Ugly truth about therapy

Discussion in 'Mental Health' started by 6-eyed shaman, May 16, 2020.

  1. Dax

    Dax Members

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    Most therapists I've encountered suck big time. I got more help from the people who also suffered from chronic depression.
     
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  2. Noserider

    Noserider Goofy-Footed Member

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    Therapy was wonderful for me. Antidepressants and someone to talk to literally saved me.

    But 6 is apparently an expert
     
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  3. Tishomingo

    Tishomingo Members

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    Is this that different from what we run into in other professions? I live in a small town where for a long time there was one dermatologist, and he was, in the vernacular, a quack. Seemed to be mainly concerned with getting his patients in and out as quickly as possible. But we were stuck with him. Now he has competition. Big improvement!

    Where mental health is concerned, we have a psychiatrist, a couple of clinical social workers, and a couple of LPCs with Masters degrees in behavioral related disciplines. For other options, we have to go out of town. I doubt that we have the cream of the crop here, since those are probably practicing in Tulsa or Oklahoma City. If we want to make the trip to Stillwater, where they have a psychology clinic run by the psych department at OSU, treatment is by a graduate student under the supervision of a faculty member in whatever therapy the faculty member is specializing in--which may be mindfulness therapy (warmed-over Buddhism).
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2020
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  4. tikoo

    tikoo Senior Member

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    Covid scientists predicted a mental health crisis . Get help from ELIZA now ! She
    scared the hell out of her Creator . So powerful ! And free ...

    Eliza, Computer Therapist
     
  5. Eric!

    Eric! Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Every profession has those that absolutely love what they are doing and those that hate to come to work everyday. Every profession!
     
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  6. 6-eyed shaman

    6-eyed shaman Sock-eye salmon

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    After being put on legal mind altering drugs as a child, I firmly believe that anyone who puts kids below the age of 17 on such substances should be jailed (with the exception of extreme cases). A child's mind is still developing and the kid is still finding his/herself in the world. There has not been any long term study on what those drugs can do to a developing brain.

    If Albert Einstein was born within the last few decades, he too would've been put on behavior control drugs as a kid. He was a weird kid who didn't start speaking until he was 4 years old. He also exhibited very strange tendencies that made his parents and teachers think he was retarded. Turns out, he was one of the greatest minds of all time.

    Schizophrenia is something a lot more severe than people seeking therapy for their first world problems and losses we all experience in life.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2020
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  7. 6-eyed shaman

    6-eyed shaman Sock-eye salmon

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    The problem I see with constantly bitching about one's problems and feelings to someone who's willing to listen to them for a price, is that the more that person talks about these problems, the more they are reminded of all the negativity that they are facing and feeling.

    I don't think we will ever come to a full agreement on this, but I can offer a compromise: Expressing your feelings and problems to someone you're close with might be a viable solution if there's conflict between both parties. Lets suppose you have a problem with your girlfriend not contributing to your relationship, and she's causing problems. You express these problems you have to her, and you two work out an agreement to resolve the issue. Thereby taking ACTION. So yes, talking out a problem to resolve a conflict is a good, action-taking step. Seeking therapy by paying someone else? No.


    Well if all the victims of WWII sat around and sought therapy, rather than moving on, they'd still be living in rubble.

    We all got problems. Robin Williams had a lot more going for him than most people suffering from those types of health issues. He may've had depression (so they say), but that can be conquered with an iron mindset. Not with drugs and therapy.


    I saw interviews from a German girl in the 1970s who survived a plane crash over the Amazon. Her name was Juliane Kopcke. She was the only survivor, saw the dead bodies of everyone around her, including her decapitated mother. She was injured and survived in the jungle for 4 days with an infection. She was nearly dead until some locals found her and nursed her back to health. After that she went to Germany, got a job, and continued on with her life. When she was asked if she sought therapy for that experience, she said no. Because they didn't really offer that back then.

    Thus, if she can get on with life after a horrendous experience like that, without therapy, then so can the rest of us.

    (I'll look for that old interview a little bit later)
     
  8. Beach Ball Lady Balls

    Beach Ball Lady Balls Banned

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    there are two types of therapists in the USA. Licensed ones and unlicensed ones. Depending on if you are independent or not. From what I gather anyone can hang a therapy sign and offer mental heath in the USA. It varies state to state as well.

    What Does It Take to Get a Psychologist License?

    then there is this

    An exotic case of practicing psychology without a license

    and here are instructions on how to become a therapist without any education.
    HOW TO BECOME A PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIST WITHOUT COMPLETING AN UNDERGRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE
    How to become a therapist without completing a BSc psychology degree
     
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  9. 6-eyed shaman

    6-eyed shaman Sock-eye salmon

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    That's one of many reasons I'm not a straight-line republican voter.

    Just because the government says one drug is safer than another, that doesn't mean it's actually safe.
     
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  10. Tishomingo

    Tishomingo Members

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    One of the problems with therapy is that the folks who need it most may not think they do. Others around them realize they have major personality problems, but they themselves think they're fine, or somebody else is responsible. They were just havin' some fun starting fires, beatin' up kids at school, torturing animals or spray painting graffiti on the library wall, and those teachers didn't understand. In his masterpiece Inferno, Dante depicts one after another of the inmates of hell as suffering from this mindset, including Lucifer himself--trapped in the middle of hell in a block of ice generated by his massive wings trying desperately to escape from God.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2020
  11. Tishomingo

    Tishomingo Members

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    In my state, it's illegal to practice psychotherapy without a license, but this varies from state to state. Clergy are exempted as pastoral counselors, and the various life coaches, spiritual coaches, etc., can get by as long as they don't pass themselves off as using psychology in their practice. In somel states, unlicensed counselors can call themselves "counselors" or "therapists" if they don't do not call themselves "licensed," "psychologist," or "social worker". Then there are the liability issues. So watch out!
     
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  12. Tishomingo

    Tishomingo Members

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    It's possible to wallow in one's personal problems. We had a guy in our support group who used to go on and on about how miserable his life was, like a country western song where the guy's mom is in prison and his dog was run over by the bus. It was obvious to everybody but him that he stuck and was getting some perverse benefit out of being pitied, but when we confronted him about it, he left and never came back.

    Ideally, that sounds great. In reality, it often deepens the problem, when the partner denies there's a problem or has anything to do with it. I find it better to go outside the pressure cooker and to get the perspective of neutral parties. That helps in understanding the situation and putting up with it or leaving it if necessary.

    Maybe so, maybe not. In my neighborhood, we recently had a suicide by a young single mom who hung herself. Her mother found the body in the bathroom. She left behind two really cute kids. Maybe they'll be okay. I sure hope so. From all reports, she'd been troubled all her life. Maybe she could have pulled herself out of it if she put her mind to it, but she didn't.
     
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  13. Eric!

    Eric! Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    I believe the key thing you mentioned that a therapist needs is “experience”. Yes, education is important, especially since a masters degree requires a dedicated individual to reach a little deeper, in an intellectual sense. But a person who has a bachelor’s degree in such field, and a world of experience can be just as affective if their heart and soul is in the right place.
     
  14. Beach Ball Lady Balls

    Beach Ball Lady Balls Banned

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    sure, but would you go see a 22 year old therapist with a bachelors degree? That is why I said, I believe they need to work under someone older and experienced, like a person who wants to be an MD has to work in a hosPitals and under a head doctor, sit in on operations, assist. Etc... So should anyone who is offering mental health.

    Easy to get a therapist who can just fuck someone up more who is looking for help. So much trust is put in them.

    January 24, 2020. Behavioural therapist charged after eight-year-old boy assaulted at Toronto home

    feb. 2020 Massage therapist charged in sexual assault investigation

    Massage therapist charged with three more counts of sexual assault

    New Jersey Child Therapist Charged With Sexual Exploitation, Enticement, And Child Pornography Crimes

    Eight Therapists Arrested In Scheme to Defraud Program for Developmentally Disabled Children

    the point is that When desperate people put their complete trust in the individual. This can be exploited easier. It is hard to find a good one.
     
  15. Beach Ball Lady Balls

    Beach Ball Lady Balls Banned

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    Oh here is another one. Very bad therapist!

    Therapist accused client of rape but charged $200 per sex session

    some might have liked her until she laid false rape charges. And she called herself a psychotherapist. Lol. She has lost her accreditation. No longer a Dr. The debunked dr.

    it takes a lot of searching to find one that actually works for the individual and is good at their job. And like mentioned above, you don’t need to have an education to call yourself a therapist.

    I know these are cherry picked and not the norm, but there are plenty who are not qualified and or not good at their job. In it for the money
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2020
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  16. phil1965

    phil1965 Senior Member

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    I went through quite a lot of therapy, saw several psychiatrists etc for treatment for mental health problems, most psychiatrists tend to lie, basically it's what over the years I've termed the 'box' theory. According to the way they are taught all people fit into one of four boxes, square, round, triangular, or rectangle, each 'box' requires a different form of treatment. Now suppose I'm hexagonal, what then? Well first they try and make me fit into one of the other boxes, when I don't they either pass me on to someone else, or just abandon me.
    I once got hold of two reports on me written by two different psychiatrists, non of the reports bore any resemblance to me, or my problems, in fact on the third occasion I was accompanied by someone from the hospital to sit in on my evaluation, when she read the report her comment was that if she'd not been in the room at the time, she'd not have believed the report was written about me.
    I had various diagnoses, non of which were correct, finally I went to see someone who worked at the same hospital as my wife, it was a strange experience, she didn't go down the usual route, she just offered me a drink and we began to chat about my life, work, relationships, all kinds of stuff, an hour later she said she was referring me to someone else as she believed I had PTSD!
    I saw this other woman for about 3 months, I did indeed have PTSD, and severe depression, rather than drugs she taught me how to help myself, open up and discuss my issues with close friends and family, and also not to set myself up to fail. It really worked and although I still have occasional bad days, I can at least function almost normally now. It works like this.
    When we are depressed we feel worthless, and this makes us more depressed, it really is a vicious circle, but in trying to improve our lot we can without realising it, set ourselves up for failure, look at the following scenario, it will not only give you an understanding of the problem but may be of some help to you, I call it having a nibble, not taking a big bite, lets look at the big bite first, which is what we all normally do.
    The big bite! OK, so you've had a typical day and you feel worthless, you've done nothing and acheived nothing, you lie in bed at night and make a decision. Tomorrow when you get up you're going to wash the dishes, hoover the lounge, clean the windows and wash the car, then you're going to mow the lawn, you've just taken a big bite and you're going to fail!
    You wake up, and are ready to go, you wash the dishes, and are halfway through hoovering the lounge when it begins to rain heavily, so even if it stops you can't mow the lawn, you can do everything else, but because you cant do the lawn you feel like you've failed.
    Now, lets look at what I call 'having a nibble', you go to bed and think the same thoughts, but, instead of telling yourself that you're going to complete all those tasks, tell yourself you're going to complete one, then if you feel like you'll do another, plus have a fallback task, "ok if it rains and I can't mow the lawn perhaps I'll dust the bedrooms, or if I don't feel like washing the car I could take out the trash, it's done in little bits, or 'nibbles' as I call them.
    Now when you sit and think about what you've done that day, you instantly feel better, you didn't set out to complete all the tasks, you only set out to complete one, say washing the dishes, not only did you do that, but you also hoovered the lounge, even if that's all you did you feel better because in your head you only had one task, but you completed two, now suppose you were going to mow the lawn, now it wasn't your fault you didn't, it rained and you can't control the weather, so insted you dusted the bedrooms, something else you were not planning to do, but you did it, so now you feel a lot better about yourself, see, you're not as worthless as you thought, you just need to take a nibble not a big bite!
    I hope this helps at least one person as it helped me, please don't dismiss it out of hand, I was sceptical about it when I was told it, but it works, I've passed this technique on to several people and they've all found it helpful, give it a go and if it works for you then you'll soon work out how much you can use it.
    we're all capable of sorting out a lot of our mental health problems, quite often it's not about someone doing it for you, nobody can, what it's really about is having the correct tools in the toolbox and knowing how and when to use them, if anyone want's any advice just PM me and I'll try and help you in confidence.
     
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  17. phil1965

    phil1965 Senior Member

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    You make a very good point,certain individuals, not necessarily professionals, but people who pose as 'friends' wanting to help someone will often use a persons vulnerabilities for their own ends, Suppose a young lady asks me for advice, " I don't feel confident with men because I have small boobs and a less than perfect figure" for example. Now, I personally would try and explain to her that not every man wants a girl who looks like a supermodel and a lot of men are more than happy with small boobs, after all there is someone for everyone, that would be my advice,also not to stress too much to look at herself in the mirror and she'd see that she was quite attractive, and I'd probably point out some of her other qualities, she may be polite, considerate, helpful, these are all important considerations, then I'd like to think that she'd go away feeling much happier about herself.
    However a less scrupulous person may try to use her insecurites for their own gain, "well, why not show me your body, let me give you my opinion" or even try getting them into bed on the pretext that they'll feel better afterwards, it does happen and it's wrong. these are the people we need to watch out for, those whose only interest is in their own personal gain.
     
  18. Bilby

    Bilby Lifetime Supporter and Freerangertarian Super Moderator

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    How about Emotional Freedom Techniques?
     
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  19. 6-eyed shaman

    6-eyed shaman Sock-eye salmon

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    Misery loves company is the old saying. I know that kind of person too well.
    My experiences with people like that (and I admit once having been a person like that) are that they are stuck in a negative mindset and feel validated by all the victimization and negative experiences they've dealt with. They seek other people who are as sad as they are, and share their miseries together. Toxic people indeed - surround yourself with people like that you'll suffer. Even the happiest person in the world will be bogged down to their level.

    Perhaps seeking advice from experts in straightening out a friendship or a relationship might be a good idea. But my argument remains that constantly talking about negative things that've gone on in one's life over and over again compounds that person's problems. Rather than finding coping mechanisms to progress one's life forward.

    This may sound unsettling, but I think most people who offed themselves could've found a better solution to a temporary problem. Suicidal tendencies and depression can be conquered with a mindset adjustment. Developing a better mindset often doesn't come from therapists who live mediocre lives who have just as many problems as the next person. Sure it's good to seek advice from someone, but therapists in my experience just keep you sitting there and talking in circles as you give a weekly report on how your meds are treating you. I don't know your neighbor or what she went through; it's a very tragic story as well especially with kids being left behind :(. I believe suicide is a terrible situation that is really plaguing the world as the rates continue to rise. It's something our media and world leaders are not talking enough about. Anti-depressants are FDA approved drugs, and FDA approved drugs are still mind altering drugs at the end of the day. Drugs that offer nothing more than a temporary band-aid solution to a long term problem that might never be solved unless action is taken.
     
  20. Tishomingo

    Tishomingo Members

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    One difficulty I have with your narrative is it's subjective, in that we're hearing only your side of the story. Somebody other than yourself seems to have thought you needed professional help. Who was that, and why? People with anti-social or borderline personalities often tend to find an outlet for their own problems by making problems for others.
     
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