Trying To Figure All This Out... Help?

[Inwardly_Broken]

:sorry: So where to begin? I'm rather confused by everything going on. I have been through a lot in my life and I could list all of it but that'd take a lot of time and space. I am one to bottle everything in and try to ignore it but I know I can no longer do that. I started letting people in but the few I have do not understand. I just want to be able to talk and have people relate to what I say or how I feel and for people to give me helpful advice! I have never seeked professional help but I am concidering it but I am battle with that as well. Why? Because I am a Psychology major and wouldn't that be wrong for a Psych major to be seeing a therapist?

My other main problem as of right now are my dreams. Well, more like nightmares. I've always had nightmares for as long as I can remember, probably due to what happened when I was 6 years old. But the past two years or so they have been getting out of control. They are constantly repeating themselves every night and they are very disturbing. I never want to sleep, when I wake up I am even more tired than before, and my muscles are extremely sore. I sometimes wake up crying and but always wake up full of anxiety. The anxiety follows me for the rest of the day. Sometimes I cannot even have my closest friends tough me without having anxiety.

Another problem of mine is that when I am in public place I have to have my back to the wall. Nobody can be behind me or I start getting nervous. My mind goes wild and plays out any situation that could possibly take place. If somebody hugs me by surprise or gets real close to me I freak out. I become paralyzed in a way and I cannot breathe.

I can list a ton more examples and situations that I've been dealing with but I think yall are getting the idea. There is more that goes on with me but this will be a good enough start.

OH! In one of my Psych classes we have been studying PTSD and I am wondering if I have it? I think I fall into a lot of the symptoms like: reexperiencing, avoidance, anxiety, and I have been noticing that I am become dissociative towards things, situations, and people. What yall think? I just want somebody to finally relate to me. :unsure:

 

[Deleted member 1860]

It could be PTSD, so I urge you to seek out a psychiatrist who can properly diagnose you.

No, not odd for a psych major to see a therapist. Any major is somewhat rudimentary on the UG level. The professionals who can help you have a lot more education under their belts. And considering that it takes an MD to diagnose you...

Oh, and many therapists have therapists of their own, just to put things in perspective.

 

[Inwardly_Broken]

Thanks for the info you provided. It's real comforting to know that therapists have their own therapists. I guess I'll start looking into it. What's the best way to go about finding the right one?

 

[JustBe]

Welcome :D

 

[Britt.f7]

Thanks for the info you provided. It's real comforting to know that therapists have their own therapists. I guess I'll start looking into it. What's the best way to go about finding the right one?

My therapist thinks it is a good thing if a therapist has experienced depression or some other mental illness. She thinks it helps understand more. She gets a little frustrated by their nurse practitioner who doles out the meds because, as nice as he is, she doesn't think he always gets it.

Check with your school. They might have resources available to you. It's okay to move on if you just can't bond with the person. I've had a couple therapists that I had to leave because I just did not feel I could open up to them.

I wish you luck and patience.

 

[saffy]

Because I am a Psychology major and wouldn't that be wrong for a Psych major to be seeing a therapist?

Hi Inwardly_Broken

Definately not wrong! I believe all practising mental health proffessionals, no matter what area or level, should be seeing a counsellor or therapist themselves for more than just advice or discussion. No one would expect a proffessional to be wary of the very thing they are trying to promote. Or they would not be expected to deal with mental health issues if they are not dealing with their own or for their own mental health. Even in basic counselling concept class you are expeted to be able to counsel and be counselled.

I think in your case it would be more beneficial to see someone rather than relying on your friends to fully understand or be in the position themselves to give advice or support. You can have your friends for the life side and the therapist for the deeper stuff. Hope that makes sense.

It could possibly be you are suffering from PTSD but this has to be assessed by a proffessional. You can then know what you are dealing with and what can be done to improve things. Researching the subject through class can lead to good discussion that might allow you to voice some of your problems to your peers as students rather than friends :)

I hope things improve for you and good luck with the course.

best wishes
Saffy :)

 

[Inwardly_Broken]

Saffy, Thank you so much for your input. That has helped a lot and I will take your advice along with everyone elses. I am meeting with the head director of Psychology at my college and I'm going to ask her for good therpists in the area. I go to school in a tiny town where services like this are not offered. So hopefully she'll be able to help me out!

 

[saffy]

That's great inwardly_broken :)

I hope you find one that you gel with and don't be worried about changing to another if not :)

Best wishes
Saffy :)

 

[Spiderallis]

I majored in psychology too. It's awesome that you're meeting with the department director. Many colleges have mental health resources for their students, I hope yours is one of them. Lots of my profs and a few therapists I've seen have mentioned being in therapy- it's more common than you'd think. For me, understanding psychology has helped a lot in sessions, my T and I can use academic terms.

 

[Inwardly_Broken]

Spiderallis, thank you! That is real comforting to know :)

 

[NarcSis]

I'm echoing others statements here, a good many practicing therapists have undergone psychotherapy, in fact, some programs require students to undergo it at the graduate levels.

I'm also going to share the undergrad warning that was imparted unto me, beware self diagnosis, we can often make ourselves fit categories; no diagnosing unless it is done by a professional.

If you are having difficulty that is causing interruptions to your daily function and effecting your studies, by all means seek therapy.

Good luck.

 

[Inwardly_Broken]

Thanks Medic72, yeah I really don't like it when people self diagnose themselves because like you said they make themselves fit those categories and that's not correct. That's why I am really playing with the idea of seeing a therapist. It wouldn't hurt to see one. I mean it can only help in all reality.