what do you get out of counseling?

[gadguy]

Just got back from my Dr and we discussed how improved my anxiety is, with the exception of dating. Any we discussed how I felt during an attack and such. He suggested that I should start seeing someone in regard to my anxiety.

I'm not sure what good it would do so i want some input as to what it is that you may or may not get out of counceling. Frankly the idea scares me to death, I don't know why but it does.

What shoudl I do?

[unnerved]

You have to remember that everyone is different. What works for some won't work for others. If I were you I would try counseling, just to see if it helps. If it doesn't, you don't have to continue.

For me, I never really liked the idea of going to counseling. Rather than helping with the issues, they would rather spend time finding something to blame your issues on. Placing blame does not change the fact that you have anxiety and there are ways to make it better.

[snowpea]

Personally counseling has never helped me. But like unnerved said, everyone is different.

I'm not a big fan of them though, nothing ever seemed to go anywhere, I saw a psychiatrist once and he was awesome, very intelligent and gave some fantastic advice...but he was too expensive for me! haha. I find there is a huge difference between Psychiatrists and "counselors".

[Robbed]

The degree to which counseling is effective is largely dependent on the abilities of the counselor. And unfortunately, there are not alot of good ones out there.

[hesson81]

I think Robbed is right, Depends on you, depends on the cousilor. I have been going once a week for the last two months or so. I have been improving, but I don't know how much I can atribute this to Him. I can't say that it hasn't because I have been going and I have improved, but I think the majority of what i think has been helping is the self help books. "The anxiety and phobia workbook" ect. I'm reading "at last a life" by Pual david, if you can afford the 26 us dollars, this is worth it. I have learned so much from it, and found new ways of looking at things.

I realize that Anxiety comes from the way you percieve things. If you can look at them in a different way, it can take the stress out of the way you feel.

I was first introduced to Anxiety 6 months ago, think I have dealt with it for years, just never paid attention to it, though i did enough to know it was there. Just thought i was "not normal". Never knew it was the way I think that was doing it. My youngest son had a Siezure (in front of me), and that buckled me. After three weeks I was no longer worried about him, I worried about me.

The point: depeneding on how bad your experiencing it, the symptoms start stressing you out so much that, over time that in itself creates anxiety. We experience anxiety from stressing out, stressing out more doesn't fix it.

I saw one councilor when it started to happen. I had to leave her, because she started causing me more worry than I needed. I question what she actualy knows about anxiety. Any way, it can be hit or miss in terms of therapy. I would try self help books if you can first, knowledge is power when it comes to this.

I can admit that a lot of anxiety is a result of our irrational thinking, if you can recognize that you can find yourself worrying about things during the day, and stop yourself like deer in headlights, and ask yourself if it's something you should worry about, or should even care about. It kinda sucks because I hate monitoring my thoughts, but you alsmost have to to limit worrying. What I have noticed is with some drive and practice, you can actually change it. Worrying is learned and a habbit. If you want to go in the other direction you can change it, to the point where not worrying will be your new habbit.

[alskik]

Overall I find that counselling helped me help myself. It is just a chance to get all of your emotions out in a completely unbias zone! It is suprisingly useful. It is just hard to find a decent counsellor sometimes.

*edit by Moderator: removed spam

Peace everyone
Hope to see you soon
Alski K

[CindyE]

I see a psychoanalyst. I thought maybe it would be all about blaming my parents, etc., which I felt like I'd gotten over already. It hasn't been that way. He helps me understand my symptoms and how to manage them. I think it helps that he is close to my age, and has experienced anxiety himself. Some of the visits are more helpful than others. Sometimes it seems like we just chat about whatever, and I wonder if that is useful, but i suppose it helps him see what "makes me tick". It usually does lead to something helpful.

[wannabe-dj92]

Personally from counselling i gain assurance that the condition can be helped and also its good to have someone who understands to talk to :)

[1970]

I find counselling good

I think its that you can really tell somebody how you feel without being judged and it is a load off your mind to get it out

Telling friends how you feel that dont understand these things is hard as they sometimes look at you in different ways afterwards or dont feel comfortable around you anymore,

With a counceller its just between you and them, nobody else has to know how you feel

[PanicPreventer]

It allows me to really get my feelings out and hear that I'm not crazy from a professional who REALLY knows what he is talking about. I enjoy it because it's just something that lets me relieve stress, a lot.

[ruby-leigh]

I have been going to see psycologists, councillers you name it since i have been 11 years old and as much as i do find them helpful they do seem be quite repetative. I definatly understand my anxiety alot better now and definatly feel i have some control over it but one thing that i have learned is that it all comes from inside and if you cant help yourself them you cant expect anybody else to.

[bio]

with due respect, i can't say counselors are not competent. but if given a choice, i will seek professional help from psychiatrist. my reason is quite simple- i am working at mental health institution( i can't relate to you more).

[soJACKedup]

I saw a psychologist twice before I discovered I couldn't afford her anymore. I felt like we REALLY connected and she could have helped me, so that was a bummer that I couldn't afford the help.

I also saw a counselor at my college for about a year - on and off. I felt that she helped me. I thought just talking to someone about my problems was a good way to get things off my chest. She also had an alcoholic father, and my parents are both alcoholics, so we could relate on that. I eventually stopped seeing her though, because the talks we had became really repetitive. I would just come and whine about the same thing every week, and that was it. It's still nice to know she's there though.

What do you have to LOSE from going to counseling other than an hour of your time? That's the real question. It's something you might as well do, and if it doesn't help, then you can stop going.