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Overwhelmed, how do I tell my therapist? At what point do you know you need to admit yourself to a hospital?

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LittleBigFoot

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How do I tell my therapist I’m overwhelmed? I’m on the verge of losing everything, I have roughly 2 more chances to make my attendance at work better and then I’m fired. I want to stay here, I’ve got good insurance to work on everything. But I’m so overwhelmed all I want to do is call in. Going in to work means having a panic attack first and a whole mental process of convincing myself to do it and stay the whole day. I’m so exhausted and I know a lot of this has to do with what we are working on in therapy and the fact I’m also having weekly dietitian appointments which just seem like so much and I’m drowning and I don’t know what to do except to self sabotage and quit work, therapy, all of it and just work doordash to pay necessary bills and nothing more.

I’m lost and anxiety is at such an all time high. I would also lose my medication if I quit cause no insurance but f*ck I don’t feel like it’s helping anyway.
 
I'm sorry that you're struggling right now. I just blurt it out to my therapist and literally say I'm having trouble and I'm overwhelmed. I know that is hard, and it took me quite a while to get to the point that I was comfortable telling him that. I also realize that he can't help me if I keep telling him I'm ok.

I'm not sure where you are located, but in the US we can have a doctor write a note to be off work for weeks (or more) at a time and go on state disability where we get pay from the state because we are unable to work. It gives you a chance to get a break and take time to slow down and take care of yourself.
 
I’m so exhausted and I know a lot of this has to do with what we are working on in therapy and the fact I’m also having weekly dietitian appointments which just seem like so much and I’m drowning
If you're at the point where you're seriously considering quitting your job? Then I'd tell my T that, and definitely wind back the dietician appointments to fortnightly (at most).

Sounds like time to be working on reducing the baseline anxiety levels rather than pushing more work on your relationship with your mum. Therapy is hard work, but it's not meant to be so hard that it pushes you over the edge, yeah?
At what point do you know you need to admit yourself to the hospital?
My line in the sand is fairly simple: can I keep myself safe for the next 24 hours?

If yes, and I've needed to ask myself that: Then I give my T a call, and let them know how bad things are. Because that's what Ts are generally good for.

If the answer is No? Then I take myself to the ED and let them decide if I need an admission, and either outcome on that? I call my T and let them know.
 
How do I tell my therapist I’m overwhelmed? I’m on the verge of losing everything, I have roughly 2 more chances to make my attendance at work better and then I’m fired. I want to stay here, I’ve got good insurance to work on everything. But I’m so overwhelmed all I want to do is call in. Going in to work means having a panic attack first and a whole mental process of convincing myself to do it and stay the whole day. I’m so exhausted and I know a lot of this has to do with what we are working on in therapy and the fact I’m also having weekly dietitian appointments which just seem like so much and I’m drowning and I don’t know what to do except to self sabotage and quit work, therapy, all of it and just work doordash to pay necessary bills and nothing more.

I’m lost and anxiety is at such an all time high. I would also lose my medication if I quit cause no insurance but f*ck I don’t feel like it’s helping anyway.
I have a similar situation. My job which I am about to quit and go to a new one always cause me to get panic attacks which made me call-in more often than I wouls like on top of that when I turn to my peers or sister about it they just tell me to keep working or tell me it's up to me if I stay in and it doesn't help but makes me feel guilty or awful.

I had so made suicidal ideations because of this job and almost came close to it too. I eventually found a new job that pays more and I hope it's at least somewhat better than my old one that had too much going on. I was offared to stay at hospital because my suicidal thoughta but I said no because I was still working at the old job and didn't want it to affect my job since the management is so uptight about attendance but I wondered if I should have went anyway.

Another reason why I didn't get hospitalized is because I dont want my dad or sister bombarding me with questions and getting mad at me. (I still live with them) I'm sorry I am not much help but I had to comment.
 
Depends a little on whether you live alone or with other people.

I live with others unfortunately.

how many external pressures you are managing while being mentally unwell.

A lot actually, my sister being sick, deep dive in therapy, attacking my eating disorder, full time stressful work, living with people who are stressful in themselves.
but in the US we can have a doctor write a note to be off work for weeks (or more) at a time and go on state disability where we get pay from the state because we are unable to work.
I’m in the US and hadn’t heard about this, unless I have and didn’t realize what it was. I need to look into it badly.

wind back the dietician appointments to fortnightly

I really need to do this. It’s like deep dive therapy twice a week now and sometimes they’re on the same day.
can I keep myself safe for the next 24 hours?

I can so I think I need to focus on reducing the anxiety more than getting admitted. I don’t necessarily want to kill myself. I more want a break and when I was admitted before it was a super welcome break.


Thank you all.
 
I more want a break and when I was admitted before it was a super welcome break.
That makes sense, given all you're describing.

It sounds like a referral and acceptance to a residential treatment program is really what you'd want, rather than a self-admit to hospital. If your employment status gives you some kind of protection under FMLA, you could probably take an extended leave but retain your insurance benefits, and have your job still there, if you wanted it post-discharge.

The benefits of a residential treatment program are exactly what you described - a break, a place that is entirely away from the pressures and burdens of the day-to-day - but what it also provides is intensive, focused goal-oriented therapy. It's not appropriate for people who are in a suicidal crisis, but it's exactly right for people who know they are over-burdened and heavily struggling to avoid a suicidal crisis.

Have you ever considered residential care?
 
I think you are getting a lot of practical advice and help. I often wonder that in times of like this it is very easy to lose sight of our own reservoir of resilience. It seems like you are really strong to even come to this point of pain and still parse it through with a powerful mind/cognition. I wonder if you could maybe ask yourself what is it you may need from the therapist at this point and if you can see - if a tiny bit of that is inside of you as welll and could tap into it. I feel when I am in the down of down, I often ask what do I need as if I am talking to a child (which sort of is for me the part that is hurting), crying for love, attachment or touch.
 
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