should I tell my psychologist ?

Question

I've recently been going to a psychologist about depression. It was my last resort. She wants me to take medication but I reeally don't want to. I heard things about it, and I don't know how it would help me feel better. Life would still suck. Also she's been asking me if I ever thought of commiting suicide or if i wanted to hurt myself. I've thought about it but for now i'm trying to keep it together. I told her that I wouldn't tell her if I was. Should I tell her the truth? I don't want to be put in the looney bin. Thats why i haven't told her.

I'm in college and supporting myself..i don't have family to help or friends who i think i could talk to about this. Please help

Answer 1

I am a board certfiied clinical psychiatrist and I am 100% against giving anti-depression to any patient who tells me they are depressed.

I agree with you for not wanting to take meds. A psychologist is not a medical doctor and has no Lic., that allows him or her to write a Rx.

Anti-depression meds., only cover the root cause of what is really hurting you on the inside. You feel good, but still have the emotional trauma inside of you.

Your psychologist need to spend time with you one on one and find out what the root cause of your depression is. This is a two way street as you must be willing to share if you know, what you feel is the real problems that make you feel depressed. If you don't know she should be smart enough to ask question that will lead to the root cause of your depression.

Once the root cause if found, then she must give you alternative solutions to your problems. And you must pick out one that is best for you to resolve the hurt on the inside. It is really not her place or my place to tell you which alternative solution you must pick. If yo ask, what is the light at the end of the tunnell then you should get an answer.

By law in my country and most other countries, if you tell me that you are thinking of hurting yourself, I am required by law to commit you to a mental hospital for 72 hour observation. You either go willing, or via force. I am not allowed to let you leave my office. Even if you say I was just joking about taking my own life.

Please be honest about your feelings pertaining to thoughts of suicide.

I will say that I don't have alot of respect for my peers, as they always want to put you on meds. And I feel that they are only being a legal drug dealer, and not resolving your depression without meds.

Because I prefer meds., only if you are SMI, (Serious mental Illness), like bi-polar, manic depression and psychotic I will put you in a mental hospital and start you on meds., until we know that you are on the right combination of meds and stabilize to live a quality life. Ofcourse you will have to stay on meds,. for live.

Wish you all the best an I will pray for you. Hope that I have given you some insight into what a good psychologist or psychiatrist is suppose to be.

Minddoctor, Paris, France
Pls. excuse my english

Answer 2

From working in the medical field. If you cant talk with her then you should find someone else. Get other opinions about medication. A lot of people take modd stabelizer on a daily basis and you would never know. It isnt aomething people talk about. At least you are talking to someone about your issues. If you are having thoughts about commiting suicidr then I would think again about the medication. The meds will help your thoughts. If you are depressed just because of your life, then you are with the rest of the world. But if it is something more then you need to keep seeing someone about it and truly consider medication to help. Try it for a month and see if it makes you a better person. Once you have tried it then make a decision on if you love yourself better while on he medication or off the medication.

Also since you say you dont have any friends or family that you can talk to, try to find some new friends that can be a positive influence. The people you hang around with are key to your sucess in the healing process of depression.
I wish you best of luck....... You will find support where you never thought possible. Good-Luck =-)

Answer 3

You should be honest with your Psychologist. Being honest is the only way you will get the help you need. If you don't feel comfortable talking to her, then please find someone else. Also, your Psychologist won't be able to give you a prescription for medications. She would have to send you to a Psychiatrist. I know the thought of taking medications is probably scary. There is a lot of misinformation out there. If you are on medication, and going to therapy, you would feel a lot better. Trust me, I know because I've been there.

Your thoughts of committing suicide or hurting yourself...are they random...just kinda run through your mind quickly, or are they nagging thoughts? I'm asking because I used to have the random thoughts. Then one day, I had the nagging thought that just wouldn't get out of my head. I made it through that day and went to the ER the next. I went through an interview, and decided that I didn't trust myself, so I spent 3 days in the hospital. It was exactly what I needed. I haven't had a suicidal thought since then.

Please don't think that I'm being bossy. I just want to help you out by sharing my experiences. If you have any more questions, you can visit my Yahoo 360. Take care, and God bless.

Answer 4

Sorry you're feeling so bad.

You are going to the psychologist - to hear ways you can opt to feel better - you want to get results - but you are withholding vital information - and are rejecting the suggested path toward regaining your health. ............So, just why are you going to her?
I don't mean to be hard on you, just allow you to peek through the window to see yourself from an outsider's point of view.

Your concerns are the same ones that many depressed people express. The difficulty with rejecting treatment is that it leaves you stuck in a miserable place. The psychologist is the expert here toward how to heal, and how to get through this hard time in your life. Depression distorts a person's reasoning and judgment, and limits our functioning in other areas. Trust seems to be an insurmountable task. So those of us who are depressed tend to repeat the same things over and over again in our failed effort to remove the dis-function from out mind and body.

Here is the problem. Depression often follows some type of trauma or overload in your life. The depression is exacerbated by a brain chemistry that is depleted of adequate chemicals to function correctly. If you body is not replacing these on its own -- you have two choices. 1) to continue in your inadequate brain chemical supply OR 2) to replace the depleted supply, jump starting your body into making the needed supply on its own and moving you back toward health.

I recall fighting with my mind and my conscience - feeling that to take an antidepressant was somehow cheating. Today my health has returned with the aid of the medication, and I no longer believe my former distorted thinking.

The psychiatrist explained to me that the repeated trauma I endured, had literally re-shaped my brain and caused it to stop making the essentials for health. If I wanted to regain my functioning, I would need to use medication to add what my body could no longer supply for me.

Answer 5

she can't put you in a hospital for thinking about killing yourself. If you had plans to she could. You have to actually be planning it. I would tell her.

Medican't really can help. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. Meds correct that imbalance. So yes you would have all the same problems and everything - but you would be better equipped to deal with them because you would be thinking more clearly. I know this doesn't make sense when you're depressed - but depression is like this cloud in your brain and and living with that cloud makes everything a thousand times worse. But meds take that cloud away so things are clearer, and easier to handle. Your life won't be perfect, and pills don't make you happy. But they give you a chance at happiness. They make it possible to feel better.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

I wouldn't worry. Lots of people in therapy think of suicide, but that doesn't mean they'll act on it. It should be safe to express how you're feeling. If you don't mention plans to actually go through with anything, you'll be fine. Most therapists will simply say "the patient denies suicide ideation" in their notes.

Answer 7

For goodness sakes; tell your psychologist everything or what is the point in going you silly goose.

Answer 8

hullo
disclosure of information is essential in psychotheraputic relationship,it would help you lot.
drug therapy in depression is safe,and you should really change your attitude toward mental illness.

dr solo