Anyone know if I should see a therapist(somewhat sincere question about therapy)

[Pizzabeak]

My parents have been trying to get me to see a therapist for the last few years now and as a matter of fact I was supposed to already have set up an appointment earlier this week.

I didn't think I needed to see one but when I did I was already in fairly healthful communion then when that ended I wondered again if I should actually consider seeing one.

Not too long ago I figured I could go in and maybe get prescribed xanax or codeine, for kicks. Turns out my mom already gets xanax and was considering putting our youngest brother on it, for "anxiety" concerns. I too might suffer from anxiety and could possibly benefit from setting up an appointment.

Someone told me that xanax gives him crazy vivid dreams, so that would be interesting to know more about. There isn't much mystery as to why alcohol would act differently.

I think there is a chance of not getting referred to a psychiatrist. I could go and mainly fake the symptoms but it could be a waste of time. Furthermore, I think my mother is just Fe-motivated and is trying to get me to do that because it's what life is about. Though, I have heard of some positive experiences coming from therapy sessions. I am just ready to get through this and move onto the next stage of my life.

tl;dr, does therapy actually work? Do I have anything that I should see for it? Suppose I should add my parents think I have a problem with authority and am probably depressed or something. I don't think seeing a therapist will help me realize my life purpose or anything.

 

[Alias]

I don't think medicine would help. If you want someone to talk to and open your emotions to, see the therapist for meetings to make sure that you don't suppress emotions and ruin things for your self. If you have no meaning or motivation to go, I don't see the point in it.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Why not do it? I mean, I don't think you're fucked up or anything, but it probably can't hurt anything.

I've seen some people really, truly helped by it, and others... not so much. Though you will probably have to see a psychiatrist if you want meds, especially something like xanax. Psychiatrists who also do therapy are pretty uncommon.

 

[Pyropyro]

I'm seconding THD on this one. A mental check-up is just as okay with a physical check-up.

Also it's a good idea to talk to health professionals when it comes to meds

 

[Pizzabeak]

Yeah, I maybe should have went a few years ago when more serious about it. I guess I have to talk to the guy then he will refer me to a psychiatrist, where the rest will take place. Everyone has been doing that for a while so it shouldn't be that hard. If I were to go though it would be to get prescribed something, unless I hit it off with someone and we get along really well or something.

If it turns out I'm healthy and don't need anxiety treatment could I just tell them I'm afraid of ghosts or something? I probably could benefit from trying the meds to at least see if they temporarily help certain things. Kind of doubt it though.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

They're far more likely to give you an SSRI before an benzo.

Eli Lilly says Prozac has a statistically significant effect at the 7 day mark, and of course in the long term it stimulates hippocampal neurogenesis to literally repair physiological emotional dysregulations in addition to serotonin reuptake inhibition.

If you go with ghosts, they might think you're delusional and put you on an antipsychotic. Just be honest.

 

[Reluctantly]

Why are you so eager to try psychotropic medications?

 

[Sinny91]

I'm strongly opposed to any 'medications' that profess to 'heal the mind'.
You are your problem and also your solution.
Talk it out if you have to, but a pill won't do anything for you.

 

[Minuend]

Hmm, I think if you walk in and are like 70% sure you don't actually need one, that itself might end up making it true. There has to be some interest, motivation or acceptance to cooperate and be a part of the process. It wont work out if you go in and think the psychiatrist will automatically know you in full the first hour and be able to pinpoint exactly what will help you and how to approach you to make you feel at ease. And if you are overly critical before starting, you will also have a negative bias where you will interpret things worse than they are.

Depending on you and the person you talk to it could take a few hours for the psychiatrist to "get you". If you're unlucky, you'll end up with someone who never will.

I don't know anything about the meds you mentioned, but I was on SSRI a few years and I got like a mild gastroparesis to the point I couldn't eat solids without getting sick for extensive periods and I had fluctuating thyroid levels which made me chronically fatigued, ruined any concentration and motivation and I was generally living in a detached, distant haze where I didn't feel much joyous feels. Lasted about 2 years after I quit the meds. I'm only recently starting to feel my mind "coming together" again.

I still have digestion problems. I've been drinking almost only protein powder for the last 3 weeks. With a solid food meal every now and again. Today I will be eating cooked vegetable soup and maybe a glass of protein powder for supper.

I glanced the side effects for the meds you mentioned. What benefits are you looking to reap that will make the potential side effects worth it?

 

[Yellow]

Seeing a therapist can be nice, even if nothing is "wrong". Avoid Xanax. If you can, do what you can to keep your brother off it too. I understand that it cam help with anxiety, but unless someone is suffering from an anxiety that has a serious negative affect on their lives, its not worth it. I don't understand why, but people are getting addicted to it. It's not supposed to be "habit-forming", yet benzodiazepines have quickly become the first or second drug of choice for a lot of addicts.

 

[Puffy]

^ I wouldn't actively seek out medication if you're functional without it personally, if they think you need it you'll get prescribed it eventually. I used to drink Mugwort tea years ago that effected my dream content; I'm sure there are better things to try out recreationally for curiosity's sake than xanax and codeine >->

Also, agreed with Minuend that a lot of it is to do with internal motivation. Talking therapy won't be a magic fix for anything, but maybe it will be a safe-think-tank to express yourself and anything that concerns you, and come to a view of yourself from an outside perspective. I expect the real work in therapy happens outside of sessions with what you take from it and put into action though. I don't see any harm it could do you, but somewhat doubt it will be 'life-changing' for you if you don't think there's much to talk about.

 

[Pizzabeak]

I'm strongly opposed to any 'medications' that profess to 'heal the mind'.
You are your problem and also your solution.
Talk it out if you have to, but a pill won't do anything for you.

Obviously.
But there are a lot of things maybe I can talk about with the corresponding person(s). In this case I'm mainly interested in going through the institutions. I'm curious about the meds because I need to understand life/the universe and how it may work. Promise I won't get addicted.

 

[Pizzabeak]

I glanced the side effects for the meds you mentioned. What benefits are you looking to reap that will make the potential side effects worth it?

Something akin to artificial euphoria or access to particular nearly useless mindstates, not wholly for recreation. Maybe some anti-anxiety as well.

^ I wouldn't actively seek out medication if you're functional without it personally, if they think you need it you'll get prescribed it eventually. I used to drink Mugwort tea years ago that effected my dream content; I'm sure there are better things to try out recreationally for curiosity's sake than xanax and codeine >->

Also, agreed with Minuend that a lot of it is to do with internal motivation. Talking therapy won't be a magic fix for anything, but maybe it will be a safe-think-tank to express yourself and anything that concerns you, and come to a view of yourself from an outside perspective. I expect the real work in therapy happens outside of sessions with what you take from it and put into action though. I don't see any harm it could do you, but somewhat doubt it will be 'life-changing' for you if you don't think there's much to talk about.

Yeah I still need to get some mugwort tea...

My mom is actually a therapist/social worker so that's another reason why they urge me to check it out. She tells stories of the sketchier ones, this one guy talked to her for five minutes and tried to tell her she was paranoid schizophrenic so he can put her on meds and experiment with the outcome.

I actually might be paranoid schizophrenic, maybe mildly or transitionally via pot. The most severe anxiety comes from overdosing on pot, too. Sans it, I'm not sure. I perform normally and somewhat well when off it for extended periods of time. Maybe they can make the voices go away. Supposedly it isn't a good idea though.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Hold up. You actually experience voices? If you're worried about being targeted because of that, play the subjective experiences card. "I've simply accepted the fact that I do and will experience things that others cannot. That's the subjective nature of existence."

I actually have access to a truckload of mugwort lol. Grows wild here. Thought about drying and selling it, but it seems like too much work. Probably easier to brew some absinthe or something similar with it... *scratches chin*

 

[Pizzabeak]

I am not sure. Maybe mild delusions of grandeur. But you should send me some of that

 

[Pizzabeak]

"The study also investigated how marijuana use may differ in its impact on long-term mental health between African American and Caucasian men.":

http://www.madinamerica.com/2015/08/no-link-between-pot-use-and-mental-health/