Discussion How has your experience with mental health services been?

[The Disqualified]

Mine has been a mixed bag.
I am not that hostile to Psychiatry all things considered, but I tend to be critical of many things, like the idea of 'mental illness' in general.

I have been interested in anti-psychiatry and neurodivergence perspectives recently, though I admit I am not particularly knowledgeable about these subjects at the moment.

I have never been committed, neither involuntarily nor voluntarily, and I have no intention to. I am aware of others' experiences in these places, and I have the impression that they are largely harmful to many, and don't focus on the root issues people face. I think it would be a waste of time for me: I know they won't have anything to help me there that I can't get from a normal appointment with a doctor already.

Therapy has helped me a lot in changing my outlook on things, especially after I was able to meet a therapist I could connect better with.
Psychiatric meds have been a mixed bag as well. My earlier meds just made me feel horrible and foggy, but my new ones have given me more energy and made my mood more stable — this is what I could notice. My current psychiatrist is the better one of those I've gone to, and I am more confident in the meds now.

Overall, I have had bad experiences with mental health services, though nothing abusive or extreme happened.
I think it is something worth exploring. Overall, I think introspection and coming to know others' perspectives is the more valuable part of talk therapy.
Feel free to share your thoughts.

 

[LilGhost]

Mine has been a mixed bag.
I am not that hostile to Psychiatry all things considered, but I tend to be critical of many things, like the idea of 'mental illness' in general.

I have been interested in anti-psychiatry and neurodivergence perspectives recently, though I admit I am not particularly knowledgeable about these subjects at the moment.

I have never been committed, neither involuntarily nor voluntarily, and I have no intention to. I am aware of others' experiences in these places, and I have the impression that they are largely harmful to many, and don't focus on the root issues people face. I think it would be a waste of time for me: I know they won't have anything to help me there that I can't get from a normal appointment with a doctor already.

Therapy has helped me a lot in changing my outlook on things, especially after I was able to meet a therapist I could connect better with.
Psychiatric meds have been a mixed bag as well. My earlier meds just made me feel horrible and foggy, but my new ones have given me more energy and made my mood more stable — this is what I could notice. My current psychiatrist is the better one of those I've gone to, and I am more confident in the meds now.

Overall, I have had bad experiences with mental health services, though nothing abusive or extreme happened.
I think it is something worth exploring. Overall, I think introspection and coming to know others' perspectives is the more valuable part of talk therapy.
Feel free to share your thoughts.

Congrats on your meds working and I am sincerely glad therapy is working out for you!

For me its fucking annoying and useless. "You have depressed thoughts? Why? And how do you get rid of them? And oh you must feel sad." - some questions theyll ask Like, brother is just asking you questions. I can do it on my own, thank you very much, without a fear of being locked up. No meds worked for me, just drained my bank account.

Idk, mb i just wasnt lucky with that, but I give up. Mental health services mostly focuses on neurotypical people, which caused lots of misunderstandings between me and my therapist. Like "did you try not to be bothered by sounds", MAN I WISH I COULD.
The only positive encounter is with my family doctor who taught me how to safely sh, instead of just saying "just stop doin that".

Anyway..... Im curious what pills are you on if you dont mind sharing?

 

[whywere]

Well, let's see.

1) Kicked out, yes
2) Arrogant providers, yes
3) Nasty court systems, that providers sic onto me, yes
4) They know everything, and will NEVER EVER include me in the equation, yes

I have given up on finding ANY good providers where I live and I live in a 4 million population metro area.

I always hold out a glimmer of hope, but I and NOT counting on any miraculous outcome(S) of finding a new and/or good provider, that WILL INCLUDE me in the process.

Walter

 

[dandayooo]

Not a great experience. I am a very closed-off person and I don't have the courage to tell the full length of my thoughts. I have been going to psychiatrists and psychologists for 2 or 3 years at this point and they still don't know I'm depressed; I was just diagnosed with autism and OCD. Doesn't help that I'm using the public system and they are always replacing professionals.

 

[thelostautistic]

I'm glad therapy has been helpful for you!

My experience with mental health services hasn't been brilliant. In fact it has added to my trauma and I have huge trust issues with professionals now. I feel I've been massively misunderstood by professionals due to my Autism that was undiagnosed at the time. I've dealt with a lot of invalidation and comparison from professionals which caused me to become more unwell. I got to a point where I felt like I needed to prove how much I was struggling because I wasn't being listened to or taken seriously which is so dangerous. Saying this I can't ignore the fact that there have been positive experiences over the last 8 years. There are good professionals out there but they aren't always easy to find. I don't have a lot of trust in the system anymore due to my bad experiences. But I'm facing my fear and recently started working with someone new from a different service. Walking in there felt very triggering and I did cry in the first 10 minutes lol. Hopefully it'll help and I won't be let down again.