Psychologist vs psychiatrist …. Which is best

[Patches63]

Couple months ago my local Dr referred me to physiologist for CBT for PTSD with events going back over many decades.  As part of journaling I typed up a timeline showing yr of event, my age at the time and brief summary of event.  First 2 sessions with psychologist were complete taken up by going through the timeline and her asking questions.  3rd session I was already upset, couple days prior had been told by one of my friends herself and her hubby moving interstate before end of the year.  This information triggered my fears of abandonment with horrible nightmares of me being completely on my own.  Psychologist spent 3rd session trying to calm me down and talked about theory of how trauma affects the brain plus talked about flight, fright, freeze reactions.

local dr at recent appointment has doubled my dosage of anti depressants and said he thinks I will be better off being referred to a psychiatrist due to my PTSD.  When I asked local gp why he thinking about referring me to different therapist after such short period of time his reply was for me to discuss with my psychologist at next session, discuss with her and then have next review with local gp within a week of having next session with psychologist.

Im confused.  I don’t understand why about 7 weeks ago local dr referred me to psychologist and after having only seen psychologist for 3 sessions local dr now thinking psychiatrist is more appropriate.  

has anyone experienced similar?  Any thoughts or experiences regarding the different therapists for PTSD, OCD and associated anxiety?  

Patches

[mmMekitty]

Hello Patches

Hold onto your humour lest it get away & turn feral. (from LRC).

I have used humour more as a way of coping. & a way to ease my own tension.

I remember, for a while I carried a small stuffed animal around with me. A little dog, a bird, a kangaroo, a very small bear, even Mekitty's blue mouse, which she didn't like anyway. These were a source of comfort in my bag or pocket wherever I went. I still have a keyring cat - two now, dangling from the elastic loop on the top of handle on my white cane. The new one is a little red cat! The other is one which is actually a small cushion-like cat's head, with a noise maker inside, which used to "meow,meow" when pressed. The LRC on my cane has a tiny silver cat bell on it's collar, so I can hear a tiny high-pitched tinkling when I shake it.

I knew someone once who used to carry a small rock in her pocket, to ground herself. I thought it was a great idea.

I've just thought something more personally significant would be even better than an anonymous rock. But, if you like a particular rock well enough to feel it is your special rock, then that could be something which would help you. ... Or ER or DIG, or for anyone reading.

It's good to hear Blue Knot was so helpful.I'm glad you phoned them.

Hugzies

mmMekitty

[Patches63]

mmMeKitty, I have never thought about carrying something person in a pocket.  Nice hearing about things that work for other people.

some people might laugh at me, I don’t care. My life, my choice and helps me feel safe.  I have a teddy bear who shares my bed with me.

one thing that brings me comfort is I wear my mums engagement ring on a chain around my neck.   Long story short, I couldn’t find the ring for her funeral.  Few days after the funeral I found the ring laying on top of all other jewellery in jewellery box

[mmMekitty]

Oh, thank you, Patches, for being daring enough to say you have a teddy bear. I felt too shy & embarrassed to say I had my own bear with me in bed, before I brought Mekitty home. It was a purple bear - the only one amongst the lot in the shop.

I'm not laughing at you at all: when I had my bear it was important & so very helpful during those years when I felt in need of comfort, which I couldn't find anywhere else, not from anyone I knew at all.

That's lovely you have your mum's engagement ring & keep it close to you. Some small personal item from my own mother would have meant a lot to me, but I haven't got a single thing, but a couple photos my sis had someone take of them together - I'm not even sure how many years before my mother died, when my sis visited her. I think having something directly linking me to my mother (other than our DNA, would have made a big difference to my feelings toward her.

Hugzies

mmMekitty

[Karen0901]

One is not necessarily better than the other. A psychiatrist specializes in medication for mental health. I think your doctor just wants to find you some medication that will suit your needs.

[Eagle Ray]

Dear Patches,

I’m glad it was helpful calling Blue Knot. I hope you feel a bit better today. Take it easy and rest when you need to. I know you must have a lot going on with the move soon too.

It’s nice to have that connection with your Mum through her wedding ring. I have the wedding ring of my father’s mother who died when he was a baby, so neither my Dad nor myself got to know her. But she looks like a lovely person in the 3 photos I have of her and it feels meaningful to have that connection.

 I know it must feel like a lot coming to terms with the PTSD diagnosis. One thing I have found helps is the way it’s now being viewed more as a kind of post traumatic stress injury. Some people are even calling it PTSI instead of PTSD. I find this more helpful as it indicates something you can heal from, even if that’s a gradual process, compared with the idea of a ‘disorder’ which suggests a permanent mental health condition. There is also talk of post-traumatic growth. So I like to view it as something you can grow from and do a lot of healing from.

I’ve had a similar experience to Dig in that top-town therapy approaches from the head haven’t been able to shift the trauma processes in the body, and so I have looked a lot into somatic approaches through the body and do that kind of work now with my psychologist. Even though as I understand it your psych is doing CBT, she might know about or incorporate some somatic methods as well. I know you were trying to get in to doing the somatic work with horses previously. It can help to approach things from a few angles. I currently go to a Bowen therapist and that really helps to give my autonomic nervous system a reset and release a lot of stress held in my body. When I still lived in the city I went to a restorative yoga class with a teacher who was really trauma-informed. So there are quite a few options for things that can help.

Take care and I hope you have a lovely and restful weekend.

[Patches63]

mmMeKitty, purple is my favourite. Sounds like it is yours also.  
How I came to have my bear …. The original Patches

After my mum died the house I had lived in with 2cats and 1dog felt so empty and lifeless.  I was working full time which was a distraction to some degree.  At some stage my thoughts became completely black and SI was no longer passive.  After making plans in my head one night and thinking them through the following morning I knew I couldn’t go through with my plans.  Local dr I was seeing at that stage placed me on meds and referred me to psychiatrist who after short while suggested I think about selling the house and starting again somewhere new, I decided to return to the town of my childhood.  Disposing of items to op shops etc in preparation to sell I saw a teddy bear in a window one day who came home with me.

his body is light blue with white muzzle and a red nose.  One ear, one front paw and one back paw are red, other ear and back paw are cream (possibly originally yellow) and other front paw is green.  

[Patches63]

Friday was my most recent session with my psychologist, first thing we talked about was possible referral to psychiatrist.  She mentioned she was but stunned that local dr hadn’t just done the referral on day I last saw him which is approx 3 weeks ago.

after having a chat about how I’m been the last few weeks my psychologist has said she feels could be benefit for me to see psychiatrist, even if only to look at my meds.  As I told my psychologist, I’m feeling comfortable seeing her and talking about the things we have so far.  I would prefer not to lose that plus have to start all over again gradually getting to point I feel I can trust who ever I see.

psychologist seems to be taking things quite slowly with me which I’m liking.  Other things we talked about on Friday was thoughts, ideas and my current plans for preparing to move plus my decision to take entire month of October to me including slowly bring things from storage unit to my new place as I’m ready.

[Eagle Ray]

Dear Patches,

That sounds positive, in that it sounds like you can keep seeing your current psychologist who you feel comfortable with but have the referral to the psychiatrist to look at meds. I hope you feel more settled and it’s good you communicated to the psychologist you would like to keep seeing her. It sounds like things will work out.

Taking time bringing things from the storage unit makes sense. It’s good not to put yourself under pressure and just gradually adjust and organise things in your new home. I wish you all the best with the move.

[Patches63]

Eagle Ray, my psychologist is the type of person who shows expressions on her face plus in her eyes.  I’ve noticed it each time I’ve seen her.  One of the things she mentioned she has various clients who see herself plus psychiatrist and that she has seen the benefits in those people.  

as I become comfortable with someone I’ve found quite often, especially in relaxed setting, I’m fairly good with talking about my preferences.  Might be same for other therapists, one thing I like is way she involves me in things.  Just over 12 months ago walked away from business where was told want to.  Hearing someone say they can help with something, and come help with coming up with strategies, if that’s ok with me still feels strange.  

Patches

[Eagle Ray]

Patches, that all sounds very encouraging, that your therapist checks in with you about whether her approach feels right for you, and also sharing that she has seen the benefit of a combination of a psychiatrist with the work she is doing. From what you say about her expressions in her face and eyes, she sounds like someone with care and empathy. That is really good.

 I know it can feel strange at first when we receive help and support when perhaps we are not used to it. I’m sure in time you will develop a working relationship with her and it will start to feel normal. I’m really happy for you 🙂