Thinking of seeing a psychiatrist...SCARED

[laboheme]

Having thought about it for a long time...I've decided to go see a psychiatrist. I feel that there are some issues (anger, pessimism, possibly even mild depression) that I can't solve by myself. But the problem is...

 

...How do I break the news to my parents? (I'm living at home while going to school). They are very narrow-minded when it comes to these things. I'm afraid that they'll try to discourage me from seeking professional help and say that it's all a matter of will-power, that I'm just weak and should be able to solve these problems myself. Is there any way of doing this in secret? If I see a psychiatrist on campus instead of going through their insurance, will they still find out? I think campus doctors only contact families if it's something life-threatening, which it's not...Or is everything revealed to the parents?

 

Also, I'm kind of scared myself. Basically, I think it's okay for other people to seek professional help (I've always been supportive of friends who needed to), but it's not okay for me. A good friend told me that it's not going to hurt me, the only thing it might hurt is my pride...but there's a lot of pride to be hurt there. While I'm a little more open-minded than my parents, I'm still thinking that I should be able to control my emotions without outside help, that I should be stronger.

 

And on a side note, since pills are NOT an option for me...does therapy really work as far as helping anger management and mild depression? If not, should I even bother?

[helpme2]

Therapy could help you. Your doctor can NOT tell your parents what you are seeing them for, and if you don't go through their insurance your doctor can't even tell them that you are being seen (or that's how it works in the US).

 

Seeing a therapist isn't about being weak or wrong, or bad or anything else, it's about caring enough about yourself to get better. You can have pride that you are responsible enough to get things together and be who you want to be.

[Rain__man]

Good for you going the no-drugs route. While I'm an occasional fan of "recreational" drugs, perscribed junk is as bad as any addiction, and always taken lightly, as if zoloft was like asprin.

 

Just make sure you shop around for your therapist will you? After seing one when I was younger, I have a serious distrust of the reasons some people get into that field. If they sound like someone who's "been there" instead of just reading abut it, sign up, take it all with a grain of salt, and keep fighting the demon. You can take care of these problems by yourself, and any real therapist will tell you that. Sometimes you need a little more powerful ammunition, though, ya know?

[FoxLocke]

Don't be afraid.

 

Therapy was the BEST step I've ever taken.

 

Granted, confronting your true feelings and issues is a very scary thing. But once you get past it all it will heal your spirit.

 

I intend on staying in therapy as long as it takes...

 

The onething about counseling is that you have to do the work. Each week my counselor gives me a homework assignment, and I take it just as seriously as a major grade. In the end I know it will be worth it.

 

Take care. Blessed be.

[laboheme]

I've done it. I called and set up an appointment. A certain conversation this morning confirmed that I have problems with anger management...and as much as I'd like to simply make an effort and think before I speak...it never works. No other choice but to put myself into a doctor's hands...

 

Thanks for being supportive...I really appreciate it.