[pattyannee]

I am thinking about going back to counsling but afraid if I do the will put me on meds again. I took myself off my meds for bipolar two years ago because I felt like they were stealing my mind. But lately I been pretty depressed.
Anyway I stopped going to counsling because very tramatic things happened and I tend to run when I'm hurt. I usualy stop counsling until I don't feel so valnerable.

[lifeblows]

I was worried about being put on pills before I ever stepped foot in a counseling center. And sure enough, I get misdiagnosed & put on pills that just screw me up more. Later I end up with a different diagnosis and other pills. Finally I took myself off all of them. That has always been one of my worries about therapy, they'll make me take pills. (I HATE pills & they are a very sore point for me as a bad part of my past & childhood. Looong story... )

Point is, at some point I realized they can't make me take them. So they can't make you take them either. I wish I'd never listened to them about the pills or letting the so-called professionals make me feel like I'd be some kind of threat to society without meds. Besides, the people prescribing and recommending them have absolutely noooooo idea how messed up those things make you feel. So I have no doubt they'll recommend meds, but if you're going to a therapist and not a doctor they can't give them to you anyway. If it comes up, just explain how meds made you feel worse than you already are. That at least if you have a feeling or emotion now you know it's yours and not the meds. That the negatives of them outweigh the positives. Let us know how it goes.

[Mouse_]

Originally Posted by pattyannee

I am thinking about going back to counsling but afraid if I do the will put me on meds again. I took myself off my meds for bipolar two years ago because I felt like they were stealing my mind. But lately I been pretty depressed.
Anyway I stopped going to counsling because very tramatic things happened and I tend to run when I'm hurt. I usualy stop counsling until I don't feel so valnerable.

Yes theres lots of things to think about.

[sunrise]

Patty, can you go to a counselor who isn't involved in prescribing meds or recommendations about that? Lots of them don't deal with that stuff. They leave that up to the MDs and do what they are trained to do, provide talk therapy.

If you do go to a counselor who is trying to get involved in a medication decision, could you tell her that you will deal with medication with your medical provider? You could also briefly explain that in the past medications were not helpful and you would like to focus on talk therapy with her.

[silver_moon]

I agree with lifeblows... NOONE can force you to take meds. At the end of the day it is your decision.
I went through a tough time with previous doctors I saw and my mental health got continually worse. After having A LOT of trouble with these doctors (they didn't really care about the patients at all) I left and found another surgery. At this point my mental health was bad, but I was so scared of going to my new docs... I didn't want to be put on meds (partly due to the fact I have a fear of taking ANY medication now due to past experiences... partly because of an experience I had on anti-depressants in the past... but mostly because I don't want something 'messing' with my head).
Research shows that therapy can be just as good as medication.
Anyway, turns out the doctor I went to is a fan of treating people without medication wherever possible and is sending me to therapy and has involved me with support groups and confidence building classes and I see a nurse every week to check up on me.

What I'm trying to say is... you don't know what will happen until you do it. If you put things off, you potentially make yourself worse.
If you go to a therapist that suggests puttin you on meds... you simply say no! You don't even have to explain yourself. They are there to help you, they can't force you to take meds and they have no right to.
I think, give therapy a chance. Although you said councilor (over here councilors have no input and can only listen to you. Therapists work with you)?

Take care,
Molly