I don’t think therapy is working...

[littlepieces]

I am really struggling with the reason to continue with Therapy. I have been seeing current Therapist for about six months and do not feel I have made any improvements. I have spoken about this, but my Therapist seems to always have an answer which ultimately encourages me to continue... I understand that I tend to have quite a negative perception in a lot of areas of my life and that?s what I am struggling with. I just find it hard to believe that I cant see any of the value and my therapist can. I would just like to ask if anyone else has had similar experiences? ie not feeling like it is worth continuing because there seems to be no apparent improvement.
Thanks
Littlepieces

 

[ladylore]

Re: I don?t think Therapy is working...

What I can offer you is to let you know that it will take longer then 6 months to see steady improvement. The issues that your dealing with didn't happen over night, so it stands to reason that it will take some time to make positive and more permanent changes.

 

[Into The Light]

Re: I don?t think Therapy is working...

i've been in therapy for almost 3 years now. the first year was about dealing with immediate crises and dealing with severe depression. then i got to a fairly decent place in terms of depression where i felt quite a bit better but i still struggled with some issues that had not been worked on and i could feel myself getting pulled back down into depression. i went to deal with those issues after a therapy break of a few months and i'd say after another 6 months i started to feel more improvement. improvement has been ongoing in spurts since then and now, a year and a half of working on my issues i am really in a very good place.

the thing about therapy is that it's not a linear process. you'll work on things for a while and nothing may seem to change but then for some reason a certain amount of work comes together and you move up a level in your functioning and how you are feeling. then you might be there at that level for a while before you hit another level. it's almost like there has to be "critical mass" that happens in terms of therapy work before it all just kicks in and you can feel a difference in yourself.

i'm not sure if this makes any sense to you the way i described it and if it is helpful or not. this is just my experience.

has your therapist demonstrated how you are making progress? do you agree? are you dealing with depression at all?

 

[littlepieces]

Re: I don?t think Therapy is working...

Thanks into the Light,

Yes what you have said does make a lot of sense, I understand what you mean and can sort of relate to that.

My therapist has sort of demonstrated a bit how therapy is working, with the ability for me to make links with different things, but I already knew these links anyway, maybe now they have been made very explicit its makes it harder in a way (difficult to explain without going into some detail)

Yes dealing with depression, in challenging negative thinking.

Thanks for your response it has sort of encouraged me to continue for a while at least to try and reach a better place.

Littlepieces

 

[Into The Light]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

just keep at it littlepieces. and maybe along the way record small changes you are noticing, so that you can remind yourself when you are feeling that nothing is helping.

are you on any medication for depression right now?

 

[arlene]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

Therapy usually takes long time before it work..it depends to the patient.. Try to help yourself and not to think too much of negative to your life. :support:

 

[littlepieces]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

Yes maybe I could try recording progress...
No not on any medication and that has been my choice not to take anything. I don’t really think I am depressed enough to warrant taking medication.
I am still in two minds whether to continue or not with therapy, just going over the same things in a different way and then come back to how I feel and I don’t ever know how I feel/or maybe just cant seem to say anything, so then the logical conclusion is there is no point and I am wasting my and therapists time bothering and might as well give up now. I am quite surprised my therapist has not given up on me, does not even get annoyed which I seem to be expecting all the time, that could be why I don’t say a lot because I am worried about getting an angry reaction.
I will stop going on about it now and try and decide what to do, its so difficult to make even the simplest decision theses days!
Littlepieces

 

[Into The Light]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

that could be why I don’t say a lot because I am worried about getting an angry reaction.

i think this would be good to discuss with him, because it's a worry you have and it is holding you back in talking about things. this may be why you feel a bit stuck right now.

also, a combination of therapy and medication has been shown to be the most effective in dealing with depression. i don't know how depressed you are but it might be something to reconsider if you are not feeling any improvement.

have you applied any life style changes such as exercising and socializing to help with the depression?

 

[littlepieces]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

I probably do need to talk about the fact I worry about getting angry reaction from my therapist and it might be why I feel so stuck.
I am sure medication is the right choice for some people and I would consider it if I felt I needed it.
I have started to try and exercise more and am working on the socialising aspect, I do find that the harder of the two!
Thanks for your comments.
littlepieces

 

[Atlantean]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

I am really struggling with the reason to continue with Therapy. I have been seeing current Therapist for about six months and do not feel I have made any improvements. I have spoken about this, but my Therapist seems to always have an answer which ultimately encourages me to continue... I understand that I tend to have quite a negative perception in a lot of areas of my life and that?s what I am struggling with. I just find it hard to believe that I cant see any of the value and my therapist can. I would just like to ask if anyone else has had similar experiences? ie not feeling like it is worth continuing because there seems to be no apparent improvement.
Thanks
Littlepieces

I wasted a year and a half with my counselor and med management team. I finally left and went to a private practitioner who I have only been seeing for around a month, but who I would honestly say I have made more progress within that month that the entire year and a half I was with the other providers.

I know (especially if you dont have insurance) that it can be really difficult to find other resources, but if you feel you arent getting anywhere thats what most important, and if you arent satisfied with your current care team, I would absolutely encourage you to try to find other alternatives in your area. (I wouldnt stop seeing your current team until you have another team in place though, just for the record).

 

[Jazzey]

Hi LP,

It's nice to see you here. I'm going to add a post here, because I relate soo much to what you're saying. A year ago, I was suffering from major depression. I had physical symptoms as well as the psychological symptoms. At that time, my Doctor tried everything to try and convince me that I needed medication. I refused - firmly believing that I could get through it through a healthy regime of diet and exercise. That was back in February. By the time August rolled around, I was in much worse shape...

All this to say to you to keep an open mind about the medications issue. I'm now taking some anti-depressants for the first time in my life (Citalopram which is another version of Celexa). They have made a significant difference in the quality of my life. While I've been on a low dosage for the past couple of months, I'm now considering upping the dosage because of some of my issues right now. But, my doctor and my psychologist have both stated that the medication, where I"m concerned, would be temporary - around a year or so...It does help.

I don't know your specific circumstances LP, I just wanted to share a little to tell you that I was as against medications as you are right now...sometimes we just need them....:hug: :hug:

 

[littlepieces]

Hi Jazzey,
I am glad that medication has seemed to help you.
To be totally honest I don’t think I am that in need of medication.
I have always have very low self-esteem and it does not take much to knock my confidence this I feel has led to slight depression, to varying degrees though my life.
Therapist did ask if I had considered medication and, I said I didn’t think I needed it, he said if I thought I could cope with out then thats fine. The trouble is I am not really coping especially at work!
Thanks for taking trouble to respond
littlepieces

 

[Atlantean]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

I have always been extremely resistant to the thought of taking medication because it was shoved down my throat so much as a child and adolescent. And none of it ever worked. The only thing that opened my mind was being put on a medication that actually does help, albeit with negative side effects and I am in hopes of finding a suitable alternative for it in the hopefully not to distant future.

If you can cope without trying meds, I think thats great. I think medications work really great for some people, not so well for others, but it really all depends on if your issues are biochemically based, or environmental. As an example, if you are in a bad relationship and depressed because of that, all the pills in the world wont make that go away. You have to fix your life first, and if there are no outstanding issues that are causing your unhappiness (I know you mentioned work), then perhaps medication could be of benifit.

To medicate or not to medicate is a highly individual choice that we must all make for ourselves. What works for me, probably wont work for you and vice-versa.

It could be worth a shot, but if you really are that adamant about not taking anything (which I completely understand), then I think its all the more important to have a good support structure in place, and a care team that you feel is working to your benefit.

..just my .02

 

[littlepieces]

Thanks Atlantean for your response. I can understand you being very resistant if you were forced medication as a child. I hope you do manage to find the right alternative which works well for you.
I think you are right about having enough support and I am working on that I do have a strong tendency to shut everyone out, I am very aware of this though and am trying to let people in a bit, even though it goes against what my ego I suppose!

 

[Jazzey]

The trouble is I am not really coping especially at work!

This was one of my issues too LP - I was resistant to medications for about 10 years. I took the medications because of my serious lack of concentration at work.

And now I'm in this ridiculous situation where I wish I had listened to my doctor earlier... Having said this, it is what it is. The medications are helping me now, during a particularly difficult time - that's what counts.

Always here to support you LP. And if you ever have any questions about medications -always here too

 

[Atlantean]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

Thanks Atlantean for your response. I can understand you being very resistant if you were forced medication as a child. I hope you do manage to find the right alternative which works well for you.
I think you are right about having enough support and I am working on that I do have a strong tendency to shut everyone out, I am very aware of this though and am trying to let people in a bit, even though it goes against what my ego I suppose!

LOL, believe me I can entirely relate to shutting people out. I am almost a total recluse with borderline agoraphobia and I shut the whole world out. There are only a scant handful of people in my life, and I am blessed to have them. I know I need to get out more, and I suppose as my son grows Ill be forced out into the real word, being isolative has its good and bad points but I am making efforts at de-isolating myself, even if its just making friends online. You gotta start somewhere. '-)

Best of luck with everything.

 

[littlepieces]

Thanks for your reply,
Yes I also know I need to make myself socialise and keep it up. I do go though patches when it is particually hard and try to fight this as much as I can but dont always win. Putting things off and avoiding things I find hard is a big problem for me too, the more I do this the worse it seems to get!
How old is your son?
littlepieces

 

[Atlantean]

He's ten months old on the 19th. And growing like a weed. Cute as a button, too. Starting to look more and more like his father every day, especially when he grins, you can see thqat little square jawline.

I really love spending all my time wiht him, we're always in the same room and I sleep with him at night, I think Id lose my mind if it wasnt for him. Im telling ya, hes better than Prozac! (...Dont get me started about prozac!)

 

[littlepieces]

Brilliant I am very pleased for you, you sound very happy to be a mother. Thats one of the many things I am putting off, I know my Husbund would jump at having children! I Dont feel I will ever be ready...
Did prozac not agree with you then? (woops may have got you started!)

 

[Atlantean]

Re: I don?t think therapy is working...

LOL. Its okay. No, they tried prozac on me when I was around twenty after I had a very serious and traumatic miscarriage and was cutting, and instead of making me feel better, it accelerated me and brought me to the point I attempted suicide.

I have ben fortunate in that most meds just havent worked but havent had adverse reactions, Zyprexa gave me seizures and tegretol made me feel worse, but I think at last count in my entire life Ive been on around 14 different things, so I guess Im lucky thats all Ive had to deal with.