It appears reasonable for anyone who suffers chronic illness to have some outlets in dealing with the issues.
Just wonder if someone who can be comfortable to talk with other than your loved ones can be some help...
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
I see a social worker/therapist. It is helpful to talk with someone who isn't involved in my situation. This helps keep me from draining those around me, and I don't have to worry about the counselors feelings in that respect.
Posted by unsure445 (Member # 15962) on :
I agree w/ Metallic about not wanting to burden your family 24/7.
I went to my PCP for some symptoms that I wasn't sure were Lyme related and when I said I was still treating Lyme he referred me to a psychologist.
Keeping an open mind I went and it was so worthwhile. Just to hear someone say "wow, you have been through a lot" can be very therapeutic.
I would recommend it. Good luck!
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
psychiatrist
Posted by wtl (Member # 19883) on :
That's reassuring.
lymeHerx - why psychiatrist? chemical imbalance?
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Going to a therapist or counselor is worth it, but only if you can afford it without being burdened, and if the therapists goal isn't to convince you -- or otherwise treat you as though your illness is somatic instead of an infection.
Can't work out if the therapist and doctor are in cahoots and if the therapist has a preconceived notion about you before even seeing you.
Posted by wtl (Member # 19883) on :
Matellic - I agree. You don't want someone to tell you it is all in your head. Rather someone who understands what you are going through and not judge you.
That's a sounding advice. Thanks.
Posted by knobs (Member # 21928) on :
I see a psychiatrist once a month because I am on an SSRI call efexor. I really don't enjoy seeing him--from day one he's tried to persuade me into thinking this is all in my head. I suffer from depression and racing thoughts. However, the more I read about mental illness and it's connection to a number of different infectious diseases I really feel confident that I will find the cure for what ails me
Posted by jmb (Member # 18338) on :
After a year and some change i started to see a psychopro.
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
I was seeing a counselor/psychologist for a while (free through my church, thank God), but I quit going because it seemed all he was interested in was proving that my symptoms were psychosomatic.
Not saying that I don't need to talk to someone--I've been uncovering some family issues through work I'm doing for a class, and I'm having some anger issues.
Not a good thing to deal with on top of symptoms.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I have thought about it, since I feel like my poor husband has to take the brunt of listening to me talk about my illness most of the time.
However, my hubby is a good therapist himself.....meaning he is very positive and helps me see things logically, and keeps me grounded.
I did go see a psychiatrist once before I knew it was LD. Didn't like his attitude so I didn't go back. I did not want antidepressants and that was all he was interested in.
A psychologist would probably be better, since they aren't interested in medicating you.
Its actually a hard call now that I think about it. If you are lucky enough to find someone that truly believes you are ill, then good for you. But most of the medical industry thinks we are all nuts.
Posted by wtl (Member # 19883) on :
quote:Originally posted by sutherngrl: However, my hubby is a good therapist himself.....meaning he is very positive and helps me see things logically, and keeps me grounded.
I hear you, sutherngrl, and that's great. You are lucky.
But I often feel that one cannot meet every need of another, no matter how good you are and how hard you try.
I don't want my wife to feel that I am the one and only friend she can talk to and be understood. I don't want to be everything for her, including the needs for a somewhat normal social network.
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
I went to a social worker whom I trusted and liked very much from the past. She helped me in my 20's deal with issues I had with an abusive relationship.
However, when I returned to her 15 years later with my Lyme issues she seemed to think it was "all in my head". I became increasingly uncomfortable with her and got the feeling that she was bored by me and my situation.
When one day we discussed politics for a bit and discovered we are not on the same page politically, she really seemed to turn cold towards me.
At the end of the next visit, she told me, "Um, I know you have a hard time paying the co-pay for our visits, so why don't we NOT make another appointment for now. I'll call you."
That was 7 months ago and I haven't heard a word from her since! I still feel bad about this because at one time we had such a wonderful rapport.
I don't care that she doesn't agree with me politically but I guess SHE does. Maybe she felt she couldn't help me any further. Still, it hurts the way it all ended.
- Lymelady
Posted by Heleneh (Member # 21207) on :
That is sad about your social worker not
returning your call. I think Lyme disease
can isolate a person sometimes. It is good to
have a place like this and other lyme friends.
Posted by wtl (Member # 19883) on :
Wow...Lymelady, I am so sorry to hear that.
What is happening to some people?
Posted by asummers (Member # 18068) on :
Lymelady- I am so sorry to hear that had to experience such an awful encounter with someone from the helping profession. As a social worker/psychotherapist - the woman you saw conducted herself in the most UNETHICAL manner. I am appalled at her behavior.
Her inability to see past her own biasis and her aparant weakness (not knowing how to deal with chronic illness) -- these faults, I hope you can see them as her problem and not yours?
I am sorry to go off here. It just angers me when we are treated like this.
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
Yeah, asummers, I really felt like she acted unprofessionally.
I am glad to be able to come here to Lymenet where people understand.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- If a therapist of any kind is not lyme literate and has not studied ILADS research, sessions can be worthless.
Even if one goes for learning communication skills or for further insight, the doctor/counselor/therapist MUST be LL. I cannot stress this enough: LL from the start, not open to learning, not even just lyme-friendly, but really knowledgeable. Otherwise, they are not qualified to have as a patient someone dealing with such a life-changing illness.
Some LLMDs can refer to those who are. ---
Over the years I went to a couple different ones. Lyme was an embarrassment, a shameful thing, as some never even mentioned it - like it was an illusion. I thought I could still learn from this doctor. I was wrong. That doctor was too classically trained and pretty much believed the IDSA dimwits and I could find no doctor to treat me (making it look like I was the problem).
Even if we did not discuss lyme, the focus was on my being able to "pull out of it" and "wake up my brain" - however, with infection going untreated, that was impossible at that time.
Another otherwise good doctor who worked on retraining the brain was lyme-friendly and never put it down, however, after a long time he said that until the infection was treated properly, he thought that no amount of therapy or neurofeedback would be effective. I would have drug my tired body in with patience but he saw the writing on the wall.
I deserved all along someone who knew more than I did about lyme and the brain, about how lyme affects mood . . . and we all deserve specialists who understand the basics of the liver when overloaded. Very few doctors have a clue. Find those who do. -
Posted by Sparrow (Member # 11734) on :
My daughter sees an psychiatrist and he has been a major player in her treatment for 5 years now. He is on the fence about lyme, but he always says her problems are medical and not all in her head. That helps her and it shuts down other doctors.
Also, I am about ready to think about applying for disability for her and he will probably be the most influential on that issue.
She saw 4 other therapists before we found her current doctor, so if you don't find the right match at first, keep trying. Psychiatrits and therapists can be and should be one of the patients strongest advocates.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- In light of Sparrow's post (about a doctor on the fence but seeing that it is medical in nature), it is important to realize that not everything is lyme and that there are many other chronic stealth infections with similar symptoms ( Cpn, see: www.cpnhelp.org ) or mycoplasma, etc.
I should have said, perhaps, that mental health professionals should understand the nature of chronic stealth infections &/or understand that modern medical science misses a lot and just because the doctors don't "find anything" does not mean they have looked long or hard enough - or understand enough. -
Posted by aileenhome (Member # 3960) on :
I see a psychotherapist who has had lyme himself and sees many lyme patients in his practice. I have found it to be invaluable for talking things out. Family and friends just don't understand even although they try their best.
Anybody who is seeing a therapist who is unsupportive should immediately look for someone else.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Aileenhome, can you PM me his name?
Posted by peacemama (Member # 17666) on :
We got a referral from our LLMD and he was okay at first, now he is studying with the top LLMD in our state. I should say "shadowing" her.
He is seeing my husband and I as a couple and my teenage son by himself. So. . that's a whole lot of lyme for him to learn about it.
I think psychologists can be open to learning. The Psychiatrist I saw for SSDI thought the whole Bartonella thing was fascinating, so have the psych residents I've seen with my LLMD (teaching hospital).
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Rather someone who understands what you are going through and not judge you.