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| Author |
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| 25 new of 823 responses total. |
aruba
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response 125 of 823:
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Apr 3 14:22 UTC 2002 |
It's the time of year, especially the time of the school year.
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lynne
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response 126 of 823:
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Apr 3 14:47 UTC 2002 |
I had my first therapy session today. I wasn't terrifically impressed, but
will give it another couple of sessions before I give up.
Thankfully, I am *much* calmer than I was two days ago. I'm not sure if it's
the Zoloft kicking in, the depression cycle easing out of Hell mode, or some
personal stresses easing up--likely a combination. It's good to not be in
free fall anymore, whatever the cause.
eskarina: I'm studying chemistry at MIT. Sometimes I think it's studying me.
What is your friend coming here for? And PhD or MA? I think the two-year
programs are likely less insanity inducing--just the thought of being here
*another* 2+ years is kinda depressing.
20 visits really doesn't seem like a lot. Will they pay for more if the
therapist deems it necessary?
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edina
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response 127 of 823:
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Apr 3 15:05 UTC 2002 |
Sometimes it is just such a relief to know that you are actually doing
something to help yourself that the depression starts to let up.
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happyboy
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response 128 of 823:
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Apr 3 15:26 UTC 2002 |
*plays some sad-boo music*
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jep
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response 129 of 823:
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Apr 3 16:25 UTC 2002 |
The MCARE plan I have will not pay for more than 20 mental health
sessions in a year. But that's not too awful; if you consider that
they're paying for $45 of each visit (out of $60) and will cover 10 or
20 visits, that's $450 or $900 I don't have to pay. Plus they'll pay
for all but $15 of my Zoloft prescription, which costs another $60+
according to CVS, and which I'll be renewing about every 30 days for a
long time.
Sure, it'd be nice if they'd pay for all the therapy I want, and it'll
be costing me $240 or $300 per month if I keep going every week, but
it's something that they pay for as much as they do.
My depression is because I'm going through divorce. (See item #11 if
you want to know more about that.) I don't think it has much
connection with anyone else's depression.
Hopefully we'll all get through what we're going through. That's what
this item is here for.
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anderyn
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response 130 of 823:
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Apr 3 17:02 UTC 2002 |
This response has been erased.
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bhelliom
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response 131 of 823:
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Apr 3 18:10 UTC 2002 |
RE #115 and #117
I actually was starting therapy when I was at Harvard, but it was in
the final year of my graduate program, and since I was planning on
taking aq break after that and returning to michigan, I didn't want to
establish a tight patient Dr. relationship and the head thirteen hours
away.
The problem with MCare is the limited number of options to choose
from. That, and it seems that every time I mention to them that I
would like to limit the search to psychologists only, they decide they
want to throw in a social worker or two. I haev nothing against SWs, I
just don't want to speak to one. You'd think they'd keep tabs on the
practitioners they for you to choose from, but they don't bother. If
they did, they would have known that every single woman on their list
had no room for new patients, and that a couple of them only kept a
limit number of slots open for MCare patients. I really don't think
it's my job to catalogue this information.
The only other option is to go the clinic route, and I've decided that
I don't want to. I personally don't want to talk to people just to
find someone to talk to, if that makes sense. What I want to speak to
a therapist about is none of their business, since they won't be the
ones providing therapy. This all may sound rather picky, but the point
is to know ahead of time what you will and won't accept, what you're
most comfortable with, and what you can compromise on. And, if you're
willing and able to pay for it yourself, then, by all means, go for it.
I don't know if my plan is different than yours, jep, but I was told I
had 20 visits through MCare. Of course, people have been known to
screw up information before.
Anderyn- Yes, it's cool to allow access to the baby, but you are
perfectly within your rights to request that this is done with reason.
Griffin's father can't use his paternity as carte blanche to come over
whenever he feels like it. Bradley can't just "waltz in," because
that is still your home, he above all has to respect you, your family,
and your wishes. You're helping out your daughter and grandchild, not
Bradley.
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edina
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response 132 of 823:
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Apr 3 19:07 UTC 2002 |
Actually Twila, I was thinking kudos to you! So many people don't realize
their own boundaries and not only have you done so, but you are trying to
honor and enforce them.
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jep
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response 133 of 823:
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Apr 3 19:51 UTC 2002 |
re #131: Why do you want a psychologist instead of a social worker?
I agree with #131's comments to Twila. You don't owe the guy to be
able to pop in whenever he wants to. It might help him in bonding with
his child if you're flexible, but you're doing him a favor and he has
to recognize that. I hope he's getting his life arranged so he can
take care of his child and the child's mother. Also, I agree with #132
and couldn't say it any better than Brooke did.
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eskarina
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response 134 of 823:
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Apr 3 20:04 UTC 2002 |
Maybe there is a difference between the way psychologists and social workers
do their thing.
One of the things that annoyed me about my therapist was that she kept telling
me what to do, and making what I felt were judgemental statements about what
I was doing.
I was also, at the time, taking a social work class (an intro to social work
class that can count for a social science credit if you are lucky enough to
be in the honors college), and our professor talked a lot about how you
shouldn't give people advice, but try to nurture them along in their thought
process so that _they_ come up with their _own_ solution that works best for
them, their situation, and their values. And that's what I wanted.
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lynne
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response 135 of 823:
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Apr 3 20:35 UTC 2002 |
<wonders if someone should start a new item to discuss depression and
therapists, then decides it really isn't that out of line in the bummed item>
This first session was an exploratory one, I suppose. Mostly I talked a lot
about trends I don't like in myself and where they might have come from. It
was mildly amusing to see that when i mentioned a trend, the therapist would
ask for specific examples, and when I gave specific examples somewhere else
he'd try to sum them up into a trend. None of his comments were really
earthshattering, since they'd occurred to me long ago, but I've had 25 years
to analyze my past and a lot more familiarity with the topic. I feel I
already have a fairly good grasp of what's wrong, but don't know how to even
start to change things. I'm curious to see if he has any useful advice
along those lines.
This one is a social worker, if anyone cares. I don't know how different a
psychologist would be; I did talk to a psychiatrist on Monday who mostly sort
of annoyed me.
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anderyn
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response 136 of 823:
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Apr 3 21:00 UTC 2002 |
This response has been erased.
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morwen
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response 137 of 823:
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Apr 3 21:26 UTC 2002 |
IBB I'm nesting and I REALLY want to get my house clean for the baby,
but whenever I decide, "Okay, today I will clean house," something
always happens to deter me. :(
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jep
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response 138 of 823:
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Apr 3 21:55 UTC 2002 |
I'd think a discussion about how to get psychiatric help would belong
in the bummed item, but if anyone objects, I guess we could move it to
a new item.
Both of the therapists I've gone to have been social workers. The
first just listened to me and then summarized it at the end of each
session. I asked the second to be more directive than that, and he's
doing so. He sent me to a psychiatrist for medication, which I now
think was a good thing. Also, he has given me some good suggestions
such as encouraging me to take the initiative on keeping together the
group I was with for the divorce recovery workshop I attended. I
wanted *help*, not just a sympathetic ear.
I'm interested in what one can expect from a psychologist versus a
social worker.
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lynne
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response 139 of 823:
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Apr 3 23:43 UTC 2002 |
I'd agree completely with wanting more than a sympathetic ear.
It occurred to me a little while ago that I've never said why I'm depressed
exactly. This is because I don't know, which tends to feed the problem.
It's not situational depression. I am catching myself doing a lot of things
that I know will make me unhappy, focusing on depressing things, not
interested in things that usually make me happy. It's been going on for
about a month now. I have ideas about what triggered it, but was at a loss
for ways to break the cycle. Exercise and st john's wort were providing
temporary relief up to last weekend, when suddenly they didn't work anymore.
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jep
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response 140 of 823:
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Apr 4 00:15 UTC 2002 |
Have you ever been depressed before? I've known people who said they
were chronically depressed; they went through it again and again. My
understanding is that medication can really help people like that a lot.
I'm the opposite; mine is situational. I know just what caused it. I
was never depressed before the divorce came along and ripped my world
apart.
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eeyore
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response 141 of 823:
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Apr 4 04:35 UTC 2002 |
My grandmother has been fighting depression on and off for about 50 years
now. From what my mother told me this evening, usually sudden onsets of
depression are easier to deal with than the the gradual ones. If they
appears suddenly, they are alot more likely to dissappear suddenly, and
quicker as well.
Depression also hits different people in different ways. There's the
traditional mopey depression, but you can also be argumentative, have sleep
issues (too much or too little), or just a massive personality change.
(Obviously I didn't learn all too much....1/2 hour on the phone can only get
so much information, but it was a really interesting conversation :)
Depression also runs with strong family history. In my family, my
grandmother (obvioulsy), my aunt is currently being treated, my uncle has on
and off (although I think that was mostly during times when he was trying to
quit heavy drugs), and while I wasn't treated, I did have a bit of a bout a
few years ago. (I didn't realize what it was at the time, until my mother
and I had some converstaions a couple of years later...but DAMN was I
difficult to get along with!!!!) I suspect that my mother has had a couple
of bouts too, but not as severe as my grandmother.
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clees
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response 142 of 823:
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Apr 4 06:17 UTC 2002 |
My sister in law suffers from depression. She has done since the age of
I think seventeen or so, when she was placed into custody in our family
(long story, my eldest bro was already dating her, but she was
suffering from child abuse - incest). She never got over it, with
additional suicide attempts, institutionalisations etc. Now, twenty
something years later she improves every now and then, but has severe
lapses.
As for me, I went to see a psychologist in 1997, have done that for six
months in order to change some behavioral patterns. (very severe psycho-
somatic complaints). It helped me quite a lot and helped me tackle some
of the skeletons in my closet. Not all, the therapy was based on
changing behavioral patterns so some traumas are still there, but they
don't bother me anymore, and I have found a lot more mental peace then
befoe taking therapy. It gave me the courage to go to the US twice and
visit online friends.
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oval
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response 143 of 823:
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Apr 4 07:59 UTC 2002 |
and depression can also coincide with contact with certain people who make
you fell like shit.
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morwen
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response 144 of 823:
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Apr 4 09:25 UTC 2002 |
Or situations that you feel powerless to control or avoid.
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keesan
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response 145 of 823:
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Apr 4 15:10 UTC 2002 |
I will start a depression item if nobody else has done so yet. Look for it.
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keesan
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response 146 of 823:
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Apr 4 15:19 UTC 2002 |
See Depression item 60.
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lynne
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response 147 of 823:
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Apr 4 16:48 UTC 2002 |
Looking back, I think I have probably had chronic depression for a long time.
Certainly I've never been particularly stable motionally. I've spent a lot
of time the past few days, mostly when I should have been working, thinking
about how my personality is set up and how it allows depression to sort of
snowball. For example, I blame myself for everything (including being
depressed), and suppress my wants in favor of what other people want to the
point where I can't even tell what I want anymore. The list goes on for a
while. It's daunting to consider all the habits and tendencies I need to
correct or curb in order to deal with this effectively.
I had a relatively short episode of intense depression last night--it lasted
less than an hour. It also didn't seem quite as intense. I think the
medication is probably largely responsible. I've started to notice a couple
of side effects, including vivid dreams and slightly decreased interest in
sex. Other things (daytime drowsiness, trouble sleeping, weird appetite
effects) could be side effects or could be related to the depression.
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bhelliom
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response 148 of 823:
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Apr 4 17:12 UTC 2002 |
I can't agree more with #143 and #145
To answer the question about why I would rather see a social worker. I
believe it's probably more in my ingrained concept of the stereotypical
concept of social worker, although I am familiar with what clinical
social workers do. Also, I have things to discuss beyond depression,
and I would feel more comfortable speaking about them with a
psychologist.
I think the bottom line is, to be comfortable with the person you're
working with. I'm actually planning to interview my choices. I've set
up a time to speak with one them by phone tomorrow and will speak with
them for about 1/2 hour or so about their style of counselling, what
school the subscribe to, and a couple of other questions.
I have to agree with Carolyn just wrote. Knowing what I know now, I
would have to say the same thing for myself. I think the most telling
episode was my last year of grad school. I didn't attend a good
portion of my classes, I slept an incredible about, a reverse of my
normal tendancy to sleep very little (considered another sign by some),
a tendancy to overeat and complete withdrawal from physical exercise (I
used to work out on average 1.3 hours daily). I can point to various
other symptoms I've had in clusters since high school, but the last
thing I really want to do is label them without really talking with
someone first. Last thing I need to do is borrow trouble.
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anderyn
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response 149 of 823:
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Apr 4 18:57 UTC 2002 |
This response has been erased.
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