Do You Tell Your Shrink EVERYTHING?

[Dave]

Dave, I guess I did about 8 sessions. We got my negative model down to a zero, and the insights between sessions were incredible. We used the audio/palm vibrator, and LED machine.
I've never been so impressed with something that at first appeared so fruitcakey. I feel brand-new and extremely optimistic. Before she went on 3 weeks vacation, she taught me some CBT techniques I think it was you who recommended.

I'll shoot you a PM with details.

Sounds like you did well. Pretty similar to what I did, although I didn't go quite as deep.

It sure is fruitcakey at first, but you can't argue with the results. It. Works.

I don't think that it's a complete panacea though. In my case I still need to develop my social skills and confidence, but that's something that comes with time and effort rather than therapy.

 

[drug_wench]

and therapists and counselors have varying qualifying requirements depending on their specialty

yep pretty much - the only diffrence (and as u said this cud b to do with diffrence in location) is therapists can practise in CBT/EMDR/etc the same way a psychologist can, without holding the masters
counsellors, however, r just basically there to listen and give advice
much luck JF

 

[BadHabbit]

yes yes i do

 

[xxkcxx]

So, I'd like to tell my psychiatrist that I've been in a relapse for the past 3 months, but we have had so many conversations about how I am dealing with life sober, and I have a court case going on where I might need her to verify we have been working on how to live like sober for the past while.


Do you think I should tell her? I see her again tonight...

 

[mrs_mia_wallace]

I could be completely wrong about this, but I always assumed the two terms were more-or-less interchangeable. Perhaps it's different where you live, but i always assumed that psychiatrists are obviously the highest echelon of mental-health professionals, the only ones who can legitimately be called "Doctor" (aside from Ph.D's, I think), and the only ones who can prescribe meds. Psychologists reqire a master's degree at least and are second-bananas to the headshrinkers, and therapists and counselors have varying qualifying requirements depending on their specialty. Here in Texas, for example, I believe an LCDC (Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor) needs only a four-year degree and possibly less.

Haha don't tell a psychologist that

The way it’s always been explained to me is that a psychologist IS a doctor, and has to be have a PhD, PsyD, or EdD. They have to go through the same amount of schooling as an MD and then go through the same process of being interns/completing their residency. They also have to have a certain amount of hours of counseling (usually unpaid) to get their license. Psychologists usually either center their work load around counseling patients, or pretty commonly doing research/teaching at university level (teaching at university and performing research they would need a doctorate). Also, the therapists in in-patient programs at hospitals are almost always psychologists… and the heads/people in the upper levels of the different departments (eating disorders, child/adolescent, geriatric) that make major decisions/decide how long they think a patient should be in treatment, are all psychologists. I’ve always heard them addressed as doctor when I’ve been in treatment; everyone calls my psych Dr. (except for me

Counselors and social workers don’t have a doctorate and usually go to school for half the time… usually they just have a masters, and don’t have to do as many hours to get their license or go through the same process of residencies/interning…. So they wouldn’t quality as doctors, and get paid a lot less $.

Psychiatrists aren’t necessarily higher up on the ladder, basically they’re medical doctors (have an MD with a specialization in psychiatry). They can prescribe medication but they aren’t trained to counsel their patients in any other way, and they can’t open up a practice as they aren’t certified. So they would be higher up on the ladder than counselors and social workers, but not psychologists.

The terms are basically dependent on the degree the individual holds, not on the region so they mean the same thing anywhere in the US

*I’m not a mental health professional so some of this may be off, it’s just what I’ve picked up on from my many years of being around therapists

 

[New]

I don't lie to my therapist, it doesn't really help me. And when I lie I tend to freeze up, so she can tell anyway.

 

[xxkcxx]

Haha don't tell a psychologist that

The way it’s always been explained to me is that a psychologist IS a doctor, and has to be have a PhD, PsyD, or EdD. They have to go through the same amount of schooling as an MD and then go through the same process of being interns/completing their residency. They also have to have a certain amount of hours of counseling (usually unpaid) to get their license. Psychologists usually either center their work load around counseling patients, or pretty commonly doing research/teaching at university level (teaching at university and performing research they would need a doctorate). Also, the therapists in in-patient programs at hospitals are almost always psychologists… and the heads/people in the upper levels of the different departments (eating disorders, child/adolescent, geriatric) that make major decisions/decide how long they think a patient should be in treatment, are all psychologists. I’ve always heard them addressed as doctor when I’ve been in treatment; everyone calls my psych Dr. (except for me

Counselors and social workers don’t have a doctorate and usually go to school for half the time… usually they just have a masters, and don’t have to do as many hours to get their license or go through the same process of residencies/interning…. So they wouldn’t quality as doctors, and get paid a lot less $.

Psychiatrists aren’t necessarily higher up on the ladder, basically they’re medical doctors (have an MD with a specialization in psychiatry). They can prescribe medication but they aren’t trained to counsel their patients in any other way, and they can’t open up a practice as they aren’t certified. So they would be higher up on the ladder than counselors and social workers, but not psychologists.

The terms are basically dependent on the degree the individual holds, not on the region so they mean the same thing anywhere in the US

*I’m not a mental health professional so some of this may be off, it’s just what I’ve picked up on from my many years of being around therapists

That's pretty much what I have picked up too, except that in my inpatient facilities, most of the staff on the floor were mental health counselors, and the department heads that were never on the floor were the psychologists.

But I bet that is different everywhere.

 

[paranoid android]

Here I am complaining about having paid to see a private psychologist, and in other countries you have to pay $85 just to get a prescription refill. Fuck. That. Noise. Medical care is a right, not a privilege.

Exactly and here there are some canadians wanting to scrap the whole free health care thing. Fuck that. Just because some rich fucker can afford to see whoever he wants doesent mean i have to suffer just because im poor.

In newfoundland private psychologists are not paid for either. I had to see one to see if i had ADHD or not and luckily it was paid for. Im somewhat borderline ADHD and i don't really want to be on any meds for it right now. If i go back to school then yes i might go on meds for it.


It sucks that you have problems with your social skills and all that. I used to be like that alot until i got my anxiety under control (i took a shortcut and went on clonazepam which i have no intension of coming off) but now i have no trouble with that. The clonazepam didnt do all the work since i did do abit of CBT.

Some people think i have a problem with anger but really im not that easy to piss off on most occasions. It's only when some twat really acts dumb that i'll go off on them. I guess that could be called a anger problem but i dunno. Shag it .

 

[Dave]

Heh, I live in Alberta, home of 'The Third Way'. There are already private clinics for the wealthy in Calgary. None in Edmonton yet, but give it time.

It really highlights the downside of representational democracy. Because S. Alberta are mostly Ultra-conservative Mormons, they out-populate the rest of the province, and we keep getting Cons in power. I've never been represented at any level of government, save civil.

 

[paranoid android]

Heh, I live in Alberta, home of 'The Third Way'. There are already private clinics for the wealthy in Calgary. None in Edmonton yet, but give it time.

It really highlights the downside of representational democracy. Because S. Alberta are mostly Ultra-conservative Mormons, they out-populate the rest of the province, and we keep getting Cons in power. I've never been represented at any level of government, save civil.

Ya theres not many liberals in alberta that's for sure. I lived in edmonton for awile and everyone was pretty conservative except alot of my fellow newfies who moved there and some of the other people from the east but even alot of the longtimers there where voting conservative. For some reason ive heard of edmonton being reffered to as the most liberal place in alberta and if that is the case id hate too see calgary.

It's the opposite here as noone votes federal conserrvative even though we have a conservative government but as you know with the politics here we have nothing to do with the right wingers. Dunno why they even call themselves conservatives since they are more liberal then the liberals.

Ive heard of private clinics going up in calgary alright. Im pretty sure there are rules against that but the current government certainly won't do anything about it.

 

[absent minded]

Doesn't it cost like $100 an hour to see a shrink? How come drug addicts can afford to see shrinks?
Seriously... explain.

its called insurance...once you turn 18 and get a job you will understand. and just because we are addicts does not mean we are poor and living paycheck to paycheck.

 

[absent minded]

So, I'd like to tell my psychiatrist that I've been in a relapse for the past 3 months, but we have had so many conversations about how I am dealing with life sober, and I have a court case going on where I might need her to verify we have been working on how to live like sober for the past while.


Do you think I should tell her? I see her again tonight...

if court is involved, no... because i think she would be going against the rules of her job if she withheld info in court.

 

[mrs_mia_wallace]

That's pretty much what I have picked up too, except that in my inpatient facilities, most of the staff on the floor were mental health counselors, and the department heads that were never on the floor were the psychologists.

But I bet that is different everywhere.

You mean the staff on the floor or the therapists?

In my experience depending on how good/wealthy the facility was the floor staff was either RNs or mental heath practitioners. But the therapista that came to do individual therapy with patients were either psychologists or working on finishing their hours to get certified.

 

[Bomboclat]

I use to tell my shrink everything
it really helped me later on when problems would arise because she understood and really knew me (well, enough) so it was easier to help me cop with my problems.

 

[junctionalfunkie]

Haha don't tell a psychologist that

The way it’s always been explained to me is that a psychologist IS a doctor, and has to be have a PhD, PsyD, or EdD.

Technically, yes, they are considered "doctors." But any M.D. or D.O. would snicker (if not outright laugh their motherfucking head off) if they heard you call an Ed.D. "doctor." Doctors of Medicine almost exclusively see themselves as a sort of advanced race, even compared to other "doctors." A Psychiatrist is a Medical Doctor (ususally an MD, who then does further study in Psychiatry (hence their ability to prescibe drugs). A Psychologist hold no medical degree.

Otherwise, I agree w/ you entirely. I, myself, am technically a Doctor of Theology. I got my degree in literally ten minutes on the Interwebz 10 years ago or so. I am legally permitted to perform some marriages.
Though the only things I've ever joined in Holy Matrimony have been my pen-and-pencil set. I figured they had been living together in sin for years, and it was time.

Semantics.

 

[drug_wench]

its called insurance...once you turn 18 and get a job you will understand. and just because we are addicts does not mean we are poor and living paycheck to paycheck.

shes over 18 and has a job
u r making assumptions
i also dont think she meant to offend - things work diffrently in NZ to USA

libs - i hate the amount we hav to pay for doctors visits too
as i am on the invalids benefit, it costs me a little less, esp as i hold a high users card as well as a community services card, but it is still very expensive and i avoid seeing doctors even wen im pretty sick
i usually wait till i end up in hospital
luckily im not prone to infections now im no longer on the P - its mainly either for one of my horse-riding injuries or for my asthma
its outrageous wat working ppl pay tho - wheres the reward for actually....working?

mental health services here can b found that r free/very cheap tho

EDIT: just paid $60 for a doctors visit cos my arm was aching and paul saw a grey aura around it - turns out i hav phlebitis (fuck knows why, im very careful to clean before and after injecting but there u hav it....see its still fairly expensive for me too!)

 

[absent minded]

weird. i guess its different in every country. socialized medicine is a whoole nother monster..

 

[**hAyzzZZ**]

The few I have seen, no.

Not everything I felt was even relevant anyway. The last counsellor I was seeing, i really liked. I told her most things on my mind, but not all, one hour isn't enough time.

 

[mrs_mia_wallace]

Technically, yes, they are considered "doctors." But any M.D. or D.O. would snicker (if not outright laugh their motherfucking head off) if they heard you call an Ed.D. "doctor." Doctors of Medicine almost exclusively see themselves as a sort of advanced race, even compared to other "doctors." A Psychiatrist is a Medical Doctor (ususally an MD, who then does further study in Psychiatry (hence their ability to prescibe drugs). A Psychologist hold no medical degree.

Otherwise, I agree w/ you entirely. I, myself, am technically a Doctor of Theology. I got my degree in literally ten minutes on the Interwebz 10 years ago or so. I am legally permitted to perform some marriages.
Though the only things I've ever joined in Holy Matrimony have been my pen-and-pencil set. I figured they had been living together in sin for years, and it was time.

Semantics.

Agreed, but I think being a psychologist is a bit more related to the medical field. All I know is, everytime I've been in a treatment center and heard people talk, the psychologists are always referred to as "Dr ****" by the nurses, group leaders, fellow psychologists, patients...

Oh and I mentioned Ed.D because that's usually the degree that educational psychologists have (specialize in treating adolescents, learning disorders, etc)

 

[30roxi30]

if your presribed to benzo's i wouldnt say anything .... i never abused benzos and was prescribed 6mg a day ..i think my doc was a little more crazy then me to give me that much ..i only would take 1 to 2 mgs a day ... not that i have came clean with doctors about a oxy addiction they wont give me anything for anxitey even tho i have stop taking oxy ...and my anxiety is at its worst