Why shouldn't I cancel all but functional and holistic services?

[engorged_fairy]

My psychiatrist has helped me - They found a medication really works for my anxiety. Nothing will help for my depression due to being depressed during developmental years, apparently. I don't think he can do much especially since I've reached the maximum dose of that medication.

I've been seeing psychologists since 1999, possibly 1998, and they have never helped. I'm at the whim of my brain.

I feel like I'm wasting Medicare money and their time if they continue bulk billing, and wasting my own money or NDIS money if I start paying for the services.

I don't want to cancel support workers because they help me around the house and actually do specific things, and take me to appointments and take me to nice places where I can feel a little bit better (get me out in nature where I can calm down a little). I don't want to cancel equine therapy because the horses and her dogs make me feel happier. I don't want to cancel yoga therapy, because sometimes I feel a little better after an appointment.

I'm not going to cancel immediately right now, but it's been playing on my mind that I might be wasting my and their time, and also money (whether it be my own, Medicare, or NDIA) by continuing the medical/psychiatric services that do nothing.

Why should I keep them? I really want to find an answer, because I know they can be so helpful.

[Croix]

Dear Engorged.fairy~
Welcome here to hte Forum, a pretty good move on your part as you may find others with similar symptoms and can say how they have managed.
First I'm glad some things do work well, such as your support worker, and the equine and yoga therapy, which may not always being relief but does work to some extent -and is enjoyable
Actually I'm surprised you want to get of of your psychiatrist said you have said that he is empathetic, helpful and has had some success wiht prescription meds, even of they have not touched oyur depression.
Given how hard it can be to get a psychiatrist and it is not - at this stage- personally costing you money why not continue? There is always the possibility that more success may be achieved in the future. I had to go though a whole heap of meds to find a combination that helped my anxiety and depression, but by plugging away we got there.
I suppose with your psychologist and dietician it may be that those particular people constantly upset or annoy you, which could indeed be a case for a re-think, but once again if that is not the case why stop? An alternative might be a different mode of therapy or different therapist (and dietician) with differing views..
As someone who has had to cope with long term therapy I've found there rarely is a complete answer. This is unfortunate but true. However there is also the possibility that matters can improve, as they did for me.

This is particularly the case as you sound very much the expert in yourself and your reactions, hopefully enabling you to steer things effectively.
As for the Medicare and NDIS costs, once you have got on a plan it can be very hard to get back to it if you change things.
Do you think there is some middle road where you don't place yourself in that position but do get more benefit? Perhaps talking all this over with your psychiatrist might bear fruit?

Croix

[smallwolf]

hello and welcome.

please do not regard what I am about to write as advice or otherwise.

i think that we only really notice the effect of something once it is gone. So, for myself, if something has been helping me and that something is taken away then ...

with that said, you are definitely an expert (as Croix said) in what is happening or going on in your life. And you ask/raise some complex questions / ideas. There are two things I am curious about -(1) what happened with the different psychologists that didn't work out, and the other (2) when and what happened to think about this?

I don't really have any answers, yet ideas around holistic therapy (for lack of a better word) have been around for a while.

Listening if you want to chat.

[engorged_fairy]

About the psychiatrist, you are right, and I'm being a bit despondent. I was thinking today about medication reviews, but he wants to see me in two weeks instead of four. I mentioned this problem to him but only mentioned the psychologist and he didn't really say anything, but I saw him write something about it down.

As far as different therapists go, I have tried two different ED-specialised dietitians. One was very pushy and actually made things worse, and the one that I've just gone back to is understanding but she doesn't know how to help me because she tells me how things are (such as I can drink Milo during the day - something I had never considered), but it doesn't help if I can't do it (she's asked me to eat a certain amount of yoghurt for breakfast, and I just can't. Meal support with a recovery coach doesn't help because I will compensate if I still feel full after they leave...).

And @smallwolf, specifically nothing has happened with these psychologists that hasn't worked out. I just don't feel better after a session, nothing they suggest really helps. I've stopped seeing some psychologists because I actually felt worse after a session, but thankfully it isn't the case with this one.

Thanks to you both for advice. I probably won't make any decisions about this until even next year, but I'm starting to feel so done with services. A friend even suggested taking a term off therapy with my psychologist, and getting to a place with medication where I can take a term off with my psychiatrist, too. And I've already had time off with the dietitian and haven't noticed a difference. So I might start with a small amount like the term that was suggested, see if I do feel worse without them. But not yet, I'm not really in a place to be left to my own devices...

[Croix]

Dear Engorged.fairy~

Please let me know if I"m on the wrong track but it sounds to me that discouragement is the main factor in your decisions over therapists and medication.

I've found discouragement in my prescriptions over years which seemed to lead nowhere - except often adverse side effects. This lead me to want to quit all of them and stop trying. I later decide this had not been the optimum choice and I'd being unknowingly influenced by fear of further failure - if that makes any sense.

I have ceased with two psychologists, one of whom was inappropriate and one simply ineffective. I was lucky in that my GP was most understanding, as was my psychiatrist. He persuaded me to simply keep on trying (not with the psychologists) and eventually we found a combination of meds that worked with minimal adverse effects.

So I got there and now I'm glad I persevered. With the psychologists I never went back and my GP found me another GP who specialized in a particular type of therapy, and he was streets better. I still use the techniques he taught me today.

Dieticians I have no experience with. I would presume if one had sense they would confine themselves to what is practical - which is where you come in of course, letting item know what will not work and seeing what can be done. As I mentioned before you are the expert, they should take notice.

I'd agree this can be difficult to do with professional, however they are simply humans and do not have insight into everything. If they hold views that are too rigid then chances are they will not be of help you.

I'm glad you are not rushing into any decisions, who knows what will happen

Croix