What is Psychosocial Therapy?

[Guest_4643]

Hi everyone. I'm Tayla and I'm 20. I've posted and replied a few times on these forums lately.

My Psychiatrist is lovely, I see him on Telehealth which is like Skype. I've never met him face to face because I'm in Regional Victoria and he's a 6 hour drive in Sydney.

There was a report from him like usual, and a referral to the local triage in the biggest local Hospital here which is 30 mins away (he puts it on my file on the website I do Telehealth with him so I can read it). Of course I've gotten the reports before, so I know the gist of things there. Him and I discussed that it could be worthwhile contacting the triage. I did this after my last session, called them up and the guy was so rude. This has been so off putting for me. My Psychiatrist told me was happy to write a referral to the triage for me, but I didn't think that he'd do it, because I thought we'd discuss this in the next session. I mean I appreciate it and I don't feel like he's gone behind my back or anything, I'm just confused.

He mentioned that I need Psychosocial Therapy (yes I spelt that correctly). I've heard of it but I don't know what it is. I looked it up but I don't understand any of it, and I've asked BB on the webchat but I also don't understand. I'm sorry for being stupid. Can someone please tell me what this is?

It sounds so scary to me, I've been crying so much today and my heart is racing and my thoughts are running around like crazy as usual. I'm honestly thinking the worst and I'm shaking from so much anxiety and fear. I don't want to be admitted to a mental hospital (if that's the correct term), and I don't want him to not see me anymore. He's never said either of those things but this is how I'm starting to feel. My GP said that he has a different plan rather than a Mental Health Care Plan. I've only seen him 4 times in total on Skype, and I first saw him in September last year, on September 16. I've never done anything stupid or attempted to do anything I just have strong urges a lot. Yes my parents know everything.

Does it mean that he still wants to work with me but he's also trying to help me with other stuff and other people? Because this is heartbreaking to me and I feel like he doesn't want to know me and see me anymore. This can't be the case right? I don't know what I'll do if it is. He's the only good therapist I've ever had and I'm thankful. I don't want to lose this.

Please help. I'm in such a dark place. I'm sorry for being dumb and whatnot.

Tayla.

[Hanna3]

Hi Tayla,

I'm sorry you're feeling so frightened dear! Don't be! People are here on BB to support you.

Ok I worked in a psych unit but emphasise I have no forma qualifications as such. I looked up psychosocial therapy but it's pretty self-explanatory. So don't be scared it might be just the thing for you.

I think it's just helping you look at what things make you fearful, understanding your anxiety better and how to deal with it, and helping you to deal with social situations. Probably they might get you to talk with a group. These people will be supportive and also needing the same sort of help as you. They might get a nurse or social worker or counsellor to help you with any problems you have with mixing with other people, or family issues, or anxiety/depression.

It really just means they'll be looking at any mental health issues you may have, and also any difficulties you have with mixing with other people and/or your family, and helping you find ways to cope better with situations that make you anxious. That's the understanding I have of it. Someone else may come on with more information for you.

We used to have patients attend groups for this sort of thing as outpatients, (meaning they stayed living at home and just turned up for their therapy sessions) or maybe because the hospital is a long way from you they might want you to stay with them for a little while because of the travel distance. I'm not sure from what you've said.

You might get help from a psychiatrist, a social worker, a psych nurse. They're all there to be supportive and help you. So it's nothing so scary. It could be a great help for you, especially as you're lonely and people are excluding you in the town where you are.

So try not to be so frightened, they perhaps should have explained better to you what they meant by the word! It's not scary. It's just looking at every problem you might have - mental health issues, social problems, family problems if there are any, and trying to help you deal with all of them. You'll be fine. So I know you've been badly frightened but it will be OK and might help you a lot.

I don't know if this helps but I hope you'll be less frightened now. Truly it's nothing so scary as you're thinking at the moment! It's meant to be supportive and helpful.

I truly hope you feel less frightened now and realize they're truly trying to give you some good help. Hugs from Sam and me, you'll be absolutely fine! HUGS, HUGS.

[Guest_4643]

Hey Hanna.

Thank you for replying and for your information, I appreciate it. Yeah it makes sense to me what you said. Is it kind of like on the movie (that I like) One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest? Yeah I know that's a movie but what I mean by that is that scene where they're all sitting there discussing stuff with the Nurses, is that like what you mean? But hopefully not as scary and as accurate as that? I've heard that most scenes from that movie are pretty accurate depending on where you are in mental health places like that, the only thing that is DEFINITELY NOT accurate is the ECT scene (wow that was so sad). Good movie though, I love Jack Nicholson especially back in the day.

But how you said about the possibility of going to a group, I did that at the local Headspace which wow was just nothing but traumatic. It was fun for like 2 sessions and I was becoming positive and felt like I had connections with people my age and with the same problems. But nope. Everyone turned against me including the manager and I did nothing wrong at all, I just wanted support. I went there happy and laughing and they all made fun of my mental illnesses. Of course I complained so the manager lost her job. I'd never go back there and I haven't, the Psychologist there was the same. It better not be like that because I'm so traumatised and fearful after that. I can't describe how bad it made me feel and still does after going there. I don't even know what the group was for, I got nothing out of it. We had homework which I did but I threw it all away and didn't attend some sessions (went for 8 weeks) because it was just too bad for me.

How you said I'll have a Psychiatrist or something, can I choose not to see a Psychiatrist there and keep my own and they communicate with him? But the social worker and stuff should be fine, I would just prefer to only have him as my Psychiatrist, is that ok? He's not pushing me away and saying he doesn't want to see me ever again is he?

Is it like a mental hospital (I don't mean that in a harsh way I'm not sure of the correct name to call it) there? I'll ask my GP and Psychiatrist this stuff too and if I get to the triage then I'll ask them aswell. I've told my parents.

And yeah I don't know if I'll stay there or travel. I guess it's up to them and my parents. You eased me a little (you did nothing wrong don't worry!), but I'm still super scared. I've been having chest pain and all (not in a bad way, just anxiety, used to it).

Tayla x

[Hanna3]

Hi Tayla,

I understand you're anxious because it's something new. I haven't watched that movie in years so I don't remember the scene you mention, but any group that is for people with mental health/anxiety/depression issues should be warm and supportive and carefully supervised and run. It would not be OK to have others turn against you and certainly not the person(s) running it. I'm very sorry if that happened to you. It shouldn't. Ever.

I would imagine you would be under the care of your current psychiatrist, it would be unusual to change psychiatrists.

Truly where I worked years ago the support for patients was wonderful. You might even make a friend or two if it's a group who might live in your general area so you could keep in touch afterwards!

Make a list of things you don't understand or are anxious about and need to ask your psychiatrist about. Truly this might be really good for you, as you'll have support from social workers/counsellors/nurses who are all trained to deal with the sorts of problems you are having. Try not to feel too scared. You are clearly very fond of animals which generally means you are a very sensitive person, so I understand this all sounds scary, but truly it could be terrific for you. You're feeling lonely and shut out in the town where you live, so do think about giving this a try. Don't be scared. We used to sit and have cups of tea and coffee with the patients and chat to them sitting in the garden and we did have some laughs and fun!

OK dear girl, I need to get to bed, I hope you feel more settled and can have a chat to your doctor about it all and feel calmer. Best wishes OK? Hugs again.

[Guest_4643]

thanks so much Hanna, it all means a lot and I greatly appreciate your help and reassurance.

I guess that's the stereotypes of these types of places, i mean yeah movies like that are good but it puts people off. the scene I was talking about is where they're all talking and one patient mentions his wife, then they start voting for the basketball game and the TV is off but Jack Nicholson improvises it all, and how he gets angry about the nurses not letting them watch it, does that ring a bell? sorry if not, I'd send you a link but I'm not sure I'm allowed to on here. it's a good movie though, sad but funny.

I'll give that a go about writing stuff down for my GP and Psychiatrist. I have a few questions like if I can communicate with him outside of sessions and if he got my Christmas Card and thank you note, he's never mentioned it to me but I don't want to make him uncomfortable and be pushy. I have a great relationship with him, I do in my opinion anyway, I hope he feels the same, and I don't want to ruin any part of that. do you think that will happen? I'm sure he has other patients who have been rude to him and worse things.

I don't mean this in a creepy way or an obsessive way, but a thankful and "perhaps this is true and/or will come true one day?" way. I've had dreams about him, he's teaching a Psychology/Psychiatry class, something I'd like to study, but I couldn't at school because it was full. and he was so supportive to me, always asking about the medication and how things are going, as in he'd be teaching and walk up to me and speak, and give me a hug, shake my hand, just overall supportive. in another or that same dream, I was walking down some stairs at that place he was supposedly teaching at and he saw me while he was talking to someone, another professional, I don't know who, and he said hello and whatnot. then I had a dream I saw him in person at a shop or something, we said hello and had a good supportive chat. I've never met him in person only on Skype so none of this is probably going to happen. but my brain has this thing which is scary thinking "did that happen, is it going to happen?". in another dream or the same ones he told me I was his favourite patient, or one of them. do you think any of this could be true, without sounding creepy, obsessed, jumping to conclusions etc? In too afraid to mention this and ask him because I have the feeling it will be uncomfortable for both of us especially him which is not my intention.

Tayla xxx

[Guest_1643]

i really like psycho social therapy - as a concept, i think it means using therapiest that involve interacting with other people and communities. It can be a great part of recovery.

[Guest_4643]

Hey Sleepy21. Thanks for explaining that to me.

Unfortunately the triage refuse to help me, and they say that all they do is admit people so they won't support me and they won't tell me other people and places that will/can. They even said they don't know why my Psychiatrist wasted his time doing a referral for them (yes it's the correct place and number). I told my Psychiatrist this in our previous session and he said "well that's a ridiculous service then". So yeah once again I'm stuck and struggling. Changed GPs though that was all, and saw him on Feb 18.

Tayla

[Guest_1643]

Hi tayla, sorry to hear the hospital was so ridiculous. There are some dodgy services out there, hey? I find sometimes people who answer the phones at these services have no clue. But luckily near me the triage is pretty good, although I once had a visit from a different CATT team... and they were useless.
I think it varies, and some of these hospitals are just so behind the times. It doesn't make sense that admitting people is all that they should offer, if they really cared about their patients.

[Guest_4643]

Hi Sleepy, nice to hear from you.

I agree, it does vary and it doesn't make sense. It's wrong and discrimination against me in my opinion, sigh. I'll just keep going on the forums, looking up other mental health websites in Australia, trying to do stuff, ask my GP and Psychiatrist, etc. I don't know, try to take it one day at a time I suppose? I'll see. I just feel like giving up but I keep trying to find things, locally and professional stuff, well that's what I expected anyway.

Thanks for replying again, take care and I hope you're well.

Tayla

[Aunt Jobiska]

Psychosocial therapy is a catch-all that describes all talking therapies aimed at you as an individual and at the social environment around you. Supportive psychosocial therapy is common, as is psychoeducation.
You mentioned the CATT team wasn't much help - they're really there for psychotic illnesses, in that they are the people that need to go into hospital, my sense is that if you're not insane (unfortunately too much drug induced psychosis clogging up beds) then it's a real struggle to get a service out of mental health triage. Best they can do is refer you to other community resources, that might target whatever illness you have. I like supportive psychosocial therapy, I'd take it up if it was offered individually. Hopefully you do get offered something that fits with you.