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Sufferer New here, tell me what works best for you

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Hello everyone! I'm new here and was recently diagnosed with PTSD, Avoidant Personality Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I have structural disassociation, so like there are a few personality splits. This is due to childhood trauma, mostly from my dad. I was sexually, verbally, psychologically, and somewhat physically. My parents divorced when I was 18 after I told my Mom that I couldn't handle it anymore. My psychologist recommended EMDR, internal family systems, and a few other types of therapy. What are things you've found helpful? I feel so alone on my journey to healing, because I'm the only one in my family that has these types of mental issues, despite all of us being in the same environment and abused pretty much the same. I'm glad to have found something like this because I really struggle with my relationships face-to-face. I really want to get better. For years, I thought the flashbacks were anxiety attacks. It wasn't until right before I had the psychological evaluation that I realized that emotional flashbacks exist.
I can tell you EMDR although not easy,not for the faint of heart WORKS well if one is willing to do the necessary inner work .From what you have shared,you are a prime candidate for this treatment. Its helps if your therapist has experienced this also. Ask your therapist about their background. If they are not willing to share that information seek out another therapist. Therapists shouldn't be afraid to share that information. If they are,they are full of shame and need therapy themselves. Ask them if they are in therapy now. Everyone has issues to work on.
 
I can tell you EMDR although not easy,not for the faint of heart WORKS well if one is willing to do the necessary inner work .From what you have shared,you are a prime candidate for this treatment. Its helps if your therapist has experienced this also. Ask your therapist about their background. If they are not willing to share that information seek out another therapist. Therapists shouldn't be afraid to share that information. If they are,they are full of shame and need therapy themselves. Ask them if they are in therapy now. Everyone has issues to work on.
Thank you for the insight. Do you mean asking about a therapists personal background, or their career experience and qualifications? Why would I need to know their personal background?
 
Sometimes it seems f*cked up to me, a long term, dependent relationship on a therapist, like I'm paying someone to care about me. Do you actually get better from therapy, or will you always need a therapist?
An ethical therapist will establish a rough sense of goals with the client, and will fundamentally believe that it's best to eventually transition the client out of weekly therapy. Whether that means they go without therapy, or do a few sessions a year, or move on to full time therapy with a different practitioner....those are only some of the options.

It's difficult to predict how long a journey it'll be to get to the point where the client feels ready to move away from that particular therapist. But something you may notice - there can be periods of time where you yourself just want to take a break from the weekly deep dive into your mind/soul/self. Breaks can be helpful. And sometimes, wrapping up therapy is simply the dawning realization that you'd rather just be living your life from day to day, and you no longer need that structure in order to do your reflecting, or thinking, or growing.

You're not really paying them to care about you. You're paying them to teach you how to care for (and about) yourself.

Also, welcome!
 
Do you actually get better from therapy, or will you always need a therapist?
I hear people actually get better. My T says his goal is to get things to the point where I hear him saying what he'd say even if he's not around. That's actually happened. At least to a point. (Sometimes it happens a bit slow.) So, I'd say, beyond any doubt, that I'm "better" than I was before I started seeing him.
like I'm paying someone to care about me.
I look at it more like I'm paying someone to help me learn a bunch of stuff I should have learned as a kid but didn't have the chance to learn. More like a teacher. He's also been someone I've come to trust enough that when he says, "No, actually that's a SYMPTOM" I consider the possibility. He's never let it be the kind of relationship where I feel like I can't make a move without him. But, what we all need to learn varies too. I'm pretty sure he doesn't handle everyone the same way because everyone isn't the same.
 
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