An alternative to medication (My Experience of Depression)

Member Name: misslook

Product:	My Experience of Depression
Date:	07/07/01 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You can go wrong with this

Disadvantages: none

Well today I did something different from my usual daily routine.

My Doctor referred me to a counsellor to help me over come feeling of anxiety and feelings of panic about 3 months ago, and guess what, yes I’ve been on the waiting list 3 months. I received a letter on Saturday telling me that although I’d been waiting 3 months, there still wasn’t any free places but if I would like to take a cancellation appointment they would put me in for the next one that comes up.

So I decided to ring them and told them that I would take a cancellation appointment.

They rung me up today (3 days later not bad) and gave me an appointment for this afternoon.

Well I was shown into a box room by the counsellor and to be honest I didn’t know what to expect.
She seemed really nice and poured me a glass of water.
She started to explain to me “what counselling was”

Counselling is something that you choose to do. It talks place in the safety of a room in the surgery and gives you the chance to take a good look at the things, which may be worrying you.
The counsellor listens to you with understanding and respect. You use the time with the counsellor to explore your thoughts and feelings so that you can understand better the problems that you may be experiencing in your life.

The counsellor will give you the space and the choice to decide what is right for you.
Counselling is not about telling you what to do or giving you advise.

She explained to me that everything we discuss would be confidential although she couldn’t guarantee confidentiality if

a) If the is a chance that you may harm yourself or others
b) If there is evidence of ongoing child abuse.

I started to tell her a bit about myself and my life in general god it’s great to talk to someone without them interrupting or feeling that they are judging you.

She told me that if I w
anted she could try and help me overcome my panic attacks by teaching me breathing exercises.

The most interesting thing she did, was ask me to choose a stone of off her desk, one which most related to me. (I know what you’re thinking)
Anyway I choose this really oval jagged stone which had all different colours and textures in it. She then asked me why a chose that one and what similarities it had to my personality. (Don’t let this worry you she did say that she had never done this before)

I would defiantly recommend that anyone who needs to talk to someone gives this ago, it’s easy for a Doctor to prescribe Prozac and anti-depressions to a patient, but harder for him to refer you to a counsellor. A counsellor may cost the NHS more money and if the Doctor referred every patient who came into this office suffering with signs of depression to a counsellor there would be a hell of a waiting list problem.

If you think that counselling may help you contract your Doctor and don’t let him flob you off.
If you need someone to talk to about your self-esteem, assertiveness, aggression, depression, feelings of panic or anything at all to do with how you feel give it ago you never know it might help.

I can’t tell you to much, as this was only my first session but I’ll keep you posted on how it’s all going.

Remember everyone is different what works for one may not work for another.
A counsellor will spend time listening to you and if medication is needed she will inform the doctor and then it can be discussed further if YOU wish.

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