People in therapy, how does your therapist respond to you?

[Pure]

I'm not against trying therapy again but it didn't work for me in the past because of my fixation on suicide and that if I want to die, nobody can convince me otherwise.

I'm wondering how other people how other people's experiences have gone?

I'm hoping to cure my suicidality, or at least minimize it a lot more, before thinking about therapy again. 50 minute sessions once a week just aggravated me more than anything and I don't think I'd even find a therapist to work with a high risk person.

 

[Susannah]

I've been to several therapists during my life (I'm 44y), and they are, like us, different people with different "methods". Psychologists are often more talkable, using metaphors, pictures etc. Psychiatrists are doctors, so they tend to use medications to "flat your thoughts", especially if you are open on your suicidal thoughts.
Personally I believe in finding someone you trust. I spend 3- 4 years finding help. This person wasn't even a therapist, but a good listener, and now a friend. I needed someone who didn't judge me. I wish you luck, and hope you find the right person.

Lots of loveS

 

[down for the count]

I personally think intelligence is one of the most important qualities of a therapist (and for that matter most professions). I don't want a therapist who just rehashes what they learned in school because I can read a book if I need to. I suppose a phd would most likely have that trait.

 

[everydayiloveyou]

Mentioning suicidal ideations usually gets me the medication talk lol

Honestly though, I don't have many issues talking about suicide in session. I think what helps me is that I'm in therapy primarily for social anxiety disorder, and when depression comes up it's always in relation to my anxiety. In addition, I never share what plan I have ("I'd rather not say"), and admit that I am worried about being sectioned when it comes up. They've tried to coax me into revealing methods/plans but I stay pretty firm on staying quiet.

I will reveal my previous plans, and the details of my previous really bad suicidal bout years ago. I will admit that I only really think of killing myself a couple years from now (which is true). I won't say that I looked up methods recently, but that I know which methods are lethal and what I would prefer. I have only come close to writing a note once and that was years ago. I would never, ever say that I've written a note in therapy. I also wouldn't say that I browse this forum. When I mention things I've read on here, I would say I read it on reddit or a social anxiety forum. Which is half-true since I first found out about pro-choice on the SS subreddit.

The risks go up if you self-harm or have been sectioned before, which really sucks since those are the populations who would really benefit from being able to talk about these feelings. If you have other mental illnesses you'd like to work on it will really help to come in with that as your primary goal and reveal the suicidal thoughts later as they become relevant.

It also helps not to be argumentative, preachy, or stubborn on pro-choice matters. My current therapist usually brings up the fact that depression can cause a lot of distortion in my life when I bring up suicide. I always hear her out and then say, "I understand it's unreasonable. But I think it's true that I'm not living a fulfilling life. I'm saying that because I've thought about it logically, while I was happy and sane. I believe people should be able to decide this for themselves." The topic usually changes after. I do have a good amount of impairment due to the SA so my therapist seems to see where I'm coming from when I mention that.

 

[Squiddy]

I've had some good therapists and pretty shitty ones. My current therapist is okay, but I'm thinking about switching again. What I don't like is how I feel like he doesn't take my symptoms seriously and how he was supposed to call my psych nurse practitioner months ago, but he never got on it. I bet now he probably still hasn't. I'm ready to just give up honestly, but am gonna try to give it one more go