Therapy?

[angecorn]

Im sorry to be a bother to anyone but ive never been close to my parents and i was wondering how to ask them to get me therapy or support for what i think is ptsd since somthing recently happend that has extreamly affected me i dont know how to ask for help in the correct way im sorry to bother anyone i was just wondering if somone could provide me with an answer sorry!!

[sbella02]

Hey angecorn,

Thank you for opening up to us here, welcome to the forums. I'm sorry to hear that you've recently experienced something traumatic, that can be quite distressing. 

Regardless of whether you still live with your parents or not, organise a time to chat with them, either individually or together, whatever would be more comfortable for you. If you're wondering how to bring it up with them, you could keep it fairly brief and light, mentioning that you've been seriously considering going to therapy recently and would like to know if they'd be able/open to supporting you with it.

I'd also like to ask, what are your reservations about asking them? Are you anticipating any specific reaction? Is it something that you've ever discussed or touched on with them before? This may also help shape the way that you approach the conversation.

Feel free to keep chatting, we're here to support you!

SB

[angecorn]

Ive never talked to them before about therapy or anything but i think my mum is in denial because i told her i think i have trauma from when the incident happended but she just offerd self defense classes instead of therapy then i kinda hinted to her thats not what i want and she still insited its what i needed and since currently i old live with my father i need to ask him but i dont have that sorr of relationship with him we have more of a funny laughing relationship and hes very arkward about that sort of stuff

[Soberlicious96]

Hi agecorn, I am not sure how old you are, but it may be worthwhile, if you can, to book an appointment with your doctor and get a referral for a mental health plan? That way it works out to be a bit cheaper as well and you don't have to worry about discussing it with your parents. there's also places like Head Space and Reach Out. Anyway, that's kind of all I got for now. Of course, you're also welcome here any time you want. After all, that's what Beyond Blue is here for; to provide you with help, support and understanding. I do hope that whatever you decide, that it all works out in a way that is best for you. Take care. We're here for you. xo

[sbella02]

Angecorn, 

It sounds like your mum may be trying to help in a way that she thinks you would benefit from, but not necessarily what you know you'd benefit from. This is good, because it may mean that she'd be more open to hearing your perspective about what you think therapy would do for you. You could try talking to her again, perhaps acknowledging her suggestion but also being assertive in letting her know that you think you'd benefit more from therapy. If you need some help with being assertive, make sure you're using lots of "I" statements to communicate how you're feeling, stay calm, and relay your thoughts with confidence, even if you're not feeling overly confident.

With your father, you may like to keep the conversation fairly lighthearted at first, but shift to a more serious tone as the discussion continues. You don't have to delve into the details of what happened to you and what you're feeling (if you don't feel comfortable). If you talk to your mum first and it goes well, you may even feel more comfortable approaching the conversation with your father.