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Are you receiving therapy/professional mental health care & if not, why not?

  • Yes - Therapy only

    Votes: 266 10.9%
  • Yes - Medication only

    Votes: 306 12.6%
  • Yes - Therapy and medication

    Votes: 788 32.4%
  • No - Not interested in seeking treatment

    Votes: 276 11.4%
  • No - Interested but don’t know where to start

    Votes: 120 4.9%
  • No - Scared of being hospitalized or that it won’t work

    Votes: 241 9.9%
  • No - tried therapy but it didn’t help

    Votes: 468 19.3%
  • No - tried medication but it didn't help

    Votes: 260 10.7%
  • No - Can’t afford therapy but use medication

    Votes: 64 2.6%
  • No - Can’t afford any treatment

    Votes: 214 8.8%

  • Total voters
    2,430
Sergeant45

Sergeant45

Student
Jun 11, 2025
158
In my country you can be deemed not therapeutable. That's where I am at.
 
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R

repeat.

i was here
Jun 12, 2025
18
i'm trying therapy. it's been 3 years and i don't see the difference. and i stopped taking my medication few months ago
 
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Chuunibyou

Chuunibyou

ghost possessing this body
Jun 11, 2025
16
I've been going to therapy for a long time with many different therapists, but it's never helped. the only reason I continue to attend is so I can get people off my back when they tell me to "just try therapy" as if just talking to someone is a universal solution to every problem.
I've also tried psych medication in the past, but not anymore. my body metabolizes medication in abnormal ways so nothing I've tried has ever helped, it'd either do nothing or fry my brain depending on which med it was.
I self medicate with recreational drugs though, which I've had some success with, I just wish the effects weren't so temporary.
 
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SpinandPainr

SpinandPainr

Member
Jun 9, 2025
33
I keep avoiding it. I make very little and feels like a waste of resources for a noncommittal person. besides I think my suicide response is simply one to prolonged stress.what will a shrink do about it? but here I am again, talking myself out of it again

I know advice isn't something we are usually supposed to do but if anyone has tips for fear of doctors I'll take them. Not just MH docs... all of them these days.
 
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HD72

HD72

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
Sep 10, 2023
359
I just saw this thread. I have been in therapy and on meds since I was 15. Before that my mother would give me her Ativan to shut me up because she couldn't be bothered to get me help even though I begged.'I now have brain damage from the psych meds and I want to warn EVERYONE please only use them as a last resort my life is ruined. It's why I need to die.
Look up tardive dyskinesia, dystonia, and akathisia. There is no cure the doctors know nothing about it and all they do is pull u off meds cold turkey which increases the illness. They diagnose you with psychosis and give you antipsychotics which cause or exacerbates this illness and if u refuse the med they throw u in detox or the psych ward. The pain is unbearable. Absolutely unbearable. I can't eat sleep shit hold still I live in terror 24/7 it causes hallucinations my skin crawls. My muscles spasms so bad I can't walk and all they do is give me more meds. There is a warning on these meds but the doctors will tell u it doesn't cause it or it will go away if you stop the med. this is not true. Do your research before taking anything. Especially antipsychotics benzos or anti nausea meds. Metaclopramide is terrible for it. That's why I get so upset when I read for people to take it with SN. If u don't succeed you could end up with these terrible side effects on top of your reason for wanting to go.
 
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ASilentHope

ASilentHope

Veritas vos liberabit
Jun 23, 2025
25
After struggling mentally for most of my life I recently started therapy. I've been very inconsistent with it. Mainly because of the cost of it.

I personally feel that I may need more to get my ship on a level keel, but I'm horrified of the stigma of that being on my medical records. I'm currently in the hiring process for a major fire dept., and I'm scared that it would disqualify me through their psych eval on top of the side effects of medications impacting job performance. I'd rather be manicly saving lives and frying my brain than be partially medically sedated and get someone hurt.
 
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SeafoamSkeleton

SeafoamSkeleton

future ghost
Jun 24, 2025
60
I started with my current therapist a year ago and started meds again two months ago. I am definitely still on a downward spiral. It all feels hopeless. Years and years ago I tried 6 different meds, and only the sleeping pills worked, so I'm guessing these won't work either. I don't know how or why I'm still trying...
 
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M

Meatballhead

Member
Feb 21, 2024
14
The question is how not to recieve therapy??
 
I

idiotmother

Member
Mar 21, 2025
88
I just saw this thread. I have been in therapy and on meds since I was 15. Before that my mother would give me her Ativan to shut me up because she couldn't be bothered to get me help even though I begged.'I now have brain damage from the psych meds and I want to warn EVERYONE please only use them as a last resort my life is ruined. It's why I need to die.
Look up tardive dyskinesia, dystonia, and akathisia. There is no cure the doctors know nothing about it and all they do is pull u off meds cold turkey which increases the illness. They diagnose you with psychosis and give you antipsychotics which cause or exacerbates this illness and if u refuse the med they throw u in detox or the psych ward. The pain is unbearable. Absolutely unbearable. I can't eat sleep shit hold still I live in terror 24/7 it causes hallucinations my skin crawls. My muscles spasms so bad I can't walk and all they do is give me more meds. There is a warning on these meds but the doctors will tell u it doesn't cause it or it will go away if you stop the med. this is not true. Do your research before taking anything. Especially antipsychotics benzos or anti nausea meds. Metaclopramide is terrible for it. That's why I get so upset when I read for people to take it with SN. If u don't succeed you could end up with these terrible side effects on top of your reason for wanting to go.
In the same boat. Forced onto risperidone and on klonopin. Scared to reduce either. Before that, Effexor withdrawal and bad supplement reaction. I've lost the will to live even though it'll destroy my family. I'm so sorry your mother put you on Ativan, that's straight up abuse.
 
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HD72

HD72

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
Sep 10, 2023
359
In the same boat. Forced onto risperidone and on klonopin. Scared to reduce either. Before that, Effexor withdrawal and bad supplement reaction. I've lost the will to live even though it'll destroy my family. I'm so sorry your mother put you on Ativan, that's straight up abuse.
Yes and she thinks she shits roses. She even let a dentist abuse me when I was 7 and blamed me. Her excuse was she didn't know any better. She was a college graduate in childhood education from a very prominent college.
 
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I

idiotmother

Member
Mar 21, 2025
88
Yes and she thinks she shits roses. She even let a dentist abuse me when I was 7 and blamed me. Her excuse was she didn't know any better. She was a college graduate in childhood education from a very prominent college.
Sorry to hear about that, how vicious. Wolf in sheep's clothing with the degree to back it up and make her look respectable. Absolute trash.
 
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HD72

HD72

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
Sep 10, 2023
359
Sorry to hear about that, how vicious. Wolf in sheep's clothing with the degree to back it up and make her look respectable. Absolute trash.
And now I'm so sick. The doctors won't help. There's nothing u can do for akathisia and tardive dyskinesia anyway. She'd give me her psych meds. Load me up on Benadryl and cough syrup and only take me to the dr if I had a fever. I was allowed 7 days antibiotic.
I was always sick but she never took me to find
Out why. I had to wait til I was an adult to get to drs even though my dad was a commander at the hospital.
He wouldn't let me go either. His friends who were drs knew it too. So much for mandated reporters. I guess when your drinking buddies are doctors you get away with anything.
 
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25dRvS9Ka

25dRvS9Ka

Mel
Jun 11, 2025
86
No - tried getting help but got refused
 
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I

idiotmother

Member
Mar 21, 2025
88
And now I'm so sick. The doctors won't help. There's nothing u can do for akathisia and tardive dyskinesia anyway. She'd give me her psych meds. Load me up on Benadryl and cough syrup and only take me to the dr if I had a fever. I was allowed 7 days antibiotic.
I was always sick but she never took me to find
Out why. I had to wait til I was an adult to get to drs even though my dad was a commander at the hospital.
He wouldn't let me go either. His friends who were drs knew it too. So much for mandated reporters. I guess when your drinking buddies are doctors you get away with anything.
It's a corrupt industry. They make money off of our sickness and are buddy buddy with the pharmaceutical companies. It's really sick, I hate them so much . That's messed up of your dad too, wonder if he cared about any of his patients or were they all just paychecks?
Akathisia is fucking horrible, no one understands it and it's the worst thing ever. Some people really get screwed on this planet, in so many ways. It's so unfair.
 
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N

ndver1122

Member
Jun 27, 2025
8
I can't afford it and I doubt it would work for me anyway.
 
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meuine

meuine

Member
Jun 28, 2025
6
Tried therapy through a GP referral, with my university, and PCMHT in the UK. Was not helpful especially CBT, and I had one therapist cry while recounting my failed ctb so that was awkward. Also tried medication but stopped taking it a while ago. I already felt hopeless before trying everything and I don't know what to do now.
 
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C

catchingaliteralbus

Member
Jul 4, 2025
9
Countless hours of therapy, all medication avaiable in my country, including a brain surgery (doc says the only thing left to try that might come in the next years is Psilocybin, with a wink like i should get it on my own)
Nothing helps
I highly recommend psilocybin. I personally have noticed that it is most likely impossible for me to feel suicidal while on it. And for the next day or two I never feel suicidal either. The only issue is the short-term tolerance or I would take it daily.
 
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DandiFynalicious

DandiFynalicious

Existence is Pain
Dec 18, 2023
31
I am getting both and it keeps a lid on my SI but never makes it go away completely. Even on my best day I'm kinda hoping I die from something outside my control.
 
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W

wham311

Enlightened
Mar 1, 2025
1,088
Intake for therapy last week. They said they always call within a week with a therapist. I have not gotten a call likely bc I am really fucked ip
 
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P

prettysurethistime

Member
Jun 24, 2025
19
My option isn't there - tediously managed and ineffective care that has led to useless signposting and genuinely hating all mental health professionals (and their support staff) for being as smug as they are useless. Lack of proper mental health care and support has led to a shitty home environment, a partner too scared to use it (not just me, his brother has had problems and in our opinion, proper mental health intervention when his brother was seeking it would've prevented him from accidentally almost killing himself a year ago), and a lot of physical health problems. It's now the issue the PHP are worse than my mental health but other than a vitamin D blood test done, GPs will just tell me to get mental health care. Even when they appear to think very highly of me and talk about looking at physical health issues down the line.

It's really messed up how failed I've been because I could be productive, intelligent, useful member of society rather than a NEET adult at 33 and always having been, not being able to have children and start a family, not feeling like I can quit smoking weed or tobacco because my partner controls our finances and decides to buy us an ounce and a half of weed, not feeling like I can leave at this point because I will still suffer (I've recently been able to start getting regular dental care and if I give that up, my teeth will probably fall out). I got braces a few years ago as some kind of guilt present thing from my parents that just turned out to be torture and now my teeth have relapsed so I have an open bite (where I didn't before). Literally wouldn't have happened if relations hadn't soured when my psychologist pretended things like yoga wouldn't benefit me and there weren't any support services for social prescription/employment she could refer me to and a bunch of other shit.

Idk. Sorry for the ramble, I hate typing on my phone for that reason- very hard for me to compose anything and not reread it later and be like 'What the fuck?'. But I guess my point is, ultimately, talking about my health with a doctor and them helping me to understand I was stressed out and focusing on basic healthcare and prioritising that would've stopped the constant suicidal ideation I've suffered with for the past six years.
 
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C

ConfettiSpaghetti

Member
Jul 7, 2025
11
tried theraoy support groups and medication and it didnt help.
 
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B

buscatcher222

Member
Jul 7, 2025
5
I'm on both but they only help so much
 
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A

Aquiles292

Member
Jul 8, 2025
7
I was hospitalized for a few days but was discharged. Being hospitalized for mental health reasons is horrible.
 
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D

Depressed&Stressed

Member
Jul 7, 2025
26
I have been voluntarily hospitalized and involuntarily hospitalized, tried over a dozen medications, been in and out of different talk therapy offices for over a decade, tried CBT, DBT, ACT, EAP, religion, school, dance, martial arts, distractions, community fostering, etc, and nothing has ever helped me long-term. The longest term help I get is maybe a year or two when I have a romantic partner and good friend circle, but those keep blowing up because I'm struggling so much and struggle to control the geyser of pain I'm constantly spewing. I can't handle it or I'll die, others can't handle it or they'll die, and the people who are paid to handle it are asking me for a million and a half dollars for a third of the help I need in quadruple the time. I see a free therapist now and am on medications but I know I need more intensive residential care, probably things like ketamine therapy or TMS, but every single one of those options is so much more expensive than anyone who is willing to help me can afford. It's just so much of my time and effort and wasting the money and love of the people I care about for pretty much no results.
There's a lot of personal trauma and stress here that's causing me to want to die but even if I put in all the effort to heal from and handle those problems I'm still living in this capitalist hellhole the world at large calls a country (USA) and that will cause more hurt and trauma for me to deal with and heal.
 
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Notlikeforte

Notlikeforte

Member
Mar 18, 2021
31
I am but I'm not really getting any kind of treatment that helps. Pills and therapy I've tried just don't work for me, and it's hard to switch since I'm not able to afford a private therapist and psychiatrist.
 
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Scenegirlshooter

Scenegirlshooter

numb and dumb.
Aug 21, 2024
30
haven't been to therapy in a few months after pure spite to the psych system- and also none of the fucking therapists i've been to seem to ever take my ass seriously. :/ plus all i did was complain and cry the last 2 meetings i was in.
 
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Cashewmilk

Cashewmilk

Specialist
Mar 10, 2020
377
I keep avoiding it. I make very little and feels like a waste of resources for a noncommittal person. besides I think my suicide response is simply one to prolonged stress.what will a shrink do about it? but here I am again, talking myself out of it again

I know advice isn't something we are usually supposed to do but if anyone has tips for fear of doctors I'll take them. Not just MH docs... all of them these days.
I don't have any tips. I'm in the same boat, and I relate to your post. I wouldn't call it iatrophobia because it's not "irrational", it's based in reality from past treatment. But it's definitely a measurable anxiety inducing fear, I've had my blood pressure taken in a medical setting and it was super high, for no reason other than pure fear and anxiety. It's from any kind of help, doctors/healthcare in general, social services, basically anyone authoritative. I won't even try telehealth for physical issues.

It would be nice to get help with things, but they just don't exist for me. I can't afford it. The only thing medication and therapy can do is maybe make me able to cope better, but they can't fix the underlying issues (the state of the world), it's basically just a band-aid solution.
 
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darksouls

darksouls

Enlightened
May 10, 2025
1,008
after my last psychiatric stay, I felt worse afterwards than before
 
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D

Daphne

Member
Jul 23, 2025
39
Been there, done that many times over the years. Tried just about every SSRI there is. Some worked for awhile and then stopped. Others the side effects outweighed any benefit. Doctors gave up and labelled me treatment resistent. Medication can only do so much anyway. It can't stop being discriminated against and it can't erase all the traumas that have changed your brain.

Therapy depends on medical insurance. When I had good insurance, I found a few good therapists. Good therapists don't take Medicaid so I haven't been able to find any therapists worth their salt in years. I've gotten more out of reading self-help books.
 
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