How is it like at a counselling session?
I've been thinking of getting help for my depression. It's been going on for a long time, but lately it's been getting a lot worse.
I'm afraid that this time I won't be able to get out of this rut. My university offers counselling services so I thought that maybe counselling could help me. But it's difficult enough for me to open up to those who are close to me. The idea of being vulnerable in front of a stranger scares me. If I could get a better idea of what it's like, I may be less afraid of it.
Anyone able to share their experience? Did it help you? Was it uncomfortable?
@Tinyheart
Hey! I have gone to counsellors in the past and at first it can be a little...awkward, but honestly it is sometimes a lot easier to open up to someone who knows nothing about you and who won't judge then people who are close to your situation.
If you ever need to talk, always remember we are here as a community to help each other :)
@Quinzel241 Thanks for sharing your experience with me. It was brave of you to sought out help
Counsellors vary a lot. With a really good counsellor that feeling of being scared and vulnerable will last about 5 seconds, if that. And it won't feel like opening up. It will feel more like realizing. Or, to put it another way, it's more about opening up to yourself than opening up to a stranger, even though that possibly seems a weird thing to say.
If you're still feeing scared and vulnerable after maybe half an hour with a counsellor, then you might want to consider asking the counsellor to refer you to a colleague. Or if it's all too easy, like just filling in forms, and you're not realizing anything, then you also might want to consider asking the counsellor to refer you to a colleague.
Depression can be a serious illness, and not all counsellors have the training or experience to treat serious illness. I have no idea whether your depression is a serious illness or not, but you might find it valuable to have a doctor's opinion on it. A good counsellor will recognize serious illness and refer you, but an inexperienced counsellor might miss the signs.
Listeners here at 7 Cups probably vary a lot, too. Some of them are probably very good—as good as the best counsellors. So you might find that chatting with listeners here is also valuable, and it might help you feel more confident about counselling.
@Tinyheart
@RodWhiteley thanks you for your advice. It has given me a lot more insight as to what counselling may be like.
I don't know how serious my depression is as well. I don't even remember when this started, but it has a very on and off cycle. Days where I'm kept busy, I don't think about it, go about my day & think to myself that maybe it's not as bad as I thought. But during the days where it's "switched on", I feel unmotivated. I'd wake up in the morning wishing I hadn't. Even a little setback (e.g. Social blunder, failing an assessment) would set off a stream of exaggerated negative thoughts (e.g. I wish a truck would run over me right now). This uncertainty is the other reason which keeps me from meeting a counsellor. I'd set up the resolve to meet a counsellor, & the next day it'll falter.
@Tinyheart This is also why I can never keep a diary. I'd write in it when I'm over-emotional. When I read it the next day, I'll think "get yourself together. You're so whiny" & tear out the page. Haha.
@Tinyheart
Without a doubt, you should definitely go get help. I think it's more enriching and more insightful and I think overall you'll feel better but it's totally up to you only you can decide what's best for you . I've been going for a year and it's helped more ways than not I can't even imagine what it's like going through depression but I know that seeking help professionally has helped me a lot and I'm glad I did that it was the best choice I've ever made!!!
@Crystalpeach thanks for sharing your experience. So glad to hear it's worked for you. Now, if I can just work out that resolve you had...
