Question:
I am interested in hearing others’ opinions on the usefulness of talk therapy in alleviating bipolar or clinical depression. I have been to three therapists (and they aren’t cheap) because my parents have ordered me to do so. I have derived no benefit that I can see from this "talk therapy". The med.’s on the other hand have have a great effect on my day to day living (be it for the good or for the bad.) I try desperately to make both work, but I just don’t seem to be getting anywhere with psychotherapy. What do you think? Charles
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am interested in hearing others’ opinions on the usefulness of talk therapy in alleviating bipolar or clinical depression. I have been to three therapists (and they aren’t cheap) because my parents have ordered me to do so. I have derived no benefit that I can see from this "talk therapy". The med.’s on the other hand have have a great effect on my day to day living (be it for the good or for the bad.) I try desperately to make both work, but I just don’t seem to be getting anywhere with psychotherapy. What do you think? Charles
there is an old adage: talk is cheap. talk therapy, on the other hand, is expensive. i have been to several–as i have said before: i was diagnosed with post traumatic stress syndrome; being a victim of sexual abuse; having anxiety seperation; being a relationship addict and last, but not least, "being depressed" because i was, in the psychiatrists words, "like an M & M without the peanut." when i went to thispresent psychiatrist at the university’s department of biopsychiatry, she listen to my life story (27 jobs, 20+ residential moves, 4 failed marriages, three suicide attempts) and a history of seeing pdocs for depression and iagnosed me as "classiclly bipolar." she put me on meds. i started reading about psychotherapists and talk therapy versus medicine and there is a book "the broken brain" you should read, by andreasson. you are bipolar. the problem lies in your neurotransmitters. all the talking in the world cannot "fix" you any better than it fixed me. . .i cannot say enough against the psychotherapists who misdiagnosed me for ——-TWENTY THREE —–years of off and on talk therapy. if your parents want me to e-mail them something gimme a holler. . . . .buffy
Response:
As always, YMMV My case has been that I have a biological disorder, which my therapist says has been aggravated by my environment–that I haven’t learned the coping skills to properly deal with feeling "normal"…so there is some talk therapy going on with the meds. The meds make a TREMENDOUS difference (50 mg Zoloft)….and the talk helps me to see why I put myself in patterns that reinforce negative self-images….
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