Has your therapist disclosed any of their own mental health issues to you? I know mine has struggled with serious depression and anxiety. It helps me know that she can relate to some of my issues.

[SlumberKitty]

Yes, my former T told me the trauma that she went through and her responses to it as well as the treatment she received. 1st T also told me about some of her struggles. With former T it didn't particularly relate to what I was going through but it helped to know that her life wasn't perfect. 1st T I just found it triggering really.

1st T: not to me directly but he talked quite a lot about it his childhood, insecure attachment and depression in public media online.

2nd T: he shared with me some about anxiety (which I also have).

[Ididitmyway]

No, they didn't and I never asked. I wasn't interested, frankly. I always assumed that therapists had their emotional struggles and that that was the main reason why the chose the profession they chose - to resolve their own issues first and foremost. I don't believe anyone has a serious interest in the mental health field unless it relates to them personally.

A psychiatrist once told me his history. Current T-i have no idea!

Originally Posted by Ididitmyway

No, they didn't and I never asked. I wasn't interested, frankly. I always assumed that therapists had their emotional struggles and that that was the main reason why the chose the profession they chose - to resolve their own issues first and foremost. I don't believe anyone has a serious interest in the mental health field unless it relates to them personally.

I never asked either, but she shares some information when it directly pertains to my own situation.

[Ididitmyway]

Originally Posted by KissTheRain

I never asked either, but she shares some information when it directly pertains to my own situation.

Mine did the same. But I never considered certain personal situations they shared with me MH issues. "MH issues" sounds a bit too heavy for the common life problems people normally have that they chose to share with me.

come to think if it-with the way it's defined in DSM, most anyone would have a 'mh issue'. ( I don't find the dsm all that credible)

I was thinking more in terms of emotional struggles.

[Fuzzybear]

T1 - he didn’t disclose any issues, according to him he was “perfect”

T2 - I didn’t ask her. I suspect she may have struggled with depression .. I’m only speculating though.

[LabRat27]

Mine has just mentioned/acknowledged that he doesn't know firsthand what it's like to feel this way.
He could still have/have had mild mental health issues. I don't feel the need to ask. And if he had serious mental health issues, now or even in the past, I wouldn't want to know. I would worry too much about his wellbeing and not upsetting him.

Mental health issues is abroad definition. I chose that term as it fit in my scenario. Mental health issues could be a single round of post partum depression all the way up to a chronic illness like bipolar. They dont have to last forever.

My therapist has struggled in the past. I've struggled my whole life. We still relate.

[Ididitmyway]

Who hasn't struggled in their life? Postpartum depression, as many other difficult experiences, is a common experience, and, in that sense, it's normal. It's just a normal life struggle among many others. I don't see it as an MH issue. I just don't understand why every difficult emotional experience has to be categorized as an "issue" and to be diagnosed, as if it was something abnormal. Life is hard in general and the fact that we can't always cope well with it doesn't necessarily mean that there is something wrong with us and that we have an "MH issue". It just means that a lot of things in this world are legitimately overwhelming and can lead to break downs of our system.

Of course, it depends on the experience. If the person disconnects from reality because of their emotional state and say gambles away their life savings, then I'd consider this an MH issue. The same would go for severe dissociation, psychosis, extreme borderline behaviors like suicidal threats and other extreme manifestations. Anything short of those extremes to me is a human suffering that is a usual part of life. That doesn't mean one should not try to alleviate it and to feel better. It just means that it's a regular human experience, that is there is nothing pathological about it. I guess, the concept of MH issues just sounds pathologizing to me, and I don't like to pathologize human experiences no matter how difficult they might be.

[msrobot]

Originally Posted by Ididitmyway

Who hasn't struggled in their life? Postpartum depression, as many other difficult experiences, is a common experience, and, in that sense, it's normal. It's just a normal life struggle among many others. I don't see it as an MH issue. I just don't understand why every difficult emotional experience has to be categorized as an "issue" and to be diagnosed, as if it was something abnormal. Life is hard in general and the fact that we can't always cope well with it doesn't necessarily mean that there is something wrong with us and that we have an "MH issue". It just means that a lot of things in this world are legitimately overwhelming and can lead to break downs of our system.

Of course, it depends on the experience. If the person disconnects from reality because of their emotional state and say gambles away their life savings, then I'd consider this an MH issue. The same would go for severe dissociation, psychosis, extreme borderline behaviors like suicidal threats and other extreme manifestations. Anything short of those extremes to me is a human suffering that is a usual part of life. That doesn't mean one should not try to alleviate it and to feel better. It just means that it's a regular human experience, that is there is nothing pathological about it. I guess, the concept of MH issues just sounds pathologizing to me, and I don't like to pathologize human experiences no matter how difficult they might be.

It's usually a mental health issue, if you are poor or working class.

Well off people have a "crisis" they are just "struggling through".

[Ididitmyway]

Originally Posted by msrobot

It's usually a mental health issue, if you are poor or working class.

Well off people have a "crisis" they are just "struggling through".

Good point!

[nottrustin]

T told me she had to go into counseling for depression when her marriage fell apart. She told me that as far as she knew she was never sexually abused. However, she had a (at least) verbally abusive mother. And 2 siblings that she broke off all contact with when she was in her 50s because they were not healthy for her.

Emdr T has not come out and said anything but she definitely deals with anxiety. Based upon things she has said I strongly suspect she had some type of abuse in her past.

[velcro003]

mine told me early on that she had an eating disorder for about 15 years.

[peacelizard]

Current therapist — nothing as far as I can remember, although I do know he has bad knees and Lyme disease.

Current psychiatrist — told me 4-5 years ago, he had to go on antidepressants after an outpatient client of his committed suicide while inpatient

[starfishing]

Yes, my current therapist shared in fairly general terms that he's had some struggles of his own, some of which were similar to mine in certain key ways. It was a very useful and meaningful disclosure and I'm grateful he made it.

Originally Posted by Ididitmyway

Who hasn't struggled in their life? Postpartum depression, as many other difficult experiences, is a common experience, and, in that sense, it's normal. It's just a normal life struggle among many others. I don't see it as an MH issue. I just don't understand why every difficult emotional experience has to be categorized as an "issue" and to be diagnosed, as if it was something abnormal. Life is hard in general and the fact that we can't always cope well with it doesn't necessarily mean that there is something wrong with us and that we have an "MH issue". It just means that a lot of things in this world are legitimately overwhelming and can lead to break downs of our system.

Of course, it depends on the experience. If the person disconnects from reality because of their emotional state and say gambles away their life savings, then I'd consider this an MH issue. The same would go for severe dissociation, psychosis, extreme borderline behaviors like suicidal threats and other extreme manifestations. Anything short of those extremes to me is a human suffering that is a usual part of life. That doesn't mean one should not try to alleviate it and to feel better. It just means that it's a regular human experience, that is there is nothing pathological about it. I guess, the concept of MH issues just sounds pathologizing to me, and I don't like to pathologize human experiences no matter how difficult they might be.

I was asking a question, not looking to pick apart my wording. If you want to debate that, taking it elsewhere would be appreciated so I can continue to get feedback about my question. Thanks.

[Ididitmyway]

Originally Posted by KissTheRain

I was asking a question, not looking to pick apart my wording. If you want to debate that, taking it elsewhere would be appreciated so I can continue to get feedback about my question. Thanks.

I did answer your question and I didn't start the debate. All I said was that I didn't consider what my therapists shared with me MH issues. That's all. You picked on that and the debate started. Also, my posts didn't prevent anyone from giving you feedback about your question. But I'll get lost. Your thread - do whatever you want.

Originally Posted by Ididitmyway

I did answer your question and I didn't start the debate. All I said was that I didn't consider what my therapists shared with me MH issues. That's all. You picked on that and the debate started. Also, my posts didn't prevent anyone from giving you feedback about your question. But I'll get lost. Your thread - do whatever you want.

Thanks.

I personally have no issues seeing minor emotional, interpersonal, discipline etc challenges as mental health issues. For me, it usually helps to define and categorize them. I think Ts often share these things with clients as an attempt to express empathy, to appear more relatable, or to make the client more comfortable. I think it's not a bad thing in a low dose and in appropriate context. When it is more a problem and acting out on their part, I think it usually comes with more than mere sharing, like manipulating the client, being irresponsible, unreliable etc. I also think it is not good if the T uses it as distraction or avoidance from doing their work. Like, normalize the client's feelings and problems, suggesting it's okay since they also have those things. So no reason to invest harder wok to resolve them or to help. This last bit was my main issue with my second therapist. Our sessions became full-blown back and forth conversations about whatever, instead of focusing on what I wanted to address primarily. Of course I went along with it but, as a professional, I think he should have seen through it better and should have helped to keep the focus and not dilute the therapy.