psychologists

[Seraph]

Some people need a trained person to help provide them with alternative perspective and advice to solve their personal problems. Some don't. I'd say the experience is similiar to having a good friend to talk to, with the benefit that they won't just agree with whatever you say to keep you from getting angry.

If you are having a serious problem in life and just can't seem to overcome it, I'd say it's worth a shot. However, I've seen people who just seriously need to grow a pair and learn to deal with shit try to go to a shrink to magically solve all their problems, and it didn't work.

Some people need sensativity training, some need what I like to call 'durability training', and some people don't need any help at all. The biggest reflection you would have to do is figure out which group you are in, and act intelligently from there. There is no shame in trying to get help for a problem, but on the other hand, not all problems can be solved by a 'professional'. That's something you have to determine for yourself.

[SephYuyX]

Like I said, im ignorant on the subject. Thanks for the replies, ill view psychologists differently seeing as there is a bit more depth to it.

[Nystul]

Some people need a trained person to help provide them with alternative perspective and advice to solve their personal problems. Some don't. I'd say the experience is similiar to having a good friend to talk to, with the benefit that they won't just agree with whatever you say to keep you from getting angry.

If you are having a serious problem in life and just can't seem to overcome it, I'd say it's worth a shot. However, I've seen people who just seriously need to grow a pair and learn to deal with shit try to go to a shrink to magically solve all their problems, and it didn't work.

Some people need sensativity training, some need what I like to call 'durability training', and some people don't need any help at all. The biggest reflection you would have to do is figure out which group you are in, and act intelligently from there. There is no shame in trying to get help for a problem, but on the other hand, not all problems can be solved by a 'professional'. That's something you have to determine for yourself.

The best analogy I can make is to compare psychiatry and physical therapy. Both are typically elective unless in severe cases, both can certainly improve quality of life, and both- if you're going to do it right- require professional assistance. However, you can't expect to walk into either and be better right away and certainly without any hard work on your own part.

[Seraph]

The best analogy I can make is to compare psychiatry and physical therapy. Both are typically elective unless in severe cases, both can certainly improve quality of life, and both- if you're going to do it right- require professional assistance. However, you can't expect to walk into either and be better right away and certainly without any hard work on your own part.

I would tend to agree. It's not a bandaid solution, it's more long term. One other last point of advice would be that if you do seek professional help, be honest with them and yourself. If you aren't, you are only throwing your money away and it's just going to upset you more that it isn't working.

Not to pry, but to the OP: Is the issue causing you problems something recent, or a persistent problem? Figuring that out might help your decision.

[Demosthenes11]

This is an important consideration. A therapist/psychologist/etc. is not there to be your friend. Its undoubtedly better if they aren't someone you'd want to go have a few beers with.

i know that, it'd just be my reason to stop going, as irrational as that sounds

and I really would like to think sephiroth was just trolling this topic. For someone who claims to be all intelligent, it's not very intelligent to think psychologists are like friends you pay lol

[Blubbartron]

If there was a problem with your leg, you'd go see a doctor. If there was a problem with your eyes, you'd go see a doctor. If there was a problem with your stomach, you'd go see a doctor. And in each case you certainly wouldn't say "how physically weak of you to go see someone. Just get over it on your own." Then why not, when there is an issue with your brain- your thoughts, the way you think, etc, would you not seek assistance?

I think most rational people don't see it this way because they know that the brain is still a mystery to modern science. The rest of the body's many systems are fairly fully understood, but the brain we know maybe 1/4 of what should be known before trying to fiddle with it.

On the subject of psychiatrist vs. psychologist, I would definitely say that most psychiatrists are pill-pushing quacks. I was forced to see one through court action after an incident in middle school (they thought I wanted to blow up the school). Needless to say, when you're talking to a psychiatrist (or anyone, for that matter) less than a week after getting pulled out of school and essentially told you fucked up your life pretty good, they are going to think you're depressed. You'd be crazy not to be depressed in a situation like that. But when the psychiatrist starts saying you have clinical depression and you need mind-altering drugs for it, you have to step up and say shut up. The psychiatrist seriously suggested to my mother, *while I was sitting next to her*, that she could crush up the pills and put them in my food.

My history aside, we shouldn't even get into the agenda of pharmaceutical companies and doctors being in their pocket. Anyone that has turned on the news even once or twice in the past two decades can clearly see the progression of medical "fads," as it were. First everyone was getting diagnosed with ADD, then they were depressed, and now the latest one is autism. I'm not here to say these things don't exist; I'm just saying you need to really think twice before you automatically believe someone when they tell you that you have something wrong with your brain. Massive misdiagnoses and whatnot.

[Bweigelt]

This is something I've been thinking of doing for a while now. I have serious anxiety issues especially in social situations that is really affecting my daily life. Anyone have any experience with going to a psychologist for an anxiety disorder , and having them help you without having to prescribe medication?

[Rocl]

This is something I've been thinking of doing for a while now. I have serious anxiety issues especially in social situations that is really affecting my daily life. Anyone have any experience with going to a psychologist for an anxiety disorder , and having them help you without having to prescribe medication?

Yes, it helped tons, didn't exactly have the same problem- but an anxiety disorder nonetheless. Psychologists can't prescribe medication regardless, your doctor would have to. (Or if you go to a psychiatrist)

[Sojourn]

This is something I've been thinking of doing for a while now. I have serious anxiety issues especially in social situations that is really affecting my daily life. Anyone have any experience with going to a psychologist for an anxiety disorder , and having them help you without having to prescribe medication?

Yes, it helped tons, didn't exactly have the same problem- but an anxiety disorder nonetheless. Psychologists can't prescribe medication regardless, your doctor would have to. (Or if you go to a psychiatrist)

What Rocl said. If you went for anxiety, they would explain the "fight or flight" scenario (i think thats linked with panic attacks/anxiety) and show you how it effects your body, and can give you tips on how to overcome your specific situation on what triggers your anxiety. Hopefully over time you'll be able to overcome it step by step, but sometimes medication IS helpful in facing it, just to get over your mental block. PM me if you want my full QQ story, it isn't social anxiety but its still related if you want more feedback.

[Woozie]

I've been in therapy for years and I can honestly say that it's one of the best things in my life (and in fact, it has saved my life on a few occasions as a teenager). I've seen both a psychiatrist and a psychologist, though after a few years I decided to just go see a therapist because most of my issues had been worked out and the therapist is just easier to work with (in terms of scheduling). My psychiatrist did prescribe me some pills at some point, but I only stayed on them for a short time and they were never prescribed again. They don't just "throw pills at you" as some people here suggest.

Right now the only issues I'm dealing with is anxiety and learning disabilities. My school is actually requiring me to stay in therapy for the disabilities until I graduate or else I can't have my $17,500 (plus 4000 extra as of last semester) scholarships anymore...long story.

But anyways, my therapy helped me overcome my teenage depression, my self esteem issues, and much of my OCD that I used to suffer from. They also helped me cope with my ADD and my procrastination problems. I can assure you that most of these issues are things that no friend of mine could have helped me with.

The most I've ever had to pay for any sort of therapy is 10 dollars per month and even then, having to pay that much is rare (it's been free for the most part). So I guess I have less to lose out of this than someone who has to pay full price.

[Tempyst]

This is something I've been thinking of doing for a while now. I have serious anxiety issues especially in social situations that is really affecting my daily life. Anyone have any experience with going to a psychologist for an anxiety disorder , and having them help you without having to prescribe medication?

Livejournal post approaching:

Not quite, here. I was an extremely nervous and anxiety laden person in high school for no real reason that I could figure. I had a lot of difficulty dealing with stress and social situations were an absolute nightmare for me.

The problem persisted until my Freshman year of college, when I went and saw my doctor about it after having a nervous breakdown. Long story short, I was put on a small dosage of Zoloft and I asked my parents and close friends to keep an eye on me.

Now, the circumstances could have easily been a matter of the medication working, placebo, or simple coming of age, but after a few months my outlook started to change. I had a much easier time dealing with stress and while social situations weren't a breeze, I could handle them without wanting to die. Once my foot was in the door things snowballed and for once I felt like an actual human being. I can think of several recent accomplishments in my life that would have been impossible without that help.

At first when the idea of medication was brought up I was really hesitant about it. I wasn't too big on the whole idea of altering my personality and thought process with medication, but I was fed up with feeling like a quivering mess most days of the week.

In retrospect? Ends justify the means, if taking Zoloft means that I'm a relatively happy person instead of someone completely incapable of social interaction, so be it. I wouldn't say medication is the only path to fixing the problem, and some hard work on the part of the medicatee is necessary. But counter to what some people learned from South Park, all doctors aren't out to misdiagnose you and turn you into a medicated zombie. As it turns out, some of these medications exist because under the right circumstances they work. It helped me turn my life around, I know that much.

[Bweigelt]

Thanks for the responses guys. I think I'm going to set up an appointment or whatever on monday.

[Taisaijin]

no offense to anyone here
but being honest...

psychologists and dentists = lolnothx

but at least you NEED dentists =S
well not everyone actually

[Tricen]

no offense to anyone here
but being honest...

psychologists and dentists = lolnothx

but at least you NEED dentists =S
well not everyone actually

In your opinion.

[Melena]

Just talk to krye for 20 minutes. No matter what's bothering you, listening to him complain about conforming to society can make just about anyone feel better about themselves.

[raginbull]

When I first saw that someone had made a topic about psychologists, I feared that the OP would be basically jumped on, mocked and shot down. From what i can see though all the replies have been helpful. I wanted to know more about the subject myself so thanks for the replies.

[Akucaen]

ITT: Ignorance.

Psychologists are trained to recognize cognitive and behavioral processes that are at the core of life problems. They are trained to recognize the symptoms of mental illness that no lay person could ever even notice, let alone identify. Psychologists are trained to help you change your thoughts or behavior in a healthy, constructive way that will lead to better life quality and solutions to the problems you have. These are not things you can get from people in every day life. I don't care how much ignorant chest-beating people want to do about the power of family and friendships--the fact is you are wrong. Social support only goes so far and is as limited as it is powerful. In many cases, the problems someone experiences are actually coming from their social support network and they don't even realize it.

If you think you should see a psychologist, then you definitely should. It's not a commitment, you don't have to see them more than you want to and you don't have to take drugs if you don't want to. You can go and just check it out, tell them what's bothering you, and see what they say. It's easy to view them as drug-peddling quacks, but the fact is they didn't spend 8 years in school because they wanted to give people prescriptions. They did it because they have a desire to help people, and don't you forget it. ;x

ITTN: Truth

We're trained just as Alleya said. We look for certain behavior patterns and thought processes that give us a better understanding of how and why you think the way you do. We can also give you unbiased, objective advice to fix your problems. When you go to friends or family, you run the extreme risk of getting fully biased information, "Put it in god's hands," etc. [Non capitalized on purpose.]

The worst thing they can do is rub you the wrong way. We're all trained to provide the same information, essentially, but everyone has wildly differing personalities. If you think you might should go to one, that means it's time to go to one. You aren't signing a contract to go see one, it's entirely voluntary.

You have nothing to lose, and you have a lot to gain from it. Go see a psychologist.

[Akucaen]

This is something I've been thinking of doing for a while now. I have serious anxiety issues especially in social situations that is really affecting my daily life. Anyone have any experience with going to a psychologist for an anxiety disorder , and having them help you without having to prescribe medication?

Yes. If your Psychiatrist is worth a damn, they'll have you in for sessions to help you figure out why you have your anxieties and possible outcomes that will help you out. I know a lot of people will drop by a regular MD's office, describe the basic symptoms and be out with a prescription, but that's akin to putting gum in a dam leak.

Remember, a psychiatrist can go ahead and prescribe, but a psychologist can't. Difference is the medical training required to write said prescriptions.

The bottom line is that if you think you should see one, you need to. They cannot harm you. All they can do is show you legitimate ways to improve your life and help you walk through your problems on a 'road' to solve/manage them.

Now seriously, im sure this post is going to cause people to bitch, but really this is more of a question, I want to know some sort of issue that cant be talked through with someone else. Not attacking anyone here personally, if it works for you, fine good luck to you and im glad things are now better for you, but I just dont see how weak minded someone has to be to go see one. Maybe there are some people out there looking for some sort of drug to make it all easier, more weakness, what issues cant be solved with drugs?

Because you're not an expert on human behavior and thought. Going to a psychologist is not admitting you are weak minded, nor is it a sign you're weak minded. If you'd even payed attention in your basic psychology course in college (You went to college, right?) you'd know that even the most simple things cause major problems in people, it's easy to not see said problem regardless of the base, and that when people feel hopeless at times, it's damned near impossible to deal with it.

I am ecstatic you don't [think] you need help, but I'm also assuming your state of mind is perfectly fine. It's normal for people to reject the things they think are irrelevant or unneeded. If you don't need peer assistance to get through your problems, more power to you. I had to deal with my problems on my own, and I don't want people to have to deal with what I did. I want to help people avoid exactly what I went through.

[Unreal]

Need to be willing to open up and openly talk about w/e it is thats getting at you. I myself tend to keep it all bottled in and tell nobody. I dont know if this is a good thing but if your like me im not sure any amount of counselling will help if you in the back of your head dont want to let it out.

I think its harder for males to especially with how us lads are brought up to be strong and take care of the ones we care for the most and not to show any weakness. I dont know if your a guy or not but its definitely easier for a woman to open up. Atleast this is my take on it.

[Woozie]

I've always had problems opening up, but it's different with a psychologist. With a psychologist, I know[1] they've seen people worse than me, so I don't look as bad by comparison lol, [2] they wont judge me, and most importantly [3] they can't tell anyone about anything that's said in the office, so I know what I'm saying is confidential.