[Squirrel1983]

So I had an appointment with pdoc about 3 weeks ago (next appointment isn't for another 2 or 3 weeks).

At my last appointment I disclosed that I have been "hurting" myself by scratching myself until I bled or picking scabs to make me bleed. I told him that I have been working on it with T since this summer, but it had only prooved a little successful. He (like T) considered it compulsive behavior, so he increased my prozac to try to help it. He said my problem was actually pretty common, just a lot of people don't talk about it.

At the same appointment I told him that my voices were back (not distinct voices, just like being in a restaurant or crowded room where you hear talking but can't make out what is being said). I told him what type of voices I was hearing. I also mentioned I still was worried someone mught shoot me while I am driving. He called this delusional paranoia. The voices and paranoia got my risperidone increased.

I was more concened with making myself bleed, but pdoc said he was more concerned with the hallucinations and paranoia. Why would he be more concerned about that?

[Wayfarer25]

Not really sure. If I was the pdoc, I'd be concerned with both. For some people, self harm can be a prelude to suicide (not saying that's your case of course), but maybe the doc wasn't concerned if you didn't seem particularly distressed about it? I don't know. Hallucinations and delusions can seriously impair your ability to function in the world if left to spiral out of control. Maybe the doc was worried more about you deteriorating to the point where you can't care for yourself than you simply scratching yourself. But I wasn't there, so this is all pure speculation. I'm thinking there's more to your history that your doc is familiar with which led to his/her concerns being more focused on the hallucinations/delusions.

Maybe he thinks that anxiety from the paranoia & hallucinations could be subconsciously make your compulsion worse? Or maybe he figures that, since you're already trying therapy to work on it, his job is to medicate those issues that can't be worked through in therapy alone: the psychosis.

If anything doesn't change with the scratching/picking scabs, let him know that you are much more concerned by that behaviour. Your pdoc doesn't sound like he's bad or anything... But those doctors can't read minds. Unfortunately!

[likewater]

Idk, i here voices too and they are not the most distressing issue, but they freak my counselor out. I think professionals don't like voices. To them voices are always super duper bad.

[fishsandwich]

Most people can understand wanting to hurt themselves - even if they never do it - and they can understand being sad and anxious even if they are never "depressed". But voices are something else; it is very difficult for somebody who hasn't heard voices before to understand what it's like. So that could be why; I'm sure there are other explanations also. You could even ask the psychiatrist next time you see him. He should be able to give you and explanation.

(I'm presuming your psychiatrist has not heard voices purely on statistics, bear with me - even generous estimates only predict 10% of the population will ever "hear a voice" but I believe Western medicine puts that around 1%. By any measure, it's rare.)

[Squirrel1983]

I am going to ask my T when I see her on Tuesday what she thinks about him being more concerned about the voices and paranoia. She (my T) has never seemed more concerned about those than the picking. She seems to view them as equal from what I can tell.

I will probably chicken out of asking my pdoc next time I see him why he was more concerned with that. I'm not sure I want to know his exact thoughts on it. I would rather hear other people's presumtions.

[Squirrel1983]

Asked T today why she thought pdoc would be more concerned about the voices and paranoia than the picking. She said it's probably because the voices and paranoia are symptoms and the picking is a behavior and he can easily treat symptoms more easily than a behavior. She did say that I should tell him that I am more disturbed by the picking than the occassional voice or mild paranoia. Now to get the courage to do that. I may not. He did do something about it (he increased my prozac), so really there isn't much more to say on it.

[newtus]

my paranoia (fear) is what bothers me more
but at the hospital and follow up psych they concentrated more on my voices and my
H-micidal thoughts

i really dont know why one over the other

I think they choose what worries them most vs. what worries you the most, until they know what distresses you more... Of course, at a hospital, they are going to worry about homocidal thoughts over fear. Lol. Their job is to prevent you or anyone else being injured. :P

[likewater]

My T says most people at the clinic where i go dont hear voices.( I actually think more people do and just dont tell. Ive been seeing Ts all my life and this is the first time ive told.) In fact she is graduating next week is her last week and they still.dont have a new T because she says it's hard to find a good fit because i hear voices? Really. All she has to do from what i see is ask, " how are the voices?" "Do you still hear voices?" Also she said i was schizophrenic sent me to pdoc to get antipsychotics. Pdoc dxed me with dissociative identity disorder instead and told me to tell her dx so i could get correct treatment. Go back to her and tell.her and she is still convinced i hear voices because im psychotic.

I'm so sorry you had to deal with being misdiagnosed, likewater!

[likewater]

Oh thanks.:-) it' s alright.

[fishsandwich]

Originally Posted by likewater

My T says most people at the clinic where i go dont hear voices.( I actually think more people do and just dont tell. Ive been seeing Ts all my life and this is the first time ive told.) In fact she is graduating next week is her last week and they still.dont have a new T because she says it's hard to find a good fit because i hear voices? Really. All she has to do from what i see is ask, " how are the voices?" "Do you still hear voices?" Also she said i was schizophrenic sent me to pdoc to get antipsychotics. Pdoc dxed me with dissociative identity disorder instead and told me to tell her dx so i could get correct treatment. Go back to her and tell.her and she is still convinced i hear voices because im psychotic.

I really don't understand this thing where therapists don't want to see someone because they hear voices. I've been refused from SO MANY therapists because of it. It's bizarre and frustrating.

Sorry you had to go through that.

[newtus]

Originally Posted by fishsandwich

I really don't understand this thing where therapists don't want to see someone because they hear voices. I've been refused from SO MANY therapists because of it. It's bizarre and frustrating.

SAME.
idk why either.
youd think theyd WANT to help
but no.
im ALWAYS ALWAYS either denied or i can not get therapy service unless im on meds. its mostly the former.

[Tsunamisurfer]

Originally Posted by fishsandwich

I really don't understand this thing where therapists don't want to see someone because they hear voices. I've been refused from SO MANY therapists because of it. It's bizarre and frustrating.

Ditto. It is tough enough when your friends and family distance themselves from you because they don't know how to relate to your confused thinking, strange behaviour and poor functioning. But it is really the pits when therapist after therapist gives up on you because of the belief that if you are psychotic then only meds can help you (or that you are simply a drain on their energy and unlikely to reward them with visible progress). I think therapists need success stories to make their work worth while, and not burn them out. But for the rejected patient, that rejection just amplifies the pain and fear of opening your soul to people you approach for help.

[likewater]

Im experiencing a similar problem. The clinic where i go is trying to find a " good fit " for me because i hear voices. Wtf? I dont think you need special training. All my other T did was once in a while say, " how are the voices? " " do you still hear voices" hmm. That doesnt seem so hard. Wait. Let me treat Newtus. Hey , Newtus how are the voices? Do you still hear voices? I dont know why, Newtus, but for some reason, that was therapeutic. You should feel better. I never did.

[newtus]

Originally Posted by likewater

Wait. Let me treat Newtus. Hey , Newtus how are the voices? Do you still hear voices? I dont know why, Newtus, but for some reason, that was therapeutic. You should feel better. I never did.

hah
the voices are bad right now
still hear them. more now though.

not sure why i should feel better
they always denied me
i quit my therapist.
she let me see her but IDC
she didnt help
sucks when you see one that will accept you but DOESNT HELP. worth s**t.

[likewater]

Oh, Newtus. I'm so sorry. That sucks big time. May angels surround you.

I have seen two therapist's. One left the place to retire. The other one asked me what
I need therapy for? I said "Your the T so tell me why". I just stopped going to the therapist.
Neither of them were any good. I still see the pdoc though