Counseling vs. Therapy
I have anxiety, depression, and possible OCD. This has all been a recent realization, although I’ve dealt with it my entire life. I currently go to counseling, but I always feel worse after I have a session. I am more likely to have my thoughts spiral for the rest of the day/following days after and heighten anxiety. I don’t think this is normal, but I’m also new to counseling. Would therapy be a better option, and what is the difference between the two? Also considering that my counselor possibly isn’t the best fit for me. Would love some input.
@helpfulRaspberries7338 It doesn't sound good that you feel worse after a session. I agree, it's likely your counsellor is not a good fit. Maybe a different one would be better.
I think long ago counselling was about dealing with the problems of everyday life, and therapy was about treating mental illness. But in modern times there is often no real distinction between them any more. However, I'm not an expert.
Anxiety, depression and OCD can be pretty serious illnesses, so it's likely that a therapist who is experienced in treating mental illness would be best, to help you discover the cause of these problems in your life and recover from them.
Charlie
@helpfulRaspberries7338 First of all, I really appreciate your courage to share your vulnerability and your willingness to ask for help. It seems like you are experiencing a lot of mental health issues and are taking action to let yourself feel better even though things didn't go as anticipated.
Here are some suggestions regarding counseling and therapy. I'm not very familiar with the US system, but in China, counseling and therapy belong to two different types of institutions. Psychologists can only provide counseling, while therapy refers to the psychological therapies offered by psychiatrists who work in the hospital. The basic guidelines of counseling and therapy are similar, though the details in setting/structure/purpose/method may differ a bit.
On the other hand, since anxiety, depression, and OCD can be quite serious sometimes and are not necessarily purely psychological, maybe going to a psychiatrist might be helpful as they can identify the potential cause of disorders and give you proper treatment. The psychiatrist would usually tell you whether you should get therapy, counseling, or medicines that control the level of neurotransmitters in your brain (e.g., SSRI & SNRI).
Hope you will feel better soon:)
