How do you find counselling?

Steel Maiden · 14-04-2009, 06:42 PM

I don't mean psychotherapy or CBT or anything like that. I mean just counselling.

Because when I was 13-14 I had counselling.

It was useless.

Utterly useless.

I told her about the Voices and the visual hallucinations. She ignored me and never brought it up again. I started getting more and more withdrawn, SI and ODs increased greatly, I stopped sleeping, etc, basically signs of early psychosis.

They discharged me. Said I was fine.

At 15 years old I ended up in psych ward completely out of it and ended up with a psychosis diagnosis.

Now I am 19 and have paranoid schiz. Every day is Hell.

So wtf was up with that counsellor?

If that b*tch had detected the symptoms of early psychosis, then I could have seen the early intervention team or something and perhaps wouldn't have gone through all the sh*t I've been through.

End rant now.

But what do you think about counsellors? Did they help you? Or are you like me and very sceptical and think its a load of BS?

trina1723 · 14-04-2009, 07:18 PM

im quite sceptical about counselling tbh.
i have seen the school counsellor a few times and that was totally useless.
but in the past few weeks i have seen a counsellor with cmahs and this seems better because she gets the right people involved to help me, but she is there just to talk to and im finding it better than i though.
saying that i have only seen her 3 times, but she seems like she will be able to help me a little bit.
xxx

tamobhuuta · 14-04-2009, 07:26 PM

i saw a counsellor at 14. i didn't talk to her, she complained to my parents, i talked to her even less. she made no effort to udnerstand why i didn'twant to talk, and when i did try to say soemthing she ignored it. basically thought my problems were caused by my being at boarding school. i left that school the next year and guess what, four years later i've been passed on from CAMHS to adult services with a working diagnosis of psychosis. no one ever took the voices seriously at CAMHS, no one ever took me seriously

Popple · 14-04-2009, 07:28 PM

I think its different for everyone and alot of it depends on the counsellor. I saw one person for 2 and a half years and she didn't make the slightest bit of difference, she was nice but we didn't click and I didn't trust her where as someone else I saw wasn't liek formal counselling but went pretty much along the same lines and she did more for me in six months than anyone else ever has.
If you aren't the type of person who likes or needs to talk and maybe want to think of the logic or find set ways of coping with things then I think counselling probably isn't the most helpful of things for you but things like cbt help more. But thats just my opinion.
x

l'il esky · 14-04-2009, 07:33 PM

i got referred for counselling when i was 15/16 was sh*te and i hated the way the lady said my name and not only that she would say it after everyword *cringe* so i left after 2 sessions cos it was hell and didnt help at all!
then at 17/18 i got made to go again and i asked not to see the same person, but they put with me with that awful woman again cos she was the "sh expert" (yeh right!!!). so had 1 session

then many yrs later my work suggested seeing the counsellors for nhs staff....omg they were no better, just stared at me asking me "how i felt about it" i last 3 sessions for both, i would never EVER recommend this to anyway

however, when they are working right i would def recommend cmht team as my first care coordinator marcea changed my opinions of getting help. she has helped me soooo badly xx

Steel Maiden · 14-04-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waiting in the dark

i saw a counsellor at 14. i didn't talk to her, she complained to my parents, i talked to her even less. she made no effort to udnerstand why i didn'twant to talk, and when i did try to say soemthing she ignored it. basically thought my problems were caused by my being at boarding school. i left that school the next year and guess what, four years later i've been passed on from CAMHS to adult services with a working diagnosis of psychosis. no one ever took the voices seriously at CAMHS, no one ever took me seriously

Very similar to what happened to me.

Counsellors are only good for marriage counselling or bereavement as far as I'm concerned.

Mrs Sam · 14-04-2009, 08:12 PM

i had a councillor at university and she was wonderful to me and let me talk and listened and really helped a lot but she couldnt give me any active therapy so she didnt really help my mental health at all just allowed me to vent and stuff. but thats what she was there for, sort of a half way thing while i was waiting for a referral for therapy.

i think councillors can be good if they work well with you and as an inbetween thing but i dont think they should be used as a substitute for active therapy.

trina1723 · 14-04-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Sam

i think councillors can be good if they work well with you and as an inbetween thing but i dont think they should be used as a substitute for active therapy.

i agree with this!

Damnation. · 14-04-2009, 09:21 PM

Counselling never does owt for me. I might feel a tiny bit better for like, one day, but for the most part, I find it useless

Damnation. · 14-04-2009, 11:43 PM

^^ O_o; Then why do doctors tend to suggest counselling for depression, then?

one lie at a time · 15-04-2009, 01:10 AM

What's the difference between counseling and therapy?

[Fog] · 15-04-2009, 01:37 AM

Lol... I have found counselling to be absolute b*llocks.

I went to see the university head counsellor. She said nothing constructive and obviously didn't relate to me at all. She just kind of nodded and waited for me to talk. Nice to have a vent but not particularly helpful. And then after all that she told me I wouldn't be able to see anyone regularly until the autumn!

I also went to see a counsellor at the Samaritans a while ago. I know they are volunteers there so I'll let him off a little bit but listen to this... He told me that every day is a grind, life is pointless, suicide is an option. He asked whether I thought SI was trendy among young people and if that was why I did it. He told me that he was unable to relate to me. He asked what I would do when I went home and I told him [substance abuse] and some serious SI. He said ok well that sounds like a plan and I was welcome to come back any time. Funnily enough I haven't been back...!

I have also had some CBT which I found pretty crap as well. The guy blabs on about psychology stuff which I know already from studying it a few years back - and I told him I already knew what he was telling me, and he proceeded to explain for the next 20 mins until the time was up... He suggests I just cheer up, that I should go and get a hobby and find something that will make me happy. He will get me to open up and talk about what's been going wrong, but then offers no help or support and I leave feeling a hundred times worse!!

Ah well let's hope I find someone better...!!!

Steel Maiden · 15-04-2009, 01:38 AM

Counselling and therapy are very different. Counselling is just venting off, but therapy is actually working things out and trying to find ways to manage things.

Counselling, as Morrigan said, is only really good for bereavement or stress, but therapy is good for mental illness.

I have psychotherapy atm and its great. I had CBT a while ago and that really helped too.

Steel Maiden · 15-04-2009, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banana89

Lol... I have found counselling to be absolute b*llocks.

I went to see the university head counsellor. She said nothing constructive and obviously didn't relate to me at all. She just kind of nodded and waited for me to talk. Nice to have a vent but not particularly helpful. And then after all that she told me I wouldn't be able to see anyone regularly until the autumn!

I also went to see a counsellor at the Samaritans a while ago. I know they are volunteers there so I'll let him off a little bit but listen to this... He told me that every day is a grind, life is pointless, suicide is an option. He asked whether I thought SI was trendy among young people and if that was why I did it. He told me that he was unable to relate to me. He asked what I would do when I went home and I told him [substance abuse] and some serious SI. He said ok well that sounds like a plan and I was welcome to come back any time. Funnily enough I haven't been back...!

I have also had some CBT which I found pretty crap as well. The guy blabs on about psychology stuff which I know already from studying it a few years back - and I told him I already knew what he was telling me, and he proceeded to explain for the next 20 mins until the time was up... He suggests I just cheer up, that I should go and get a hobby and find something that will make me happy. He will get me to open up and talk about what's been going wrong, but then offers no help or support and I leave feeling a hundred times worse!!

Ah well let's hope I find someone better...!!!

That Samaritans guy sounds absolutely useless!
I hope that you do find someone better.
I don't think counsellors help much for SI and substance abuse.

[Fog] · 15-04-2009, 01:45 AM

Lol yeah I know!! I left the Samaritans thinking - if even the Samaritans aren't able to understand or help me then I really must be messed up! Clearly I just picked the wrong place lol.
Going for an assessment tomorrow so hoping that will get me someone more helpful.
Yeah I think I just have the wrong kind of problems for the type of help I've tried so far. Trial and error I guess

Steel Maiden · 15-04-2009, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banana89

Lol yeah I know!! I left the Samaritans thinking - if even the Samaritans aren't able to understand or help me then I really must be messed up! Clearly I just picked the wrong place lol.
Going for an assessment tomorrow so hoping that will get me someone more helpful.
Yeah I think I just have the wrong kind of problems for the type of help I've tried so far. Trial and error I guess

Well I called the Samaritans once and they were useless. I guess it depends on who you get.
Good luck on the assessment.
I personally think the best combination for myself is psychiatrist, medication and psychologist. I also have a social worker who doesn't help much with MH symptoms but she is great for organising voluntary work for me (I can't get a proper job), organising benefits etc.

[Fog] · 15-04-2009, 02:05 AM

That's good that you've managed to get the right balance of help. Incidentally what's the difference between a psychiatrist and psychologist? How often do you get to see them? Sorry for being nosy!!
I hate helplines as well. Always just find them sooo awkward!
Thanks, I'm hoping it goes well, just feel a bit panicky tonight about everything, feel all exposed with my folks knowing it all boo.

Steel Maiden · 15-04-2009, 06:12 PM

Its ok. Psychiatrist deals with medication and talks directly about my schiz but the psychologist doesn't talk about symptoms, side-effects etc, she works on what is happening to me and gives me loads of advice and tips, whereas the psychiatrist does a lot more listening than tips.

I see my psychiatrist once every 3 weeks or a month and my psychologist once every 2 weeks.

If you don't mind me asking, what do your parents know that makes things bad?

Littlelostlamb · 15-04-2009, 06:22 PM

Hi Steel Maiden,

I had counselling specifically for when my friend was killed in 1998, and I found it was absolutely brilliant. On mental health issues though, I've found it doesn't help at all. Psycotherapy is much better imo.

Schleier von Dunst · 15-04-2009, 06:32 PM

I have counselling and a psychiatrist. But sometimes a psychologist comes into my doctor appointments as well.
My counsellor often asks about my medication and that side of things, but can't do anything about them. I find she lets me vent, but often I let her do most of the talking. When this happens, I leave feeling ****, but when I can vent, I leave feeling a bit better. She doesn't really help me with the problems I have, but I don't want to stop seeing her because she's one of a very few people that I can trust.