Therapy Makes It Worse For Me

[titanvolsfan1]

The times I have seen a T only makes things worse for me. It's like they don't understand, I go off very easy, my mucels tighten up so tight, it feels as if they are going to rip. I am a very angry person, just been Dianosed with PTSS two weeks ago, but this has been going on since I was 9 years old. At times I just want it all to end. My head just spins out of control.

 

[cherryblossom]

It is very normal for therapy to make you feel worse. Facing your demons, talking about your feelings and challenging your thoughts is not easy, nor is it ever going to become easy. It takes a lot of hard work, but with guidance from your therapist, it will be worth it in the end. You will come out the other side being better equipped to deal with life. You need to be completely honest with your therapist. Maybe your anger issues should be something you deal with first in therapy. Your therapist should be able to help you with your anger issues; there are techniques that can be learnt to manage anger.

 

[kers]

Have you seen a therapist only briefly, or for a longer period where you could build a relationship? Therapy for PTSD really does set you off; that's how it works, as painful as it is. It sounds like you are managing a lot in a therapy session--feeling tense and angry, feeling misunderstood, and feeling out of control.

A good therapist will hear your concerns and frustrations and help you choose one issue to work on. You don't have to be perfectly in sync with your therapist, but you should feel heard and understood most of the time.

 

[Iam]

Both my T's warned me that therapy would be hard and that it would get worse before it gets better. I have found it to be true Titan. That being said, if you don't feel understood by your T then you need to tell him or her. Honesty is the ONLY way to make progress. I have found that it is very difficult for me to confront my T with frustrations I feel towards him at times. In those cases I either email him or write it down to bring up at next session. He has always welcomed my honest feelings and we have been able to work thru them. He has even apologized a few times. It could be a misunderstanding or just your therapist's style. If you aren't able to resolve things and build trust then you need to find a new therapist. Forming a connection and trust with your T is as vital as your being honest. Good luck!

 

[Elphaba]

I feel worse after starting therapy too. I don't think this is uncommon from what I have gathered here. My T did NOT warn me, so I found it very helpful to find people here that have a bit more experience with PTSD treatment. Maybe you could tell your T that you have been feeling worse after the sessions when you next meet? I did when I saw an interim T this summer and he said that "just because it feels painful doesn't mean it's not working."

Now I schedule sessions on a Friday if I can, so I can recover over the weekend.

I hope you are able to discuss this issue with your T as s/he may be able to reassure you, to evaluate what the best way may be for you, and to maybe look at some coping mechanisms for when the backlash comes? Just a few suggestions. I hope it gets better for you soon.

 

[Iam]

I hope you are able to discuss this issue with your T as s/he may be able to reassure you, to evaluate what the best way may be for you, and to maybe look at some coping mechanisms for when the backlash comes?

That is really good advice Elphaba. Putting the coping skills in place before delving really deep into our issues is very important. My trauma T will not even proceed with doing EMDR on specific traumas until I have these coping skills firmly cemented.