Social Anxiety Support

QuakerOats167 · 07-30-2009, 07:07 PM

How would you start up seeking therapy... like how would I go about finding a therapist and feeling comfortable with going to therapy? My depression/SA has gotten to the point where I think it could help but I don't really know what to do to get started and I don't want to have to talk to my parents about it all the time. I also feel like I could never take the therapy seriously and I'd end up lying to and messing with my therapist...Any words of wisdom/encouragement? I probably sound like a broken record to anyone whose been reading any of my other posts, haha...

brokenlight · 07-30-2009, 07:52 PM

Maybe try to find out who your insurance would cover first. I would look up online what areas they specialize in and what type of treatment. I like CBT myself, but haven't been to therapy in a long time. If you don't have insurance, you could try something cheaper like Catholic Charities. My experience with that though was that it was more like talking to a friend or family member, I didn't feel like the counselor knew enough about my condition to help. You may have someone more knowledgeable.

I think even if you didn't give the whole truth to the therapist, there would be enough truth there to get some help from it. I would try to be honest though. Even if you feel like it's a joke at the time, act like it's serious (even internally). I think that's the best chance of possibly getting something out of it.

anandikav · 08-06-2009, 11:25 PM

hey, first go and consult a psychologist, tell your problem partially and he will interact with your subconscious mind and your problems will be removed

Dempsey · 08-06-2009, 11:48 PM

I just did this today for the first time.

I went to a medical centre. I talked to a GP. After 2 minutes he sent me away to a mental health clinic and they said they don't deal with SAD, and they sent me back. I was pretty pissed off.

The next doctor I got was quite good. I sat there for maybe 20 minutes. He asked me a bunch of questions, nothing too personal. Mostly about how I feel regularly, my diet, drug use, sleeping patterns etc. I did a small written test, and then he gave me a psychologists name and contact number. I'm scheduled for my first session on Tuesday, and if that goes well I'm on for 5 more.
I haven't eaten all day and I'm still anxious as hell but I did it so I'm very happy!

britisharrow · 08-12-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anandikav

hey, first go and consult a psychologist, tell your problem partially and he will interact with your subconscious mind and your problems will be removed

Sorry but that isn't the case. The psychologist will assess and diagnose you and attempt to combat your issues with a range of techniques, whichever he or she thinks are appropriate to your case. Talking to the subconscious mind may be a form of therapy in the form of perhaps hypnotherapy but that's not really what a psychologist concentrates on, they're more about topics like cognitive restructuring, coping mechanisms, challenging ideas, etc.

07-30-2009, 07:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
QuakerOats167 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 78	Starting Out How would you start up seeking therapy... like how would I go about finding a therapist and feeling comfortable with going to therapy? My depression/SA has gotten to the point where I think it could help but I don't really know what to do to get started and I don't want to have to talk to my parents about it all the time. I also feel like I could never take the therapy seriously and I'd end up lying to and messing with my therapist...Any words of wisdom/encouragement? I probably sound like a broken record to anyone whose been reading any of my other posts, haha...

07-30-2009, 07:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
brokenlight Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Gender: Female Posts: 796	Maybe try to find out who your insurance would cover first. I would look up online what areas they specialize in and what type of treatment. I like CBT myself, but haven't been to therapy in a long time. If you don't have insurance, you could try something cheaper like Catholic Charities. My experience with that though was that it was more like talking to a friend or family member, I didn't feel like the counselor knew enough about my condition to help. You may have someone more knowledgeable. I think even if you didn't give the whole truth to the therapist, there would be enough truth there to get some help from it. I would try to be honest though. Even if you feel like it's a joke at the time, act like it's serious (even internally). I think that's the best chance of possibly getting something out of it. __________________ It is not where you start that counts, but where you finish.

08-06-2009, 11:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
anandikav Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 5	hey, first go and consult a psychologist, tell your problem partially and he will interact with your subconscious mind and your problems will be removed __________________ reducing sweat

08-06-2009, 11:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
Dempsey Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Sydney Australia Gender: Male Age: 21 Posts: 635	I just did this today for the first time. I went to a medical centre. I talked to a GP. After 2 minutes he sent me away to a mental health clinic and they said they don't deal with SAD, and they sent me back. I was pretty pissed off. The next doctor I got was quite good. I sat there for maybe 20 minutes. He asked me a bunch of questions, nothing too personal. Mostly about how I feel regularly, my diet, drug use, sleeping patterns etc. I did a small written test, and then he gave me a psychologists name and contact number. I'm scheduled for my first session on Tuesday, and if that goes well I'm on for 5 more. I haven't eaten all day and I'm still anxious as hell but I did it so I'm very happy!