Therapy? - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

Llama · 04-24-2008, 09:51 PM

How many of you are in therapy? Does it really help and is it worth it? How do you know if you have a good psychologist or not?

My psychologist is a middle aged male who mostly tries to help me come to terms with having bipolar disorder. I guess I have only been seeing him for maybe a few months though at about a rate of twice per month.

I would like to discuss relationship issues; namely the fact that I run away from any relationship that I've ever been in! Is this something normal to talk about in therapy?

I was in therapy in my teens because of "problems" (I was depressed, anxious over school, not eating, etc.). Little known to myself or my family this was probably the beginnings of bipolar disorder. It's been a long road!

martavee · 04-25-2008, 03:31 AM

Hi Llama.

Several of the things you said hit home about the teenage problems. Oh and especially the running away from any relationship.

Hmm a recap of my situation (I haven't been around so it's probably forgotten - if not then sorry for the repeat).

Last year around this time when I sought help with the NHS they had me visit a psychologist two times (once a month) where she was just interested in finding some sort of childhood trauma. Luckily I don't have any so we both came to the conclusion she wouldn't be of a benefit to me. NHS doctors aren't quite like American. The psychiatrist (who I only saw once in six months!) said I wasn't bipolar because I hadn't been admitted to a hospital for a severe episode. Ugh, whatever. Luckily whilst visiting the US over the holidays I met with a psychiatrist that did diagnose me.

During the six months on the NHS (waiting for a diagnosis, where they said I just had 'management' issues in the end - *** is that!) they had me visit a psychiatric nurse once a month. She was of no help. She just lectured me on having a routine schedule. I tried to make the point that most of my life I have had a routine schedule with school, etc. She just thought I was being difficult and lazy when in fact I was in a mixed episode due to them making me take SSRIs for a few months (oh, and after I got off where I brought up that BP people have adverse reactions to SSRIs the psychiatrist stated that I was wrong and she had never heard that. Then they attacked me for wanting a diagnosis. "Why do you want a label. You're very label orientated.") That last comment about being 'label orientated' was because I listed off all my past diagnoses! How else am I to describe them?

So back to the topic of therapy. At the same time as the NHS schpeal I met with a therapist at a local organization for people aged 16-25. Te story to someone. It's like once you get everything out there in the open it's not quite as bottled up inside anymore. She gave me the notes from our sesssions. In a way it's like my life story. ... all written down and practically complete. In a way that filled a void inside - a void that my life was so fragmented and nobody knew more than 60% of my life story. So no-one knows the whole me. Even I didn't have the whole picture. Now I do. The good and the bad. To be honest I don't think I'd change a thing because I've learned so much and it makes me me.

Oh one thing - it's important to find a therapist that you get along with. Before the good one I visited a therapist at my school and she was rubish! I saw her two or three times and then cut off contact.

Would you think about seeing a therapist along with the psychologist?

klyn07 · 04-25-2008, 06:56 AM

I am in therapy. I have a pretty good relationship with my therapist. He is a Licensed Social Worker, not a psychologist. I guide the topics of our discussion, for the most part. He is very helpful in trying to find ways to help me battle the anxiety and stabilize the ups and downs that go along with the meds I am taking. And, most importantly for me, he is a neutral ear. I can talk to him about issues with my family (see my post about seaturtle's guilt thread) and not have one of them throw back at me that time when I did whatever that is worse than what they just did. It is nice to have that. And it is nice to be able to brag about my husband without knowing that is what I am doing and having someone who has never met him before tell me how lucky I am to have someone who loves me that much. Because sometimes when you are just going through life day to day you lose track of that, you know? I think if you bring up the relationship thing and it gets you nowhere, it may be time to find someone else.

Oh, and I go every other week unless I am at the bottom of the barrel, and then I go once or twice a week.

Hope you find some answers.

katlin09 · 04-25-2008, 12:06 PM

Hey LLama,
Well you already know I'm in therapy. I have a Psychiatrist who does my medication management, in addition to having BPII, I am also a Chronic Pain patient. All together between psych meds, pain meds, and general "just to make my body work right" meds, I take 23 pills a day and wear 1 patch. My Pdoc is excellent at getting with my PM/GP doc and making sure all the meds "play nice together."

I see my pdoc every 3 weeks for med tweaking or adjustment and we talk about how therapy is going. For therapy I have a Psychologist, whom I see once every week. My Tdoc specializes in chronic pain, depression, ptsd, BP, and BP Depression. So she is an excellent fit for me. My Pdoc and my Tdoc talk to each other every 2 weeks to make sure everyone is on the same page. I have both of my docs home phone numbers so that if I ever need them outside of office hours I can contact them. They are both very caring compassionate people who have taken a genuine interest in me getting better. My Tdoc can be a bit tough sometimes, but only becaue he wants you to be an interested party in your own recovery, it' s part of his way of breaking you out of the depression cycle.

The other thing I like about my docs, is there right around my age, so I don't feel like I have some old man preaching to me. If I didn't have therapy, someone to talk to, I firmly believe I would not be here today. I have no support system at home, and cannot stand to be around groups of people, so I'm not prone to out looking for support groups. This board is my only support group.

CarenR · 04-25-2008, 01:30 PM

I would think that you could discuss any subject. with your dr.. Ask him about the relationship issues you have.. It is your dime after all......

Caren