways, such as music would help you express? Either listening or playing an instrument? Or perhaps singing? Dancing? I'm sorry if my suggestions are triggering. I know when I'm in a crisis and someone tries to give me ideas like these I get frustrated and angry and don't want to do anything, I even get angry with the person suggesting. I hope I'm not making you feel this way and if I am I'm sorry and fully understand.

Thanks, your post is helpful..

(The times I phoned a “help line” ... enough said I think. )

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by here today

Do you feel comfortable describing the crisis and side effects here? As general or as specific as you feel comfortable with?

I've found that just venting on this forum about bad therapy, and some issues of mine that made me vulnerable to it, has helped some, over time. And the crisis feelings and side effects that resulted from bad therapy have lessened somewhat as well.

Thanks for sharing

It seems, I’m not alone, having experienced bad therapy. And it’s long lasting negative effects (putting it “mildly”

[Fuzzybear]

I’m wondering...

(Quote)

“What are the processes and mechanisms thereof that bring wonderful people to regard themselves as horrible”

(Unquote)

Just tossing that out there in case anyone relates

This is partly what I was hoping to find in therapy, .... although I didn’t have the words then and still don’t most of the time ...........some questions that might help me and possibly .. eventually ... some answers,

Instead, I found ....

[mcl6136]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

I’m wondering...

(Quote)

“What are the processes and mechanisms thereof that bring wonderful people to regard themselves as horrible”

(Unquote)

Just tossing that out there in case anyone relates

This is partly what I was hoping to find in therapy, .... although I didn’t have the words then and still don’t most of the time ...........some questions that might help me and possibly .. eventually ... some answers,

Instead, I found ....

Does being outside help? Have you considered a weighted blanket to increase feelings of safety? Yoga has also helped me. I think it's good to post here while letting people know if you're feeling fragile or overwhelmed because sometimes things can be hard to interpret even when meant well.

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by mcl6136

Does being outside help? Have you considered a weighted blanket to increase feelings of safety? Yoga has also helped me. I think it's good to post here while letting people know if you're feeling fragile or overwhelmed because sometimes things can be hard to interpret even when meant well.

Thanks for your post

A weighted blanket to increase feelings of safety is a good idea, thank you.

Being outside.. sometimes..

Yoga, I haven’t tried this for a while, I’ll look into it, thank you

[missbella]

FB, I'm so sorry you're going through this.

I was consumed with first a job, then a big move and another job immediately after my therapy turned poisonous. So there was a long interval before I even could process it.

I found the most important strategy was taking the co-therapists (they were a group therapy team) off their pedestals. I found the most help in reading, corresponding with peers through TELL: Therapy Exploitation Link Line and eventually continuing the discussion through my blog. I also had strong career and creative goals which helped me keep some perspective.

Yoga, fitness, walking also are soothing.

Ultimately I've found recovering from harmful therapy more helpful and demanding than the therapy itself.

I wish you the best.

[mcl6136]

this may sound a little silly but my sister taught me something that she calls "gathering chi".

She puts a pillow over her solar plexus (center of gravity on a woman is a little lower than a man), so that means kind of over her lower chest/belly/abdomen and then covers her whole body with another conventional blanket. She lays down, puts the timer on for a period of time and listens to soothing music. I tried it as an alternative to a weighted blanket and after teasing her for years...I found it worked to gain some semblance of calm.

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by missbella

FB, I'm so sorry you're going through this.

I was consumed with first a job, then a big move and another job immediately after my therapy turned poisonous. So there was a long interval before I even could process it.

I found the most important strategy was taking the co-therapists (they were a group therapy team) off their pedestals. I found the most help in reading, corresponding with peers through TELL: Therapy Exploitation Link Line and eventually continuing the discussion through my blog. I also had strong career and creative goals which helped me keep some perspective.

Yoga, fitness, walking also are soothing.

Ultimately I've found recovering from harmful therapy more helpful and demanding than the therapy itself.

I wish you the best.

Thank you

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by mcl6136

this may sound a little silly but my sister taught me something that she calls "gathering chi".

She puts a pillow over her solar plexus (center of gravity on a woman is a little lower than a man), so that means kind of over her lower chest/belly/abdomen and then covers her whole body with another conventional blanket. She lays down, puts the timer on for a period of time and listens to soothing music. I tried it as an alternative to a weighted blanket and after teasing her for years...I found it worked to gain some semblance of calm.

Thank you for sharing this

[seeker33]

Originally Posted by mcl6136

this may sound a little silly but my sister taught me something that she calls "gathering chi".

She puts a pillow over her solar plexus (center of gravity on a woman is a little lower than a man), so that means kind of over her lower chest/belly/abdomen and then covers her whole body with another conventional blanket. She lays down, puts the timer on for a period of time and listens to soothing music. I tried it as an alternative to a weighted blanket and after teasing her for years...I found it worked to gain some semblance of calm.

This sounds very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[koru_kiwi]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

I’m not sure if there has been as much talk about the serious side effects of therapy (for some people)

you are correct...i too have found it difficult to find much information about the serious/harmful side effects of therapy (unless it is about sexual boundary violations). it's strange, almost as if it is too much of a taboo topic to mention or that society has it so ingrained in their heads that nothing bad can come from partaking in psychotherapy. if you had a bad experince it is usually easily dismissed by the professionals and/or other clients as if it must have been your fault...'you were resistant to the process', 'you just didn't find the right T', 'you didn't put forth enough effort to change', 'yadda, yadda, yadda'. these kind of reactions are dismissive and shaming....no wonder people won't speak up when they feel therapy was not right for them, that it was not helpful, or that they didn't make progress... they fear appearing like a failure or damaged compared to the many who will rave about having such wonderful therapists or therapy experiences.

Originally Posted by here today

I've found that just venting on this forum about bad therapy, and some issues of mine that made me vulnerable to it, has helped some, over time. And the crisis feelings and side effects that resulted from bad therapy have lessened somewhat as well.

i agree with heretoday and have found it helpful to discuss and share my experiences here and on other online forums. personally, i don't subscribe to the idea or think it is necessary that you must find, yet, another T to help process the damage caused by a prior therapist. i have found that there are alternative ways to process the pain and disappointment.

since first joining this forum many years ago, i have begun to notice that there seems to be more people who are willing to share, question, and talk more openly about their harmful experiences. it also appears that there are more people who are becoming receptive, and even supportive, when hearing these stories. but yeah, it does feel like there is a long way to go still before it is excepted (especially from the professionals) that therapy can have negative side effects and can cause serious harm to individuals.