Shrinks and Therapists
 

What are everybody's thought on the American mental health care system?

I personally think that they prescribe way too many and don't always do the proper tests to make sure that a persons "disorder" isn't chemical or hormonal. Panic disorder for instance has at least three mimickers. You can have diabetes, hypoglycemia, or mercury poisoning and be displaying symptoms of panic disorder. However I never got a blood test to check my sugar or tested for mercury poisoning when I complained of panic attacks.

I personally think shrinks are too money hungry to care.

The biggest problem is simply that people go to general care physicians instead of psychologists or psychiatrists so they don’t get the testing and such that they need

Sound reasoning.

I have to agree with the overprescribing without the right tests. First off, psychologists don't prescribe meds. Psychiatrists can, but they don't give "talk therapy" too much these days.

A psychologist can recommend a specific drug, or class of drug to a physician, however. And unless they take the time to really run tests, they're going to get it wrong. The psychologist and the physician have to work together to find out the problem. Plus, they have to know what questions to ask. You might be intelligent, but you still might not know what's wrong with you.

Hell for years, I was treated for depression. Some of the drug prescribed had some pretty nasty side effects. Some of them didn't do me any good at all. Hell, I was on Trazadone once, and the Doc kept upping my dose because I was acting more and more depressed.

After a certain point, I went into horrible crying jags, and became suicidal.

Guess what? That wasn't depression. It was the manic swing of bi-polar disorder. Yeah, the trazadone was doing it's job alright. Too well. And it nearly killed me.

My last therapist was a wonderful woman, with a spiritual side that was very likely Pagan. She knew what questions to ask. I was put on meds for bi-polar disorder, got my shit together, and started living again.

Due to the stability of my life, I was able to wean myself off even those drugs. And now, I'll take some fish oil caps on occasion, when things get stressful, because they're a good, SAFE mood stabilizer.

So yeah, being trined well, and knowing what questions to ask is important. There is NO magic potion in any of those pills. They are a tool, nothing more, and can be helpful, but will not solve all the problems a person might face. Too many doctors and therapists are taking the "assembly-line" approach to mental health, and medical care (We can thank the HMOs for that...extensive testing is verbotten these days). And it's making us lose out. It's one thing to deal with a serious physical illness, because this is something they can see and touch. But mental illness (and physical illnesses that can mimic mental illness) is slippery, at best. Time MUST be taken to figure out the cause.

When I was seeing a psychologist weekly, he kept pushing for me to go on drugs. Granted, I probably needed it, and probably still do, but I was uber-reluctant. However, I eventually gave in and agreed to meet with the psychiatrist who could perscribe shit to me. My psychologist did the "recommendation" thing, and I had a 1-hour "talking" meeting with the perscriber. I asked a *lot* of questions (even through my insanity I wasn't a dumb fuck... except for the part where I forgot to fake ADD... damn I want Adderall....). The psychiatrist ended up perscribing me with something that my psychologist hadn't recommended, or even mentioned, and when I had my next meeting with the psychologist, he was genuinely *surprised* at the psychiatrist's recommendation. I had no idea what was going on- and apparently neither did either of the doctors. So I ended up not on drugs.

In my opinion, it is *vital* that the person who perscribes knows you, knows your tricks, knows what your actual disorders are, etc.

But one thing I know is that, throughout this process, I got a *SHITLOAD* of blood taken (I got four viles taken every two weeks). I don't know if they were doing blood tests for mercury or other copycat illnesses that have the symptoms I was showing, but they did the work. For a long ass time.

Sigh.

It's tilmes like these when I miss Kelly's thoughts and insights.

Gone, but not forgotten.

What else I think is bad about the sysetm... underpaid counslers.
When I was put into the hospital or a residental it was always the staff that had to watch us that helped me work through my real problems, not the therapists.

Most therapists I have come in contact with have for the most part have had very cushy, comfortable lives. It was always very hard for me to talk with someone who has not a clue what I have been through.

However the counslers worked with our crazy asses because they have been through alot of the same things. On top of that they are the ones who have to restrain someone who is being violent. They are the ones who had to babysit us and make sure we didn't harm ourselves. And they make around nine bucks an hour!!!!

Of course the therapists have to have a great eduaction in order to do what they are doing, but there are too many things involved in mental health care that a fucking text book cannot teach you. Most people who are in psych-wards come from broke and/or dysfuctional families.

Some person that was fortunate enough to belong to a wealthy family MOST of the time has no clue what its like to be hungry and with out food. Nor do they really know what happens to the mind when someone is abused constantly. Like I said they can be taught in a classroom but they will never feel any real empathy for those who do know.

i think it s shame that the people who do know and have to deal with the most troubling situations are paid so much less.

where did you get this? The reason I ask is because I know a few counselors and from what I have heard from them their starting salary was around $13 and hour and that if you stayed for a significant amount of time that it greatly increased. Also the reason that a therapist gets paid more, not all have huge incomes, is because they have spent so much time learning about things that a counselor wouldn’t know such as disorder, therapies, drug treatments, etc.

Sol, I think it may have more to do with what part of the country you're in.

They are more like staff in residential homes for crazy people, not one you go see once a week. Plus I developed pretty good relationships with some of the staff I met. They told how much they made when I left the place.

Oh yeah I forgot to take that into consideration…forget what I said

Yeah. As decidedly (and rightly) bitter as she was over the state of psychiatry and psychology, she had a lot of sound investment. Though she was admittedly pretty harsh at times...

That is the cutest avatar!


:P

I for one have found the mental health system very helpful, except for one psychiatrist who left town (as in moved) without telling me and really made me feel betrayed. What if I'd been suicidal and decided to kill myself because he wasn't there? How irresponsible! On the other hand, my experience with counselors has generally been a good one, and I usually become very close to them. I tend to do best with somewhat older women around my mom's age who actually take the time to try and understand me. I haven't been able to see one for about half a year, though, because my mom and stepdad are getting divorced and I can't afford therapy on my own.

Your parents paid for your therapy? Thats alot of money.

You can get free insurance if you need it to see a shrink esp. if you have been hospitalized for mental instability. The first time I was put away my social worker found insurance for me so I could get therapy. If you really need one talk to your social worker if you have one. You might have one if you have been in the hospital. I'm not exactly thrilled with therapists myself. But if you are there is the way to go. Good luck.



I must admit that there was one shrink out of the many I have met in my life time that I loved. I was put on five diffrent meds that "may cause drowsiness" and literally made me drool on myself. After that I was hospitalized because I was too fucked up to function. The shrink at the hospital took me off most of my meds. He made sure that the meds I was on weren't putting me in a coma. Most of them just put me on a new med every week and watched me twitch or drool.

I actually think I'm doing pretty well for not seeing a private therapist anymore. It's not like I'm not in therapy at all- I see the counselor at my college.

I would be seeing the school's psychologist (finally, after a month and a half), but the support staff at my school are on strike, and even if the school wasn't closed, the psychologist is one of the support staff. The school board has a severe shortage of psychologists (he/she sees 1 school for half a day every 2 weeks) because they don't pay NEARLY what the psychologist would make privately or whatever.

I haven't had much experience with therapy, although I probably should have some experience with therapy...

Therapy..? I've considered it. Probably not gonna happen too soon though. Truth is, I'm scared they're gonna come up with some diagnosis like I'm bipolar or have a disassociative disorder and stuff me with chemicals, which I am against. I tried anti-depressants once, and it felt like a significant part of my personality had been shot and died in my head, and I couldn't even lament it, I felt so vacuous. Horrible, glassy ghost-feeling. No, I prefer self-medicating with natural remedies. :wink:

Also, I don't like the idea of someone who doesn't understand the (sub)cultural context of my life and my interests prodding my brain for information. I hate it when people form opinions of me which exist wholly within the parameters of their culture and experience, something which is pretty much inevitable, I know, but I wouldn't wanna pay them for misunderstanding me. And yeah, I'm aware that it's not the job of a therapist to like, form opinions about me, per sé, I mean it's simply professional opinions in any case, but whatever...

I don't want to go to therapy, that's the bottom line. I realise that I have some mental problems that sometimes hamper my ability to function in daily life, but at the same time these are problems I can live with. What the fuck ever happened to humanity anyway? I mean, emotional pain is a part of life, and it's just plain stupid and dangerous to think that it's a problem which can be conveniently solved with chemicals.

If you're psychotic, and a danger to yourself and/or others, you might need something chemical, but for all the kids who are simply feeling blue and reacting to a sick society, it's a fucking tragedy to mass-medicate them with mood-altering substances. It's nothing more than forced conformism. Why not just roll out the SOMA already?

I had a couple psychologists poke around my mind a long time ago.

The profesional really only made my problems worse, because she treated me like a naive child, and didn't tell me shit about what she thought of me, or what I was there for, beside asking me about it. I really only liked it becasue I got out of religion class for it. What I really needed was someone to say, look, it sucks, and I'm sorry things went like this. This is what happened, this is why it's a big deal, and this is why you're here.

I also saw a school psychologist, who was much nicer, but never once heard one true thing come form my lips. I won't blame the psychiatrists for the fact that I used to be a compulsive liar, but they certainly didn't help.

Also, missing class marked me as different, which is dangerous in grade school.

But mostly my problems were ones that I walked into the office with. They were only exaggerate thorugh therapy. But aspparently I'm not so abd off, since I never had meds.

Ah, the dreaded "my mother went through my drawings/stories" situation! I had that happen once. My mom was encouraged to read my journal by my counselor because I wasn't talking much. I felt so violated, to the point that to this day I keep my journal in a locked, fireproof box that only I have the key to! I was also hauled into the guidance office when I was in high school for writing a story about a guy who got drunk, got in an accident, and was glad that he was dying because he felt his life was worthless. My mom demanded,"Do you wanna die?" Of course I didn't! Anyone who thinks in a way that is perceived by mainstream society as deviant is subject to endless accusations. Those who claim to be "normal" I believe have these same thoughts- we're just not afraid to express them!

I have mixed feeling about Psychiatric care in general. I have been through about six pyschologists since I was nine, with multiple reasons. When my father died I was thrust into therapy immediately, twice a week, at school, once a week with a private therapist. As I got older and began to separate myself from others, I was again put in therapy for anger management. Then later for self destructive urges. I have watched loved ones fall apart after carefully chosen dialogue from Psychologists designed to crack open patients for better dissection.
I am an acquaintance to a girl that I frankly dislike, who would cut herself then show everyone the next day. During my brief but hazardous love affair with sharp objects, I never exhibited such behavior. She would brag about cutting, as if bleeding herself was some kind of ritual, or no big deal. Self-mutilation is a fad. Teenagers with real problems are overshadowed by the multitudes of people who crave attention. I watched as this girl flaunted her "suicidal tendencies" She was sent to Holly Hills mental hospital not two weeks later. She still brags about it to this day.
As some of you may remember, I lost a dear friend to suicide not too long ago. I can barely contain myself even now around this girl because I feel that she makes a mockery of him and of me.
I am, quite frankly, sick of Pyschologists. I am tired of inane Psycho dribble that sounds good but doesnt help. Money runs everything now. A hundred dollars well spent for a prescription and another appointment next week.

It's pretty sad when it becomes trendy to be a cutter or suicidal. It makes a mockery of people who really do need help and who are in despair. The whole idea of cutting myself and then bragging about it makes me sick.

There was a girl who used to go to my school who cut herself. I felt bad for her, until she started going around saying loudly with a big grin, "Look what I did to my arms last night!" I still feel kinda bad, cuz I think she got it from me.