# How has therapy helped you?



## waldorfs (Feb 18, 2013)

I see a lot of people on here saying that it's a waste of time, but I'm curious to hear something positive about it? I think I could benefit from consistent therapy. I know this is a SA website but I'm honestly more curious how it has helped people with depression. I still struggle with anxiety and have very little social interaction but at the moment my depression is more life or death. So, yeah. Has therapy actually helped you? How?


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## Relz (Oct 31, 2011)

Therapy* has helped me become more comfortable with opening up about my problems. It allowed me to acknowledge that what I feel is real, instead of thinking that I made it all up. I grew up in a family that doesn't believe in mental illnesses, so being able to talk to someone who didn't dismiss my problems as something "everyone goes through/all in my head" was a huge step forward. In terms of depression, therapy has helped me slightly. I feel less sad, and I don't cry at random very much anymore. I still feel dead inside, though. 

However, I am a person with multiple mental illnesses and therapy has not helped at all with the majority of them (this includes SA). 1-on-1 therapy in an isolated room is never going to help me improve my social skills and gain social confidence out in the real world. Therapy isn't right for me personally--I just have too many issues besides SA & depression that complicate my recovery. I feel like I have gotten all the benefits I possibly can from it, and it's time to move on. But it may help people who only have a single problem to deal with.

*Note: I only have experience with talk therapy, because it's all that's available in my area.


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## slowlyimproving (Jan 2, 2014)

............................


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*not*

they think that's help?

They make it worse

By thinking / pretending that / telling everyone else

Current friend with anorexia in remote hospital 4 months over Xmas

Her therapy is 'counselling' only. Look fwd to see her back home.
I got this at age 7 being told to have a diet of only dry toast for breakfast
because I was bloated & red on a far too high dose of prednisolone


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## social worker (Sep 15, 2014)

waldorfs said:


> I see a lot of people on here saying that it's a waste of time, but I'm curious to hear something positive about it? I think I could benefit from consistent therapy. I know this is a SA website but I'm honestly more curious how it has helped people with depression. I still struggle with anxiety and have very little social interaction but at the moment my depression is more life or death. So, yeah. Has therapy actually helped you? How?


My therapist believes that depression and anxiety are often part of the same issue..."anxious depression", where both live side by side in the mind...certainly true for me. Everyone has their own experience in therapy, like anything, it has to be experienced to be understood. Then you can decide if it's something you want to pursue. Untreated depression is a terrible place to be.


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## GilMon (Aug 4, 2014)

By taking therapy, it can make you happier and healthier. My sister's depression has been treated through therapy. It helps her manage her emotions and learn to see it in a different perspective. It is not a waste of time because talking to a professional can help you find a purpose. I've been sticking around the internet for awhile reading about therapies, such programs in addiction rehab centers Colorado. I've learned that therapy can provide you strategies to help you move forward. If have to try it for yourself to see if its effective, I hope you find a good counselor.


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## Pike Queen (Oct 16, 2013)

I think it helps if you stay consistent with it. That's a problem I have had; not staying consistent with my therapy. However when I was in therapy, it was definitely helping.


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## Fold Space (Feb 2, 2015)

Therapy had helped me tremendously long ago, when I gave it up and began to solve my own problems for myself and never again fell for the psychological flavor of the week. Not for me.


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## borntodie19 (Oct 29, 2014)

It has helped quite make SA does not affect me much, but to a lesser extent overcome the problem, makes you more at peace with yourself .. depends on your level of depression or irrational thoughts will help you more or less


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## Choci Loni (May 12, 2011)

I've been suffering from depression since almost two years back, to the degree that I've been unable to study or work. I feel a lot better now (still munching pills though) and I'm able to study again. 

I've been seeing a therapist from time to time last year, and I think it's a major reason why I feel better now. Part of it is just being able to talk openly without feeling like you're a burden to people around you. Part of it is getting another point of view. It's very easy to get lost in your own perception of reality when you're depressed, and your mind isn't as flexible as it would be otherwise. For me it wasn't so much about hearing completely original thoughts, but reinforcing and anchoring those loosely floating constructive thoughts that were there all the time. It was close to impossible for me to set up goals and then work towards them until they could be substantiated by CBT assignments for example. It slowly made me shift my focus away from all the destructive thinking as well as my tendencies to withdraw into apathy. 

It's pretty hard to make my experience come across, but it doesn't matter. I just think it's definitely worth trying, even if you're skeptical about it. All it takes is an open mind and a determination that you want to get better. And possibly money..? I don't know how it works everywhere, but I feel like it should be heavily subsidised in more places.


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## Imbored21 (Jun 18, 2012)

naw


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## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

What i don't like about it is that therapy is like once/twice a month and i often forget what i talked about.
Also the person i'm talking to right now doesn't feel comfortable talking to me, so i always write a note about everything i'm going to say to that person so it's not going to be any awkward silences. I want to change therapist, but i just can't bring up the courage to tell my parents i don't feel comfortable talking that person. I had three different therapist and it doesn't feel like it helps much, but i do think it helps for some people it does just not for me :S


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## M0rbid (Jan 11, 2011)

Neutral.... But I understand why people think it's a complete waste of time tho...


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