New psychologist......

[PamelaR]

Hi all

Everyone welcome to have their input.

This week I'm off to see a new psychologist. My previous one retired and I've been trying to find a new one. The last two were pretty average and didn't help me at all in what I needed, i.e. to get through episodes of PTSD, anxiety and depression.

So, how am I feeling? While I've been waiting for my appointment, I've become very active in writing in BB. This has helped me to realise how - NOT ALONE I am. While it's not good for those of you who are experiencing these episodes, I do take comfort that help is at hand.

So, what am I afraid of? That I have to retell, relive, re-experience my trauma(s). Yuk, oh yuk. However!! When I started with my last (good) psychologist, she did not need me to retell, relive, re-experience my trauma. It was good enough for her that I had already opened up everything and explored all the hidden secrets with the previous psych! So it was easy for us to move on to 'identifying those things I was currently experience', 'what processes I needed to put in place to move on', 'get in touch with my inner child and give her the comfort she'd never had'.

So, what does this Thursday have install for me..... Hopefully, if he's worth his weight in gold, i'll not need to open up the scabs that have closed and healed. That we'll move on to how to proceed being retired, no longer working, suffering bouts of PTSD, anxiety and depression. So keep your fingers crossed for me.... Will let you know how I go (BTW, my GP says he's very good 🙂 ) Here's hoping!!

Kind regards

PR

[blondguy]

Hi Pamela

Thankyou for being attentive and posting back 🙂

I am sad for your brothers' awful physical pain. That would be awful to go through for you as their sister. I was referring to people that bury their emotional pain (anxiety/depressive symptoms) without seeing a counselor

You are a legend for writing about your homework with your psychologist Pamela. I must have been lucky to have a therapist to have zeroed in on my buried thoughts in two visits.

Its only my humble opinion but we usually have difficultly finding our 'triggers' without some serious poking and prodding from our psych...which can be unsettling/uncomfortable for sure. This is my 34th year of therapy with many psych's.

My best for your brothers Pamela

Paul

[PamelaR]

Hi Paul

Thank you for picking up something I didn't include in my post that would have been useful for everyone is:

Both my brothers suffer from anxiety. The younger one has angina associated with severe anxiety. The older one, has not disclosed he has been diagnosed with it, though it is obvious to me, his wife and his son. Also, neither have been formally diagnosed with depression, but again it is clear to us all they do.

My younger brother did see a counsellor for a couple of times. One of those provided by the City Council. However, as soon as it became too painful, or as the lid started to lift. He stopped going and retreated into himself.

I do prefer talking face to face because clarification can be almost immediate. I'm not one for details, so I need prompting - thank you for the prompt Paul. Greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your wishes for my brothers too.

PamelaR

[PamelaR]

Hi everyone

Deebi, my appointment yesterday stirred up lots of pain. Last night was very painful though, I feel so much lighter today.

Basically, it was trying to get to the bottom of why I was 90% afraid of my husband rehanging the clothes I hung out. My hubby is a very good man, so I was not afraid of him. It was the voice of my mum. When I was talking to him the fear I was experiencing was like a hot spear being stabbed into my heart. So we talked and I found the lid to lift off and crawl out from underneath. Yuk, oh yuk. I cried then and I cried for hours last night while hubby held me and rubbed my back to sooth me. I'm not yet able to reveal the muck that was there. I don't think anyone else needs to know.

Suffice to say, my discussion with the psych moved on to - what my mother did (repeatedly over many years) is 'unforgiveable' and I 'should' not feel responsible for 'not being able to forgive her' or 'for not liking her'. I've been thinking, I 'must' forgive - she is my mother. I think Beyond Blue is into forgiveness too, but what my mother did is a criminal offence and she was never punished for her crimes. (She is no longer alive).

Sorry Deebi's - you did ask.....

PR

[demonblaster]

Thanks Pam and yes I wanted to know. Nothing at all to be sorry about, release as often as you need darl

Shaking my head ..pfttt what people do to eachother. Really big hugs darl. I really am sorry for your abhorrent times

I'll be back lovely

🤗⚘🌟

[PamelaR]

Hello everyone

Thought I'd bump up this thread again.

I've noted over the time I've been posting in these forums that some are a little adverse to seeing a psychologist or think that they don't help. This are all valid points and I'd like to not discount how others feel. I'll just share my own experience with you -

At the end of last year I had the need to see a psychologist again, so I chose the easy one at my medical centre. Bad move! My doctor, while not saying anything straight out, did give me the option of someone else at the time. The other psych was all the way over the other side of the city. So I returned to my gp and said it wasn't going to work with the practice's visiting psych, can you refer me to the other one. Of course he did.

Well, I've had 6 visits and have 4 remaining for the year. Those 6 visits have almost transformed me. I have gone from the state of 'taking me a week or two to identify triggers' that set off my anxiety then depression to 'immediately identifying triggers and doing something about it'. Wow. It sounds remarkable, but it happened.

What are other people's story with their psychologist? Are you able to share everything you need to, to get the right support and care?

Kind regards

PamelaR

[Guest8901]

I've only ever seen the one psych, and I have been seeing her since January. Latest visit was this morning.

She has become my lifeline, my link to reality and reason. No actual formal therapy as such yet, just talking about things which crop up on a daily basis really. Essentially for the time being she is trying to help me just to 'live'. Little more than that really, but I guess for now, thats enough.

Amanda