How long have you been in therapy?

I am going to start a little survey here.

Here are my four questions:

1. How long have you been in therapy?

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?

4. How successful has your therapy been?

I guess since I ask for information from others I should be willing to give it for myself:

1. Decades, on and off.

2. Severe anxiety and various means of dealing with it; depression.

3. A highly controlling mother, who really had no idea how to raise children other than how she had been raised, and who as a consequence often panicked and was out of control herself, resulting in an abusive childhood for us children. Plus a personality type that did not match what my mother thought it should be. Father who could have provided a counter-balance absent after my age of 8, and often before that.

4. Therapy ups and downs. At times the "therapy" was extremely destructive. In the last year or so I have been getting much more of a handle on what has been going on with myself, only partly as a result of therapy, with a lot of help from books on or by people with emotional difficulties, and some books on psychology -- plus Psych Central.

oh gosh...

1) about 15 years? Am I that old? yikes
2) no particular reason, actually. I was dating a guy (who I eventually married, then divorced) who wanted to get the communication open from the beginning, so about 3 months after we started dating, he invited me to his therapy visits. He had been in several long-term relationships that didn't work out and he wanted to do his best to head off any problems before they got worse. He ended up being a nightmare, psychologically - all that couples therapy didn't even begin to prepare me for it, but I really liked therapy enough to keep going without him after we split up. I still like therapy. My T now just helps me deal with family/friend/coworker issues on a week-to-week basis, but I NEED her to help me deal with my husband's plethora of mental health crises (crippling anxiety, depression, ADD, possible Aspergers)

3) no real origin; no real symptoms.

4) I have no idea whether therapy has been successful for me. I still get enough out of it to go, but since I started going at age 23 and I'm now 38, perhaps much of my progress is due to life experience and growing up. Hard to say.

I do like PsychCentral, though - I get a lot of support here in ways I can't get in real life.

1. long enough that my therapist knows me better than I know myself

2. boredom

3. my mom smoked Viceroy cigarettes while pregnant with me
{cough, cough}

4. so sucessful im writing a book about my sessions
tentative title: Therapy for Dummies

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pachyderm said:

1. How long have you been in therapy?

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With my current T, I have been in therapy for 2 years and 9 months.

However, I have been in therapy on and off since I was 17. It was mostly with one therapist and then a psychologist who I only saw for a short while before I moved to Philly.

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2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?

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There are many reasons, but the main symptom that was distressing me at the time I went into therapy with my current T was anxiety of a very catastrophic nature. For example, if my husband was due home from work and I was home first, I would be waiting by the window, already working myself into a panic. If he was 3 minutes late, I was listening to the traffic report, shaking, convinced that he was dead.

Other issues are depression, mood cycling, cutting, other destructive behaviors, etc. However, this was not made known to him right away. He realy didn't know what he was in for.

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3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?

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My mother. Isn't that always the answer? Everything is connected to everything so I really couldn't pinpoint the origins of everything.

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4. How successful has your therapy been?

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My T just called. I was yelling at him and crying over the phone. You tell me.

I've been in therapy for 10 years, 9 of them with my current therapist.

OOPS! I didn't do that right. Here are the other answers.

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?

I had a total breakdown into clinical depression a few years back. It happened during a time when I was losing a relationship with a close friend of mine, who was like a mother to me. I sought help, was diagnosed with major depression. But it soon became apparent that I had alot of past trauma and pain pushed down for decades, and it burst into my consciousness. Since then, I've also been diagnosed with Complex PTSD (PTSD w/borderline features)
and GAD.

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?

Being born especially sensitive to very young parents who did not really want children or know how to parent. Neither parent knew how to express emotion, and neither was physically or verbally affectionate. Dad drank alot, and then goad me into conversations where he would put me down or laugh at me, and then make fun of me when I would cry. Most of the time, my mom was nearby but did not do anything to stop it or console me afterward. My mom was a very upbeat happy person, but was so tied up with her job and so "ultra positive" that she never noticed my problems or could help me with my emotional pain. I had alot of separations from mom early in life. I was a preemie and also was hospitalized at 6 weeks for pneumonia. My mom returned to full-time work when I was 11 months old. She also took numerous business trips during grade school. I remember these separations as being extremely traumatic. I was left with babysitters often, and then was a latchkey kid. My parents would often go drinking after work and not come home when they said they would, which would scare me because I would think they had been in an accident and were lying dead somewhere. I also suffered many losses of friends and pets because we moved so much, and was molested by a neighbor.

4. How successful has your therapy been?

Overall, I've learned alot of helpful things. My biggest problem has always been my attachment and loss problems. I have alot of unmet needs from childhood, a very strong desire/need to be emotionally close with my therapist. But I am deathly afraid of attaching with her for fear that when termination time comes, I will be devastated. Fear that it will end up feeling like one more terrible loss, where I've attached to somebody who then goes away. This has always kept me preoccupied with our relationship and feeling "insecurely" attached. Every time I feel any sort of closeness or bonding with her, I get fearful and find reasons to pull away or get rid of the good feeling, out of trying to protect myself from attaching and then being abandoned. This keeps me always semi-armored and emotionally guarded, which prevents me from being able to truly trust and go into the deeper trauma/healing work.

1. How long have you been in therapy?

About two years.

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?

I initially went because of a long depression following the death of a parent. I was later diagnosed with PTSD, which was probably the root problem all along.

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?

Trauma--physical abuse as a child.

4. How successful has your therapy been?

Very. I no longer feel like I am "crazy" or "a freak." I have a ways to go, yet, to feeling like I am okay and to feeling secure in myself and the world. Sometimes I doubt I can get there. But more often I feel hopeful.

1. 3 years, essentially.
2. Coping with stress, change and school and being depressed
3. Ummm... I have no idea.
4. I deal better... sometimes.

1. Two and a half years with the same therapist, tho it seems much longer.

2. Substance abuse, severe depression, dissociation. I was such a challenge that my therapist didnt know if she would take me.

3. Trauma----sexual abuse. But I personally think I was born dysfunctional.

4. Some days Im like I have learned so much and Im so enlightened. But after every crisis then I really think that all that money has been spent and nothin has happened. So yeh Im pretty doubtful as to whether its working

1. I've been in therapy off and on for 5 years.

2. I initially started therapy due to an unsuccessful suicide attempt, though I didn't tell anyone about that until later sessions. My symptoms are depression and anxiety.

3. I think the origins are biopsychosocial. Depression runs in my family, but I also suffered abuse during my childhood.

4. I haven't succeeded with therapy yet.

1. on and off since I was 6 years old....so...27 years

2. Too many reasons. I am really messed up! LOL

3. Origins are chemicals in my brain...jacked up...AND abuse from many sources in many ways.

4. This time it has been working for me because *I* want it to work now...never did before...never cared before, but now I do.

1. How long have you been in therapy?

18 months with current therapist. Before that, about 9 months with a different counselor.

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?

With first counselor, basically I went because I was not very functional and severely depressed. With second therapist, I was less depressed and went because I was "stuck" and couldn't move forward with my life and get a divorce, like I wanted to.

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?

Depression--life events, horrible longterm marriage. Trauma--marriage with abusive partner, childhood abuse, bad relationship with mother.

4. How successful has your therapy been?

Very successful, with the second therapist. We did a lot of trauma work early on so I could get unstuck. I also am no longer depressed because of our work together. I also have learned a lot about how to have a healthy relationship (with my therapist). I still have work to do on the trauma, and I also want to deal with what I think is ADD. And I want to learn to set boundaries with people and know what I am feeling and my needs and not be petrified to tell people I have needs.

> Therapy for Dummies



Maybe I could use that...

Lots of differences and variations here...

I too feel as though I am finally getting somewhere in therapy; things are beginning to make sense now. But it is easy to slide back into states where I am back in the old confusion and fear. I never realized how thoroughly affected I was by my childhood, so that it permeated everything I did and felt about the world. Fortunately for me, the periods of regression are getting shorter and shallower now.

1. Off and on, mostly on, for 14 years.

2. Originally for depression and for help with an unruly child who was also in therapy and who wound up in drug rehab at 16. Later for continued depression. Most recently for anxiety/depression/obsession that has T and I feel is Borderline PD.

3. Mostly nurture, some nature. T thinks I had an anxious attachment to my mother and there was neglect and abuse and general family dysfunction in my life. By nature, I feel that my temperment and my hearing disorder contributed as well.

4. My most recent therapy (I have seen this T for a little over a year) has been very relieving. I finally really feel that someone is there.. for me.. like I have always wanted. I researched types of therapies and decided what I wanted to experience; then I found my T by calling a psychoanalytic institute in the closest large city and asking if they had a candidate (student who is very highly qualified and already a practicing T--she's been a T for 20 years) to refer me to. I was very very very lucky--they had just one female T to suggest and I wanted a female T, she is a psychodynamic psychotherapist and that's what I want, and we both felt it was a good match by the second meeting. It isn't always wonderful of course, sometimes we connect and sometimes we are miles apart and sometimes therapy is just kind of 'blah'. Mostly it's good and I'm commited to sticking with it (this time). I can't imagine not having therapy in my life and T said she is committed to working with me for as long as it takes and that sounds so good to me.

1. How long have you been in therapy?

10 months

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?

I started because my son was starting to act up and was having a difficult time with his dad. My son's problem was actually OUR problem. Since H refused to go I went myself and kept going. I believe this time lasts year, I was depressed. Now I don't think I am depressed, just very unhappy. I have no idea what my Dx actually is because a lot issues have surfaced since I started digging around in my psyche.

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?

I really haven't completely figured that out yet. I know my world crashed last year because of my H's VB, a crappy marriage, and my son's distress trigger fear from somewhere deep inside.

4. How successful has your therapy been?

Very successful in reducing the verbal and admittedly physical abuse in our home. As for helping me deal with my own personal issues and the marriage... the ruling is still out on that one.

I have been in therapy for a year and 7 months.

I went into therapy when life got very hard and there was a family crisis that sort of blew open the lid on my childhood issues, that I had so carefully compartmentalized and packed away. I am diagnosed with both major depression and dysthymia.

My symptoms originated in my childhood. There was a lot of abuse--and overwhelming neglect.

My therapy has been quite successful so far but I am nowhere near finished. I have been working it very hard with T and also seeing Pdoc. I think I am ready to add another component--maybe yoga or something meditative in nature.

Peace

1. How long have you been in therapy?
Four years with current T. Two years with previous T. I only left my previous T because I moved and I'm never leaving my current T.

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?
The symptoms and reasons could overwhelm me. I'll stick to the diagnosis: BPII with lots of suicidal ideation

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?
faulty wiring? faulty family? faulty society?

4. How successful has your therapy been?
I'd say it's been terribly successful--and I mean that in all senses of the words. Sometimes it's terrible, but overall therapy has been successful. There has been nothing linear about it and it is far from over. Successful often just means that I now have a better understanding of why I feel terrible or why I've acted to hurt myself. Successful sometimes means that I feel sad instead of numb. I can now acknowledge that I have needs and desires--even what I too quickly dismiss as kid-like desires to be cared for. Successful means that deep down I have some hope for me, even if in any given moment or day I don't feel very hopeful.

1. This time - almost a year

2. Depression, self-harm

3. Past abuse

4. Slowly but surely getting there

1. I don't know how long I've been "In Therapy" but probably for...almost 2 years

2. Well, I can't really say as it's evolved a bit. I had a major issue with descending into a pit of darkness called Adjustment Disorder that had major anxiety and behavioral and depressive states. I was subsequently identified as having Generalized Anxiety Disorder AND Panic Disorder. I'm not sure if the Adjustment Disorder just morphed into the GAD because the GAD is recent onset but I can't tell when it began. The Panic Disorder is much better now, but the GAD is really affecting me in a bad way and I'm getting depressive symptoms that I hope isn't something like MDD.

3. You don't want me to write a book. My therapist thinks combination life circumstances and not being able to cope because of ADHD and the other stuff. Current situation .. who knows.

4. Pretty good. Not perfect, but then again I tend to want magic cures. I think that he's a great therapist, a real professional, and he's been a great help. I actually think that without my therapist, I would have done some really bad things to either myself or others. I'd say that's a success.
My first post here. It's hard to talk about this stuff sometimes isn't it?

> My first post here. It's hard to talk about this stuff sometimes isn't it?

Hi, Max. Yes, it is at first. For me it slowly gets easier -- and I find it very valuable to try to organize my thoughts so I can put them here.

1. How long have you been in therapy?

About a month with this therapist. 2 years ago I saw various therapists for about a month or so each - never lasted more than 6 weeks with one therapist.

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?

Recurrent depression since childhood, several suicide attempts, and impulsive self-destructive behavior. Went back now because I started to notice the downward spiral again. Suicidal thoughts, risky behaviors, self-sabotage of career, body, and finances.

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?

I really think it is mostly chemical, that my brain just does not react well to stress. But could be partially due to my childhood - yes, my mother - not very affectionate parents, very controlling religion, feeling like an outcast because I left that religion. Never having many friends, constantly picked on at school. Low self-esteem and bad body image.

4. How successful has your therapy been?

Only a month so I know I have a long way to go. But I think the medications are starting to work fairly well. I have not been as deeply depressed lately, although my risky behaviors have continued.

I have been in therapy for about 9 years, with some breaks in between. With several different therapists, as I have moved a couple times.

Depression, history of sexual abuse , thoughts of hurting myself, panic attacks, low self-esteem, being a doormat......

I have mostly been depressed all my life since age 8, even with thoughts of harming myself. It started when my older brother sexually abused me. Family was chaotic with mom depressed and dad schizophrenic. I buried myself in music and my flute, graduated college and got married and had a career but knew I wasn't well and never felt happy. Never sought treatment. When I was about 39 my dad passed away suddenly. That seemed to be the final thing that I couldn't handle, plus having to be back around my abuser at the funeral after not for many years.

I think it has kept me alive and helped me learn how to cope. It's not like I see major changes in myself, but small improvements in how I cope.

hmmm... 14 months with this therapist, 4 with the previous one and then there was about 7-8 months with the therapist-that-wasnt about 12 yrs ago.

this time? crisis situation.. i was breaking down after several years of trying to be everything to a mentally ill spouse who had become abusive. i needed to just survive at first, then disentangle myself, now build a life

the cause? i was like a glove waiting for a hand... a person with narcissistic personality disorder was a match made in heaven, in terms of the perfect fit. The crisis, etc came from that match and the fall out. How did i get to be that susceptable in the first place? Many reasons.. but we are re-starting history work tomorrow (eep)

how successful has it been? well.. i finally did tell my spouse i couldnt do it any more. i am on my own and building a life. i am doing things that were not possible for me before. i still struggle, i still have gaping holes in my confidence and self esteem, and i am still without many basic skills. But then again.. im still working on it. i think it has been a roaring success so far.... i dont see ways in which it has failed. i know there have been many painful times, doubts, fears and outright agony. I have doubted him and me... damn near hated him.. and yet, he stays. Solid. No complaints here.

1. How long have you been in therapy?
10 years with my current psychologist - kind of scary actually.
5 years with my current psychiatrist
1 1/2 years with my addictions Dr. I'm having lots of therapy at the moment,

2. What are your main symptoms, the reasons you went into therapy?
I was having a really hard time at work & since work was basically how I identified myself, I was losing all my coping strategies at once. Basically I would spontaneously burst into tears throughout the day, Also dealt with dissociation, self injury, depression, anxiety, and addiction.

3. What do you think are the origins of your symptoms?
Combination biology / genetics (depressed mother, alcoholic father) & environment childhood trauma and abandonment issues.

4. How successful has your therapy been? Very. It's been really hard, especially dealing with the addiction, but I feel like a different person. I'm starting to feel like I felt in my 20's again before all my MH problems started, Social anxiety - isolating, and self image continue to be major problems, but I'm working on them.