Refusing a councilor?

[Smophy]

If i went to the doctors about all sorts of things, anxiety, depression and sh, (which in my opinion are all closely related) and they offered me counciling, could i refuse it? Would they offer other help if i did? I just dont want to see a councilor, i would be so panicked about going it would only make me worse.

[tamobhuuta]

yes, you could refuse it, what they offered you instead would depend on what's available where you live. the GP might prescribe medication, or refer you to the local mental health team.

[sobriquet]

You can refuse counselling but your doctor would probably want you to explain why you're refusing. Most of what could be offered to you would involve some sort of therapy or counselling though, even things like medication are often used in conjunction with therapy.

Why exactly don't you want to see a counsellor? I know it's hard but it can be really helpful, as long as you find someone you can develop a (therapeutic) relationship with. It might be good to think about your resons for not going, just to see which of them could be sorted out or if allowances could be made.

Definitely worth asking your doctor what other options there are though.

[sherlock holmes]

Yes you can refuse, but to be honest there's not much else. Medication is normally used in conjunction with therapy/counselling as 2muchpain2feel said. Refusing counselling will probably give the impression to the doctor that you don't want help.

Sure, seeing a counsellor might make you anxious for the first few weeks, but they're trained to help you deal with it! There's no one better to see for anxiety than a therapist.

[l'il esky]

yeh you can refuse, but is there any particular reason why you dont want it......? have you had it before and not helped?

tbh i hated ever seeing a counsellor but i think if you find the right one they can be really helpful.

maybe try speaking to the gp about your fears of the counsellor

good luck, we are all here for you if you need us :) xx

[Smophy]

My boyfriend went to counselling a few years ago and has explained to me what it is and my friend is also seeing a councillor as well at the moment. They both say that basically you just talk about your problems and stuff. I just don't think i would benefit from it, at least not enough to outweigh the anxiety it will cause.

[sherlock holmes]

Well, essentially yes you do talk about your problems, but on a deeper level you form a relationship with someone who genuinely wants to help you.

It's different from just talking about your worries with a friend over a cup of tea. A counsellor is trained specifically to talk you through things, and come up with ways of working through it (otherwise just talking wouldnt have any benefit).

In the long run, it would outweigh the anxiety, it's just down to you if you would want to initially deal with the anxiety.

I don't think you should discount seeing a counsellor when you've not had any experiences yourself, only hearsay.

I think deciding now you wouldnt want to talk to any professionals would close a lot of doors in your treatment.

[Target Dawn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smophy

My boyfriend went to counselling a few years ago and has explained to me what it is and my friend is also seeing a councillor as well at the moment. They both say that basically you just talk about your problems and stuff. I just don't think i would benefit from it, at least not enough to outweigh the anxiety it will cause.

Believe it or not, talking about your problems can be more of a help than you think. Yes, it may initially cause anxiety and bring up sadness but in the end, if you don't talk about them, they're just going to keep building and building until you feel like your going to explode.
Don't listen to what your friend and your boyfriend said. The only way you'll find out if it will help you is trying it for yourself. If you don't like it, then you can stop at any time.

You can refuse counselling but why would you? If you go to the doctor for help and then refuse their help it doesn't make a lot of sense to go at all.

[guiltyinnocence]

what kind of help do u want ur gp to give you?
apart from counselling the only other thing would be meds, but as has already been said meds are best given in conjunction with therapy.
i know talking to someone about things can be really hard, but you can open up on your own terms, take your time, gain a relationship with the counsellor and open up when your ready
people have different experiences, maybe its worth atleast just giving it a try
xxxx

[sobriquet]

Just wanted to add. . .

Therapy isn't just a space for you to list your problems. The idea is that you build up a relationship with the therapist so you can come up with ways of solving your problems together. A therapist will try to help you see things in a different way, make links between things that you maybe haven't. They have experience in all sorts of areas so will have a better idea of how to help than your usual support network might. Therapists can suggest things for you to try, help you think about what you might feel if you were in that anxiety-provoking situation, help you plan ways of coping with that anxiety, and help you fact those situations.
Although your boyfriend and friend say that it's just talking about your problems, it can really help, it's more than just talking, and you have to remember that everyone has different expectation and experiences of therapy. The therapist as a person is just as important as the approach they take so it might be the case that you don't really hit it off with the first one. Don't be disheartened or put off by that. Same as you don't get on with every person you meet in life, you don't get on with every therapist you meet. (your friend and boyfriend might also be playing down what goes on in therapy if they feel awkward telling you what they really talk about or do)

It has to be worth a try though. Then at least you'd be able to go back to your doctor and explain that you've tried.

[Ileana]

You can refuse it but there's really not much a GP can do for that kind of thing (Depression, anxiety etc.) without the help of a counselor or psych because even if the doctor prescribed you meds they need a psychiatrist for this and to monitor your reaction to them thus you'd need some help other than a regular doctor. The kind of help you need comes through a therapist so if you really want it you'll have to set aside your fear of counselors...or try to work things out by yourself if you feel you can and don't wish to see a counselor/therapist. But like it was already said, therapy and meds, if needed, are about the only thing you can do for what is bothering you.

[The One Who]

I just want to add that counselling does not work for everyone. I would suggest you give it a try, but if you really don't like it then the doctor can prescribe you meds. Talk to the doctor about your concerns and see what else they can suggest for you.