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06.21.08, 19:21 PM General Topics
23 replies
What is your opinion on therapy? I have gone to therapists on and off for a number of years. Some I found helpful, some I found really lame. But I recently stopped going because when I looked at myself and everyone close to me who has been in long term therapy, none of our major personality dysfunctions had really gone away. I started wondering if it's kind of a crock, at least for highly functional people. I think it's terrific and essential if you have a real mental illness, major depression, are suicidal or in a true abusive relationship, but for people who are just trying to better themselves, it seems like maybe it's paying for a friend to listen to you talk. What do you think? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
General Topics 06.21.08, 07:21 PM Flag
 

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Its is frightening to read your post, I could have written every word. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:22 PM Flag
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Whats worse...I am considering starting therapy again because I am so desperate and I just can't figure out anything else to do to get myself out of my rut. So maybe its not COMPLETELY useless. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:25 PM Flag
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It's not useless to start if you're really stuck. It helped me a lot, but the usefulness is short lived once you've got a handle on the issue, even if the issue is still there a bit. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:27 PM Flag
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I don't see the point, either [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:22 PM Flag
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I agree with you. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:23 PM Flag
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i agree with you. and I don't necessarily think it works for people with major mental illness either -- meds do. every therapist I've ever talked to made the sessions more about him or her than me. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:24 PM Flag
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that's the definition of a really bad therapist. You're supposed to know nothing about them... [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:27 PM Flag
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And there's always that uncomfortable sales aspect to the relationship -- the only therapist I ever had who truly helped me make some changes in my life was my first therapist. She was very young, but good. Anyway, at one point, when things were going smoothly in my life, she said, I think you're in a good place and don't need to see me, but if things change, call me and we can set up some time to talk again. It's the first and last time I've experienced that. Everyone else, it's always a big hassle to get out of the relationship. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:27 PM Flag
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yeah, they call it transition when its really time for them to fill your slot [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:34 PM Flag
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I totally agree. It helped me get over a really traumatic event, but now I'm still going and trying to figure out how to tell the therapist goodbye as she's really not doing anything for me any more. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:25 PM Flag
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I have to say that therapy has helped me immensely. I was incapable of dealing with the stress in my life that I let it manifest itself physically (migraines, pre-ulcer condition) and without therapy I would have made myself even sicker. In therapy I learned a lot of "why" I reacted they way I did to stressful situations and it allowed me to teach myself to change my reactions. But it's not for everyone. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:25 PM Flag
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I found therapy helpful in many ways, the most important of which was realizing that when I was depressed, it wouldn't last forever. That said, I'm glad I stopped when I did. The people I know who have spent the longest in therapy seem to be the people who were least helped by it. It's almost as if they learned to identify their problems and then, well, wallow in them. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:26 PM Flag
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did you get on meds [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:26 PM Flag
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no [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:28 PM Flag
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OP here -- you just described my MIL to a tee. Wonderful woman, but has been seeing the same therapist for over 30 years. She's mentally a mess -- nervous, depressed, angry, paranoid. What a crook that therapist is. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:30 PM Flag
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I think long term therapy is kind of a crock, yes. But cognitive behavioral therapy is totally different, shown in many studies to be very effective (as effective as meds in fighting depression, for example). It's in-and-out therapy. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:27 PM Flag
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OP here -- I replied to someone's post above that I had that experience with my first therapist and it was terrific. Haven't found it again. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:32 PM Flag
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I'm in now, and it's really not terribly helpful. I've been thinking of droppiing, but I think what keeps me there is that my therapist is the only person other than dh that I talk to about my life on a regular basis. If I had friends, I wouldn't need a therapist. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:28 PM Flag
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yup, its not even a paid friendship though - more like a prostitue because you don't have to hear them bitch when its their turn [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:28 PM Flag
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exactly. Think it would be cheaper to just hire a prostitute to listen to me? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:33 PM Flag
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hey thats an idea! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:35 PM Flag
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It would be cheaper to hire me to listen to you too. I'm very good at saying, Hmm. Uh-huh. Yes. Why do you think that is? I can through in the occasional, How does that make you feel for an extra $10 an hour if you'd like. (np) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:37 PM Flag
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a prostitute isn't going to take insurance. I only pay my therapist $16 a session.... If you find a prostitute that cheap could you please tell dh? It will soooo help my monthly budget;) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 07:37 PM Flag
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