Confused About Quitting

[kris]

I have been in therapy for nearly 2 years now and I am debating if I should continue or not. What I originally went for does seem to be a lot better, yet I know there is more to work on. I dont know what to do, continue or be done? Before I have wanted to quit but that was avoidance because I was anxious about therapy, now I feel that I am getting no where and that what's the point anymore.

I am afraid to quit therapy at the same time, although I do think quitting is right at the moment. I am afraid that if I quit things are going to go back they way they were before I started therapy. That the trauma symptoms will return full force, that everything I learned is not going to work. I also have suicidal thoughts both ones my therapist says are intrusive and more serious ones that have resulted in my hesitance to say anything for fear of being hospitalized, and a major discussion about trust and that if I got worse I would need to go to the hospital. I dont have a very good support system (somewhat but not a whole lot) and I am afraid that if I do have these thoughts/plans after or if I quit therapy of what will happen. Because even though I have resisted inpatient therapy I have always brought the episodes up with my therapist as I know lying was never going to help me any.

I am so confused about continuing/stopping I just dont know what to do. I thought maybe just cutting back from weekly to every other week....

 

[healingangel90]

Hey Kris. I'm glad you see that you have gotten better with what you began therapy for! It sounds like therapy's been a big help for you, but you also mentioned that you have a few more things you'd like to work on. It's okay to have times where you feel like you aren't making progress, but no matter what, remember to keep taking steps forward. You've already achieved so much :) To me, it sounds like staying in therapy a little longer to see if there is progress sounds like a good idea, but that is only my opinion. I think if you are serious about quitting therapy, cutting back may be a good idea to see how you deal with longer periods of time 'on your own'. Keep us updated.

 

[anthony]

Kris, you just have to ascertain whether you can take the skills learnt from therapy and apply them yourself to your other problems, or not.

That is the idea of therapy... its not actually about treating a specific matter, but more a combination of the problem and teaching the person how to solve their own problems, how to use techniques to control symptoms, etc. Once therapy has done that, then the person must go walk the path themselves and get used to putting all those learnt skills into their daily life, thus where the real improvement will be made.

If you feel you can apply what you have learnt to your other problems, then go for it yourself. If not, or if you need a therapist to bounce things off... then use them for that, but try and use what you have learnt to help yourself.

That is the true goal of therapy... to learn how to solve your own problems and apply techniques into your daily life.