I may be seeing a shrink over the summer

[Manigeitora]

But not for *B/DL-related issues, it's because I feel depressed. I'm not motivated to do much of anything and just getting up in the morning is becoming more and more of a chore every day.

I was just wondering if anyone has any advice or if anyone had positive experiences to share

 

[quattrus]

Just a question: do you really think it's necessary to see a shrink for it? I've always had the impression - please correct me if I'm wrong - that in the USA going to the shrink is a kind of a trend, and too many people tend to "overuse" shrinks as a solution to their problems, instead of fixing their problems themselves. Am I wrong?

I don't want to seem rude but I've always thought that the solutions each of us can give to his own problems are a million times better than the ones provided by someone that has nothing to do with our lives, except getting paid for putting their nose in people's own business. The human mind is something incredibly complex and unique, and that's why I believe that in each one of us lies the best psychologist ever we can trust for pushing ourselves out of our OWN problems.

Discussing this topic with my english teacher, many years ago, she told me: "not anyone can be as strong as you"... maybe that's true, but I still fail to understand why people expect to find better answers from someone that the day before they didn't even know, and the day after is supposed to find a solution to their lives... for money. If you need to talk to someone, I'd rather choose a close friend, or a relative, that is willing to help you and listen to you. Call me closeminded, out-of-date, or whatever you like but I'd never - NEVER - go telling my own business to someone I don't even know.

About the "getting up in the morning" thing.... why does it have to be necessarily so bad? If I'm not busy in the morning I usually sleep till late, as waking up early is something I've always hated, and sleeping is one of my favourite activities.... Then sometimes I work till late at night, but always better than waking up at 6 a.m.....

 

[Takashi]

I was very depressed last November and my friends helped me through it, so I think you just need someone to talk to. Maybe there is something that you need to get out but you don't know what it is or you just don't know how to express it.

When I was depressed just so much was happening in my life it was like everything was just moving so fast that I couldn't keep up. Thank God for good friends.

 

[cpndl]

I was very depressed last November and my friends helped me through it, so I think you just need someone to talk to. Maybe there is something that you need to get out but you don't know what it is or you just don't know how to express it.

When I was depressed just so much was happening in my life it was like everything was just moving so fast that I couldn't keep up. Thank God for good friends.

Unless he is depressed because he doesn't have any "Good Friends".

But really, he had mentioned being depressed a few weeks back, and I think at this point going to see someone to determine if he really is depressed is a good idea.

cpndl

 

[Nam Repaid]

I’ve been seeing my shrink for over 8 years. I wish I started at 20 instead of 40! It takes a long time to build up a trust before therapy becomes useful but I feel it was worth it. It took a few years for me to tell my shrink about the diaper thing and a few other similar things. He did NOT try to make me quit or be judgmental. It’ hard to explain, but I don’t regret it.
I’ll try to answer any other questions about it .

Nam

 

[Fire2box]

seeing someone has ALWAYS helped me once I started to warm up to them. I really just thought of them as friends after the first 2 weeks after we both got to know each other, then I started to let everything out. The last one I had I said "screw it" and put everything out into the open in the first session. It felt really great.

 

[snydead]

From my past life from the age of 10 or earlier, I have also been very depressed I even didn't care wheather I live or die mainly because I felt lonely. I think that it is best to see a shrink for depression and all that I can say is that I wish that I could of seen a shrink for my depression. The reason is, I still have alot of issues with my anger and saddness and it kept on building in my heart and now every time i'm stressed my heart begins to hurt like I would have a heart attack. Later in my life I felt more happy after metting with someone who cares for me. My message to you is, I think that you will not live a long life with so much depression. Like I said I had learned my lesson and I still have heart pains from my stess and saddness.

 

[avery]

Just a question: do you really think it's necessary to see a shrink for it? I've always had the impression - please correct me if I'm wrong - that in the USA going to the shrink is a kind of a trend, and too many people tend to "overuse" shrinks as a solution to their problems, instead of fixing their problems themselves. Am I wrong?

I don't want to seem rude but I've always thought that the solutions each of us can give to his own problems are a million times better than the ones provided by someone that has nothing to do with our lives, except getting paid for putting their nose in people's own business. The human mind is something incredibly complex and unique, and that's why I believe that in each one of us lies the best psychologist ever we can trust for pushing ourselves out of our OWN problems.

Discussing this topic with my english teacher, many years ago, she told me: "not anyone can be as strong as you"... maybe that's true, but I still fail to understand why people expect to find better answers from someone that the day before they didn't even know, and the day after is supposed to find a solution to their lives... for money. If you need to talk to someone, I'd rather choose a close friend, or a relative, that is willing to help you and listen to you. Call me closeminded, out-of-date, or whatever you like but I'd never - NEVER - go telling my own business to someone I don't even know.

i agrees and i disagrees.

definitely a lot of people in the US see shrinks. and it can be a bit annoying. i know a lot of people who bring home a lot of shrink-talk about how they need to "make room for their feelings" and "be assertive about their needs" which is basically just excuses to boss everyone around and act like an asshole. shrinks get more clients if they tell their clients what they most want to hear, and if they tell you you can make your friends do whatever you tell them to because you have Clinical Depression it's obviously going to keep you coming back for more. i hate the language psychiatrists use that's started spreading through our culture, and i hate a lot of the ideas they put into people's heads.

on the other hand, i think going to a shrink would be kind of fun. i think i could have a lot of fun talking to someone who's basically paid to listen to me rant and complain. nor do i think there's anything shameful about asking for help when you need it. we can't do everything alone. having someone to talk to can make a really big difference in your life. there are some people who really desperately need psychiatric help, and there are other people who can just benefit from some counselling. either way, i think it can be a really good deal.

so yeah. mixed feelings about shrinks. i've never seen one myself (although i probably should have at certain points), but i'd be interested to try it someday, just to see what it's like.

 

[quattrus]

on the other hand, i think going to a shrink would be kind of fun. i think i could have a lot of fun talking to someone who's basically paid to listen to me rant and complain.

For sure I'd have way more fun being paid to listen to someone ranting and complaining, telling him/her something that he/she wants to hear, and then having a load of money dropped at my secretary's desk for it! :laugh:

 

[daria7483]

I saw a shrink for a few weeks (an hour a week) years ago. I rather enjoyed it and felt like it helped. I'm not the type to feel comfortable talking to my friends about my feelings, so I enjoyed having an outlet to share what I usually keep to myself. Plus, it was free through my university's student health center (well, included in the student health fees I paid at the beginning of the semester). I did sometimes get the feeling that the shrink didn't really give a crap about me, which was probably true.

I worry that sometimes people take "I don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning or doing work" to be clinical depression that they must see a shrink for, and in reality it's...laziness. Or a lack of sleep - my best friend, who is in grad school, often says things like "I am so tired, I don't know what the hell is wrong with me!" "Well, how much sleep are you getting?" "Oh, about four hours a night."

It's true - getting 8 hours a night really does improve the way you feel physically and emotionally.

But even if you aren't mentally ill, having a stranger to talk things through with does help, if you feel comfortable with that. So I hope it helps you, manveru. Just please don't be disappointed if you don't get prescribed pills, or if you don't instantly feel 10 times better.

 

[Olliboll]

I want to talk to a shrink or psychiatrist or someone that has the same type of job, only thing is I would be to uncomfortable talking to them. But I would probably be able to sort out alot of problems I have or depressing thoughts...

 

[Manigeitora]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I would talk to my friends but the problem is, is I don't really know what is causing these feelings (hell, my friends themselves might be a part of it) and I need to talk to someone knowledgeable about all of it.