Firstly, I'm not a doctor...

I need something more concrete to waste that much time, but thanks anyway

Well, if you don't think that anything is wrong or that anything is stopping you from having a pleasant life then there isn't much I can say to convince you to make an appointment. If you notice any of your symptoms getting worse or if your suspicion grows I encourage you to see someone as soon as you can. Good luck.

Thanks, have a nice one ^^

It's been exactly one year since I have been admitted to a mental ward and had psychosis. First 6 months I have been depressed, but the second half was much better, I focused on self improvement and got rid of bad habits. These last few days I have been stressing out because I am thinking about my ex again, the breakup is what gave me a stress and lack of sleep induced psychosis. I have been trying to socialize more and I have met many people but I havent found a girlfriend... It has been hurting my confidence. How do I get over approach anxiety?

I think its great that you're out being social and feeling confident again but I think this is definitely something you should be talking out with your psychiatrist/therapist/counselor. I say this because stress is a huge trigger as far as psychiatric symptoms go and relationship stress is about as damaging as they come. I think it would be very beneficial to rope your team in on these conversations that if something does go wrong you are mentally strong enough to withstand the stress of a relationship without losing all this progress and falling back into a crisis. The focus, at all times, should be on taking care of yourself. If holding off on relationships until you can better process anxiety is what needs to happen I encourage you to find the strength to make that decision.

Is homosexuality cause by a lack of self worth, or poor view of oneself?

>Is homosexuality cause by a lack of self worth, or poor view of oneself?
No, it is not. Do you have a more specific question?

I am a beginning grad student in mathematics.
I am doing well and have decent studying habits.
I (obviously) have the feeling that being a mathematician is the best way for me to make a living, and I don't have anything else I want to do : I don't really care about socializing, having a gf, a hobby etc..
I decided that I would "sacrifice"(not really a loss for me) everything except my health to become the strongest mathematician I can become, as corny as it sounds.
Lately, I am unsuccesfully trying to improve my studying habits from the 5~7 hours of daily studying I was used to, to a solid 10~12 hours of studying everyday.
This might seem too much but this is what ""sacrifice/dedication"" means to me, and I don't want to half ass it.
Sometimes I have been talking really long walks (one hour and a half)to avoid my desk.
How do I manage to do this ?

Is it possible I have been damaged/altered after being in a relationship with someone with BPD?

I feel really shitty now, as if I inherited part of her illness.

A large part of success is understanding self-care. Abusing your body will only end up damaging you in the long run. The best athletes in the world, for example, embrace this concept fully. There is such a thing as over training. Body builders have rest and cheat days. Long distance runners and swimmers eat thousands of calories a day to compensate for the energy they burn. They are at the top of their game because giving themselves proper rest, nourishment and leisure is just as important as training. If you truly care about being a great mathematician then you have to take care of yourself. Your body is never going to respond positively to overworking yourself and your dream of becoming an excellent mathematician will suffer as a result.

I don't know about the terms "damaged" or "altered" but can it heavily impact your mental health and your perception of future relationships? Absolutely. Dealing with someone that has BPD can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. That kind of experience can permanently color your view of relationships, absolutely. Never underestimate the power of stress. Stress can completely mentally and/or emotionally break someone. If you're still feeling the stress of this relationship then you should see a therapist or a counselor. If you're the kind of person who absorbs the stress and dysfunction of others then you owe yourself a healthy way to discuss these issues.

Thank you.
I will try to find out what type of resting works best for me.

Hi Doc,
20 years later do you believe the death of a person's father would still... pressure and stress a person? Assuming, of course, professional help was never sought at-the-time.
Would it exacerbate or quietly die down over time?

I'm interested to extrapolate if needed but I'd like a face-value opinion first, if at all possible.
Thanks in advance.

Will it prove benifitial? I heard health care professionals don't even want to assist people with BPD. I also don't want to piss away a large sum of money for some shrink just to hear me vent.

Generally speaking, my experience is this; unresolved emotions will always be unresolved no matter how many time has passed. Sometimes these emotions remain dormant and don't cause any issues, sometimes they're kind of absorbed into people's daily behavior and they just learn to cope and sometimes they become crippling life long afflictions.

The relationships we have with our parents are some of the strongest, most deeply embedded emotions that we will ever experience especially if they are from our childhood. I've met patients in their 40's and 50's who are still struggling every day with unresolved emotions regarding their parents. The death of a parent can often exacerbate these unresolved emotions because working it through with that parent is no longer an option. You will never get an opportunity to say something or do something with that parent ever again and that reality, for a lot of people, can be extremely damaging. So the short answer to your question is yes, absolutely. Depending on the relationship someone has with their parents any unresolved issues or emotions they have can be an indefinite source of stress or pressure.

>Will it prove benifitial?
Lets just say there is no downside to meeting with someone and seeing if speaking with them helps. If just having an objective person to vent to helps the stress and anxiety you feel then it is my personal opinion that the money isn't wasted.
>I heard health care professionals don't even want to assist people with BPD
I haven't found that to be true. People with BPD require a very specific kind of treatment though so, in a certain sense, I can understand how one would feel rejected by the mental health system. Not every professional is equipped to properly treat a BPD patient and give them the support they need. Due to its destructive effects on the people around it BPD can be a very very isolating condition.

I love being anonymous so I can post about this freely since I've never told anyone.

I have hebephilia (from ages about 13 and up, depends on how develop the girls are), I'm pretty sure it's from constant rejection through school and never having a gf all through that time when all my friends did, so I'm probably feeling the need to master that period in my life by wanted what I never had. I've never, ever made an advance towards any girls younger than 18, and I could never hurt or damage anyone like that either and the thought of abusing a girl like that makes me wince, but it is still incredibly appealing.

Anything to be concerned over? I'm 30 now, no plans on ever pursuing this, but if I ever went to a country where this wasn't illegal and frowned down upon I could see myself looking up escort services for it.

>I could never hurt or damage anyone like that either and the thought of abusing a girl like that makes me wince
Not only is this a thought that should remain at the front of your mind at all times it is something that you should be actively seeking treatment for. Just by the fact that you are even remotely considering sexual tourism means that your grasp on this condition is not as tight as you think it is. Seek treatment immediately. As a mental health professional it is obviously my job to help anyone who comes to me and asks for it but in situations like this protecting children from abuse is the number one priority. Even if you suffer as a result of it the only option you should pursue is the one that best ensures that no children are hurt or abused.

If you ever fuck a child you should kill yourself desu

Going TO another country JUST for that seems insane and not worth it, but that's something I'll consider seeking therapy for when I'm a little more financially stable, I didn't consider it a priority since it very rarely comes up.

>I'll consider seeking therapy for when I'm a little more financially stable, I didn't consider it a priority since it very rarely comes up.
Make sure you consider it before it comes up, not when it starts coming up. Losing control of this predilection of yours will not only destroy the lives of innocent children but your life as well. Don't be lazy about this, user. This is as serious as it gets.

I don't have much experience with relationships, but I'm whatever enough to occasionally get girls interested. The problem is that I fall for them hard and fast, and that always scares them away. Is getting attached so quickly normal for someone inexperienced, or could this be a symptom of some deeper issue?

I can give more context/background if needed.

>I could never hurt or damage anyone like that either and the thought of abusing a girl like that makes me wince
>I ever went to a country where this wasn't illegal and frowned down upon I could see myself looking up escort services for it.
Bit contradictory there m8. Remember, even if the legal age of consent is lower, prostitution is no life for a teenage girl. She and be getting an education and having fun, not being taken advantage of by god knows who. She won't be doing it by choice, but because someone made her. It'll likely fuck her up for the rest of her life. Please don't do this.

At what point should I go to the hospital? I'm 99% sure I'm not going to kill myself but the pain is really unbearable. I've been on lexapro for over 2 months now and it isn't really helping at all. I'm pretty sure my doctor is planning on just trying a different antidepressant that's going to take another X weeks to work and I can't take it anymore. I'm also making no progress in therapy

> be therapist
> tell people to quit being pussies and deal with their problems by doing something productive
> all my clients lead happy lives and never return
So that's why they keep you coming back for useless advice they want the sheckles

i cant go a minute without thinking of suicide, after being abused for years, you see i have a brain disease and everyone decided it isn't real the more i complain the more they call me crazy and threaten to take me to a mental hospital, the brain disease has made me very mentally disabled, i am definitely cognitively impaired and everyone has decided it was autism 2 years ago false assessments were done claiming i have an autism learning disability, and that my "brain disease belief" is a serious delusion caused by autism.even if i did survive this i would be unable to adapt to normal life ever again i cant live in this world i hate it

edit:often i cant spend a second without thinking of suicide, i even dream of it

>Is getting attached so quickly normal for someone inexperienced, or could this be a symptom of some deeper issue?
It could be both, honestly. It depends on your history and how severe this pattern of yours is. Speaking generally I can say that a lot of people fall hard and fast for people because their validation alleviates some kind of inner turmoil. For example, if you grew up feeling unloved by your parents or alienated from social groups at school then you may be particularly eager to get the validation and love you missed out on from the people in your life. This is just a general example but the point is if you genuinely feel like you can't develop meaningful relationships because of this emotional reaction then seeing a counselor even once a week would be extremely beneficial.
I would immediately take all of these concerns to your doctor and tell them exactly that; that your pain is unbearable and the slow approach isn't working. I don't know what kind of relationship you have with your doctor or therapist but the number one thing is to make them understand the urgency of your situation. If they don't understand the urgency of your pain then they can't formulate a plan to address it. I would, however, tell you not to expect any sudden relief. Unfortunately a lot of long term antidepressants and/or SSRIs take a while to build up in your system. That is just the way they work. If you're even moderately considering formulating a plan to hurt yourself you should check yourself into a hospital immediately. Its not something you should underestimate at all. I can't speak for your situation but in my experience simply finding a medication to keep your depression at manageable levels will free up your time and energy to apply yourself to therapy. I understand its a little difficult to focus on introspection and mental work when the pain is so constant.

I feel like I have no energy whenever I have time to do something, but no time whenever I have energy for it. For example, one of my hobbies is writing. I've get lots of ideas for stuff to write and new scenes to add to my stories while I'm at work. I get really excited about the stories I could be writing. But then when I get home, all that enthusiasm seems to just drain away, along with, like... everything? I can't bring myself to start writing. It's the same with other stuff I do like trying to learn to draw or my exercise. Some days it even feels like too much effort to feed myself.

I don't quite know how to describe this but it's like some shifting combination of an actual lack of energy (somedays I come home from work and just pass out, spend most of the afternoon either sleeping or awake but half-asleep) and just complete apathy (like I have the energy but the effort of even moving isn't worth it). Sometimes it's more of one than the other. I've seen too many days go by where I just watch the hours tick away without being able to will myself into doing anything productive. The next day while I'm at work I'll pep myself up, I'll make outlines of what I want to get done when I'm off of work, all that kind of stuff... But then I get home and all of that motivation just seems to evaporate.

Could this be some kind of depression/other mental health problem, or am I just being a lazy bitch? More to the point, should I go talk to a doctor or psychologist about this or keep trying to power through it on my own (some days I manage to get stuff done and feel happy for being productive, so I think it's possible, but other days it feels so, so much harder to do anything)?

I think you should immediately seek treatment from a mental hospital. I can't convince you that your life is worth living but if there's any lucidity left in you I deeply deeply urge you to find somewhere to stay where they can watch you and keep you safe. It sounds like you need some help working through this brain disease issue and I think the only way to do that is to make sure that you survive long enough to get that help. I think right now the most important thing is making sure you're safe, user. I think if you're able to be somewhere that is stable and safe then you will be in a better state of mind to deal with this brain disease concern that you have.

Is it true you go on a list after going to the doctor for mental health issues?

I enjoy frequenting strip clubs and using the services of escorts. How does one deal with the browbeating from people telling you that no woman will ever love you (in the romantic sense, of course)?

>Could this be some kind of depression/other mental health problem, or am I just being a lazy bitch?
I can't diagnose you with depression but I can say that a lot of my clients that have depression have very very similar stories. I don't believe that this is at all a normal bout of laziness. Having so little energy that you can't even motivate yourself to eat is a very serious issue. I would absolutely recommend seeing a doctor. Like I said, I can't tell you that you have depression but in my clients with depression anti-depressants have often seen remarkable restorations to their energy. Either way, this isn't an issue I would encourage you to power through on your own. It sounds as though the only thing stopping you from actually putting these hobbies/passions of your into action is your energy and if it is indeed a kind of depression then it is extremely treatable.

I’m going somewhere safe
-
Brain disease guy

>Is it true you go on a list after going to the doctor for mental health issues?
No. There is no list. It is a federal crime for me to disclose to anyone, professional or not, that you are a patient of mine without written consent from you, clear and immediate proof that you are a danger to yourself or others or a court order signed by a judge.
Unfortunately I don't think most people are going to be very supportive in your frequent use of strip clubs and escort services. That is just the reality. Depending on the reason why you use these services they may or may not have a point, user. They also may or may not be "browbeating" you from a place of love and concern. It really depends. May I ask you why you feel so compelled to visit these places?

I think that is a wonderful idea, user. I sincerely hope you stay safe and find some proper help.

I am an incredibly unattractive man. This is an objective fact. The only way I'll ever get to have any sort of sexual intimacy with attractive women is through escorts and strippers.

If it's relevant, I know I've struggled with depression in the past. But I haven't been on antidepressents since I was a kid in high school (I just turned 25, for reference), and this issue has only really developed over the last year or so, perhaps?

And usually I can get myself to eat something (some days I eat more than I should because of hunger combined with boredom), that's just the rare extreme. It... kind of fluctuates, I guess? Like I said, some days I actually manage to get stuff done. I felt really proud of myself for banging out a simple little 5K word short story (never mind that I did it at the expense of continuing a longer on-going story I couldn't bring myself to work on) last weekend. I want more of those days, where it's easy to start doing a thing and keep doing the thing, and fewer of the days where all it feels like I can do is lay in bed and maybe pop on some music or Youtube videos.

Regardless though, thank you for your opinion. I've been thinking for a while now that this must just be a problem with me as a person not having enough willpower or focus, but it just kind of occurred to me out of the blue a week or two ago that maybe the problem is more complex than that and medication of some kind could help me. I've been holding off on scheduling a doctor appointment since then because I haven't felt sure that I actually have something going on that a doctor could help me with, and a second opinion on the matter is reassuring.

How can your profession be credible when you have such a conflict of interest?

Well, I'm not going to pretend to understand the reality that you live in. I think, in the framework of your life, the best way to deal with the blowback you get from friends and family about your habits is to either expose them as little as possible to that side of you and to assure them that you feel like you are doing what you need to do to make you happy.

The unfortunate truth is that I have had several clients in your position; people who are either developmentally or physically disabled and feel as though their access to "normal" women is so limited that sex workers are their only immediate option. I don't personally feel like I have any kind of authority or presumption to tell people they are wrong for fulfilling those needs. All I can do in these cases is encourage them to participate in these activities as safely as possible and to not let them get in the way of any chance that they may actually have at finding someone they can connect with on a romantic level.

Additionally, if the people in your life are "browbeating" you about this habit of yours from a place of plain cruelty and not concern then you shouldn't be around them. You shouldn't subject yourself to people making fun of you simply for the sake of making you feel bad. You have a legitimate problem and while the solution you've found is less than ideal it is your life and if it makes you even momentarily satisfied you are entitled to that feeling and they should respect that reality when criticizing you.

>How can your profession be credible when you have such a conflict of interest?
How do you mean?
I'm glad I could help. I definitely want to express to you more than anything that, if it is your depression coming back, it is extremely treatable. You don't HAVE to shoulder this without help. Even something on a very low dose could be very beneficial to you. I really wish you the best of luck, user.

I have a therapist, not a psychologist or psychiatrist. Sometimes she gives me good advice and I don't mind talking to her about my life much but other times I'm really unhappy with the sort of advice she gives. She's the first professional I've been to since I turned 18, and the ones my parents picked for me as a child were really scummy. How do I know when it's worth looking for a new therapist or if I'm being too picky? Is it worse the risk of ending up with an even worse one?

Things that I don't like about her include:
>Told her once I'd been cutting contact with friends a lot and that I realized it was self-destructive/motivated by mostly bad reasons, I was much lonelier and I wanted to stop, she tried to argue it wasn't self-destructive and spent the entire 45 minute session in a back and forth argument with me on this
>If I don't have a specific thing I want to talk about or work on in mind the session feels like wasted time
>First session I went to her I told her how I felt like I'd been depressed all my life and she argued twice with me about me probably not being depressed
>Wrote her a list of things I wanted to work on and gave it to her the first session, she hasn't referred back to any of those

Am I expecting too much out of her? She gives me good advice and sometimes homework if I bring something up, but she doesn't revisit many things from previous sessions and she doesn't take initiative to ask about stuff herself. What should I expect out of a good therapist/psychologist? And what should I realistically expect out of the average one I'm likely to meet?

Who is the best love song music person to listen to during unrequited love lonely high school days, and why is it Imogen Heap?

I am a mentaly unstable 29 year old, but Shhhh, no one neeeds to know, right guys?

Attached: Happy 2.png (376x374, 5K)

I was pretty into Alkaline Trio in my love lonely high school days. I was a pretty tumultuous kid.
Honestly, if this is the first professional you've been to since you've turned 18 and you have this many reservations about her I'd just suggest you find a different therapist. Therapists and their clients just not clicking happens all the time. I can't say that one of you was right or wrong in any specific circumstance because I wasn't there but the point is that you're not feeling fully supported by her and that feeling serves as a distraction to your treatment. People expect different things from their therapist so I encourage you to find one that meets your expectations. This particular therapist may just not be a good fit for you.

>Alkaline Trio
I shall look them up posthaste!

In that case, how does one go about 'breaking up with' a therapist and can you give me any tips on finding one who's a better fit for me?

>I was pretty into Alkaline Trio in my love lonely high school days. I was a pretty tumultuous kid.
youtube.com/watch?v=cDGlN6mluGA

Not sure what to do, but if money is involved, it would be best to make a clear, but clean, break. otherwise, they may try to keep you due to you being a source of income for them.... and if they wouldn't do that, then a clean an honest break should do.... but I don't know how to do break ups so well.

As for a better fit, that's the million dollar question, buddy... not sure how to help you out with that to be honest.

Pic related. May you one day find as much joy and happiness as she has here.

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Hahaha, I did not expect you to to enjoy them. They are old man punk rock.

You don't have to speak with her directly but just call her office and say you're no longer going to be booking sessions from her. If you have insurance the best way is to call them up and get a list of therapists that accept them. Set up a first meeting with a few therapists and just try them out, see if you find one that you click with. Think of it as car shopping. Sit in the driver's seat and try it out.

You may not answer back but I feel like I should address this for all the people that may be confused about my profession. Look, I'm not going to pretend like my field of study is immune from bad people. It isn't. I've encountered many of these people on my road to becoming a mental health specialist but I don't think it speaks to my credibility. Not including the fact that this field is NOT financially lucrative, personally, I think my profession's results is its credibility.

During the first 6 years of my career I was a direct support staff who physically assisted clients on a day to day basis. This meant cooking, cleaning, giving medications, driving them to work, doctor's appointments, and providing day to day supports. The pay wasn't great but I needed the experience and I loved the work. I've been spit on, bitten, punched, kicked and once stabbed with a fork. I've had dents kicked in my car. I've had to chase half naked clients down the street. I've been covered in blood, wrestling to get a razor blade out of a client's hand before. This work is emotionally draining. It takes a giant toll. No one who is in my field makes it this long without having a heart for it. I have a client right now for example who came in homeless, addicted to meth and caffeine pills. She had crippling panic attacks every day and a suicide attempt 9 months ago. Today, she's starting a new job in two weeks and is applying for independent living through the state. Through my program she was able to get the supports she needed, overcome her anxiety and heal her relationship with her family. I've had dozens of cases like hers through the years so when anyone asks me about my profession that is what I tell them. Helping people is my passion. I think the lives my profession has saved is credibility enough.

i was about to go to the hospital to seek help for my brain disease and my parents started screaming at me telling me they will call the police on me and tell them i am crazy if i go outside...i guess the only option really is suicide

I think that your parents can't help you with the thing you need help with. I know its terribly discouraging to have your parents be so cruel to you about your issues but I think the people at the hospital will listen to you much better than they will. I know its going to take a lot of courage but I really think you should push through and make it to the hospital. Just a moment ago you told me you were going to go somewhere safe and if that is still what you want I think we both know that at home with your parents isn't safe.

i don't know if the doctors will even be able to help me they may just say i am schizophrenic, this will never end i'm better off ending my misery early, im tired of being called mentally ill and autistic and i doubt any medical professional will help it will only be worse

That's all I can do, user. I do not look forward to the day when I have to lie to a significant other about these things because, as you said, the overwhelming majority will not reactive positively to learning that about me. It's rather depressing, actually, that all of the good parts about me would be invalidated because of my vice. I am hurting nobody in my actions.

I want to commit suicide but don't think I could ever do it because where I live there are no access to guns. Theres no other alternative I can think of that would be painless. Then I just think about my family and how unfair it would be to them, but at a certain point I dont know how to live a happy life friendless, especially after getting cheated on.

Going through a breakup and it’s not my first or even longest relationship but it’s absolutely destroyed my mental health and I can’t shake the thought of wanting her back. Hooking up with her after three months of no contact last week hasn’t helped me at all. What logical steps do I take to move on forever and forget about her?