Question

[Black_Rainbow]

Hi. First post. Is there any other forms of therapy besides CBT? I tried that back in around 2011/12 and nah didn't work. Not gonna go into everything cuz it's way too long and complicated. But my cries for help are being ignored by everyone and i'm giving up. Is there any shred of hope i should bother with therapy again? 

[Sophie_M]

Dear  Black_Rainbow,

Thank you for your post and welcome to our wonderful online community.

Please feel free to share a bit more about your condition/issue if you can, as this may help us as a community to be a bit more helpful with our responses. We understand that can be a bit difficult sometimes, so if you can't that's ok - we'll do the best we can.

We're sorry to hear that you feel like giving up, and we want to assure you that you're not alone. It's a difficult and frustrating journey sometimes, but there are many here who have gone from where you are now to a place of being grateful they didn't, so whilst you're waiting for some responses, please browse around the forums and feel free to ask questions, post and contribute wherever you feel you can.

We'd also love you to call us to chat with one of our trained professional counsellors. We're available 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or perhaps you'd prefer to chat online rather than talking on the phone? 

We're not going to ignore your cries for help here Black_Rainbow, we're here for you.

Kind regards,

Sophie M

[Black_Rainbow]

Hopefully i can reply without getting censored too much. Ugh it really is just way too long and complicated. Uhh...i have bad social anxiety so i stay inside all day everyday. No offline friends. Major depression, anxiety. The psychologists tried cbt and saw a psychiatrist who just gave me a starter pack of anti-psychotics and said that'll help. One of the worst things i've done is take that. 10 yrs later i'm still trying to get off it.

Insomnia since i was 17 (i'm 38 now) i haven't slept unmedicated since i was 17. Had a doctor that prescribed anything to shut me up which led to years of getting myself off alot of stuff. SA growing up by my now dead father. So that's really screwed me up regarding relationships.

I'm not sure how much more i can go into here without them censoring me. I don't work am on disability due to depression, i really don't see the point of going on much. Well, at all. 

[Petal22]

Hi Black Rainbow,

Wellcome to our forums.

Im sorry your cries for help are being ignored we hear you.

In regards to therapy I did Metacognitive therapy and this therapy worked for me, I understand it’s not for everyone but it changed my life for the better.

I did this therapy to intervene with my severe anxiety OCD it was designed for my condition as a intervention.

I use the skills and tools I was taught in this therapy in my every day life.

It took perseverance and practice to learn these skills but it all paid off.

One of the skills we learned was challenging our thoughts and beliefs.

Have you ever been taught this?

Please don’t give up keep trying different therapies because you will find one that works for you.

I was also put on a antidepressant to help me to manage my condition.

Im sorry you are finding it difficult to come of anti psychotics.

Sometimes I think that we need to be the captain of our own ship even when we see a psychiatrist or a gp because they can suggest different medications to us but we can decline their suggestions.

I was offered a certain medication when I was in the thick of my condition but I declined it because I knew it was addictive.

There are non addictive medication available sometimes we have to stipulate that this is what we would rather if that’s the way we want to go.

Please ask me anything 

[Junior1962]

Yes. There are many different therapies. Psychology is a broad field. CBT is popular at the moment because it is evidence based but it’s more cognitive (about thinking) than anything else. It is also supported by the Medicare funded program. 
That said, a good psychologist will take the time to discover how you function and what will work best for you. If you are not happy with the one/s you’ve seen before, you have every right to go back to your GP and ask for another referral. You can also look up the Aust  Psychological Society and use their Find a Psychologist directory to find someone that you think will be suitable. You can make an appt without a MH plan and get that later.

I’m sorry you haven’t felt supported. Depression is a horrible beast. You do need someone you can talk to. Hope you can find that person.,

[alym20]

Hi Black Rainbow,

There are many other forms of therapy besides CBT. I think it is always worth trying therapy again and seeing if you can find someone that you really connect with. The relationship with the therapist is so important to actually getting something out of it. I hope you find someone that you relate with and offers a form of therapy more suitable to you. All the best!

[Beeee]

Hello Black_Rainbow,

As everyone has mentioned, there are many forms of therapy besides CBT! CBT definitely does not work for everyone, I would recommend researching therapists and their therapy styles beforehand, as well as discussing during your first session what has and hasn't worked for you. Therapy is a collaborative process and I hope you will try again!

Some examples of therapies are dialectical behaviour therapy, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, schema therapy and psychodynamic therapy. You might like to research these therapy styles as well and see what calls to you the most. 

Wishing the best,

Beeee

[smallwolf]

Hi Black_Rainbow,

You asked:  any other forms of therapy besides CBT?

Yes there are other forms of therapy. There are many different types of therapy. For example, there is also DBT, ACT, Person Centered, Narrative, Art, Solution Focused, and the list goes on. Different "forms" for different situations or different approaches. 

Is one approach better than the other? (There is no one answer to this question.)

One aspect is that generally agreed (?) upon is that the relationship between the therapist and client is important and critical to any success. Also, sometimes it can take a while for some things to click.

For example, I would compare therapy to a broken arm. So ... if I was feeling OK and something bad happened, I would "reset" and then think I have a problem. Or running to the goal line... making good progress and then something bad happens and the goal moves further away. ie black and white thinking. It took me over 2 years to change those thoughts.

This doesn't mean you did not give CBT a good shot either. Someone suggested to me to speak with X. After the first (and only) session I said that I am not going back. There are occasions when things don't click.

So is it worth trying again? As much as I think it might be useful, only you really know the answer to that question.

Lastly, I also read your 2nd post as well. I would like to reply to that in a separate post, rather than making this one longer.

[ecomama]

Dear Black_Rainbow, I'm not sure if you're coming back. Many kind members have written informative and supportive posts. 

There's an Alphabet soup of therapies available! 

First and foremost, I am so sorry for the sexual assaults you endured as a young child. You as a little person never deserved any of this monstrous abuse inflicted upon them, NO one should. 
I would start with therapy re: the SAs. 
Calling the Helpline 1800RESPECT can give you some instant support from Counsellors and Psychologists via phone. They also refer you to a choice of therapists specially trained in SA. 

Tbh I'm glad you're not exposed to the abuser. 
No need for "Exposure Therapy" regarding him at least. 

Accepting this DID happen, that you are believed and that you CAN move on with the events more of a memory and less of a trigger will help develop a goal for your Mental Health journey. 

Hope you want to talk more about things here, 
Love EM