26 replies to this topic

[M@CHINE]

after your injury

[Wheelsonfire]

No, there was no need as I adapted like a fish on a bike, or is that a fish outta water…..no its something about a duck and a pond with a naked chick…….Ah now I member….I took to it like a duck to water….

[BillS]

Yep, she was terrible. She wasn't able to get me to walk a single step... ;)

I did go to a psychologist for a bit. It's nice to talk to someone and work things out. If you feel the need to go then you should go. Nothing wrong with getting a little help here and there.

[tyvin]

Many times when such events occur that are considered catastrophic mental health specialist are enlisted to see if there is a need. If you are uncomfortable and want nothing to do with them then don't agree. It is your right to agree or disagree to treatment unless you have been deemed a threat to yourself or others.

It never hurts to talk to mental health professionals but like all other disciplines you have your good and bad ducks. Many docs and nurses want to slap the depression diagnosis on an injured person right off and put them on medication. There are far too many people on psych meds (that includes antidepressants) for no reason.

Are you depressed? Do you feel like talking to someone about it? etc.........

Talking is good and most insurance plans cover mental health to a certain degree. Meds do help many people but are not for everyone. I myself was not depressed but accepted my fate. Perhaps because I am older or other factors but the rest of the people constantly tried to put me on meds for depression and I complied once to satisfy there need and it was a disaster. I finally figured out I do what is best for me not what other people want for me.

Tricky business psych meds and they should always be accompanied with counseling if taken (that's any psych meds).


If you need the help take it, if you don't refuse. There is nothing wrong with paying special attention to your mental health but watch out for the people who want to automatically put you on all kinds of meds. Have all physical aspects been attended to? Blood count; is everything right (B-12count, thiamine, liver, kidneys, ect..).

Drinks lots of water, acquire quality protein sources daily, B-12 daily, exercise the body and mind, support group, etc...It doesn't hurt to clean yourself out monthly.

Being one of us takes lots of hard constant work.

[M@CHINE]

I was just nervous about goin in my chair, gives me confidence knowing others have been

[Millard]

M@CHINE, on 20 August 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:

after your injury

Back when I was injured, I was sent to a psychologist before I was hired by a company. The psychologist said I was dangerous and that I wanted to kill someone. Thinking back, I guess he was right.

Good luck,

PS: I never did and I am not dangerous any more.

[S&W Winger]

They sent a shrink to my room per protocol while in rehab...I called her Dr. Pointless, as her name is LaPointe...and it was pointless to me...either I was to accept this or not, so what was there to speak about? Like all the talking would regrow the nerve connections!


So anyway, guess I would answer "no" though I would understand someone seeking PEER counsel to assist with adjusting to this new Life...I just did/do not feel a need...besides, this forum has been the best support!


Oh, and no wisecracks from the penis gallery...

[S&W Winger]

BTW, my own beloved brother is a mental health therapist...but while I believe they sometimes really do help others (e.g. Art Therapy) the cynic in my also feels that most therapists, psych's, et al, enjoy the good feeling that they receive from helping others

[E-DOG]

Of course the VA wanted me to see a shrink after my injury.
Big fun!
I loaded up a zip lock sandwich baggie with some peanut butter then stuffed it down my pants. I'm sittin' there casually chit chatting with this uptight 200 year old, wrinkled up reject from a parkinson's parade, Henrietta something or other, PHD / head of psychiatry / la dee dah dee dah / most impressive wall of certificates, diplomas, photos of her with various and sundry celebrities, politicos etc. when I slid my hand down into my pants and pulled out a small handfull of the peanut butter (which of course looks an AWFULL LOT LIKE DOO DOO) and stuck it in my mouth, savoring it as though it was the first meal I'd had in a month.

Needless to say the womans equanimity, composure, psyche and all snapped like a dried twig, eyes buggin' out like Elmer Fudd. She's a shakin' rattlin' and a-rollin' like nobody's business, jumped up ran down the hall never to be seen again within the hallowed walls of said institution.

Gotta nip that sorta crap in the bud right from the get-go,otherwise they'll think they're getting the upper hand. And we can't have that can we?

E-dog

[The Black Sheep]

Wow, E-dog. I'm almost convinced you might actually be crazy. Cause a sane person just can't come up with some of your stories. =) haha, but yeah, teach them psychs something they couldn't in school.

[cathie]

I have been to several post injury. I have been told since day one of my injury that I was depressed and had meds shoved down my throat. I was put on anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and mood stabilizers at different points and all of them at once. They kept adding meds to stop side effects of the other meds I had been put on. (some of them made me suicidal) I was then told several years later that my injury was all in my head thanks to my records being lost. (I think I'd know that I spent months in hospital in traction!) 12 months ago I went off all psych meds and have been fine ever since. I still have bad days as does anyone else, but I am not depressed, just frustrated at people not listening. I am not a huge fan of psychiatrists, but there have been some that are brilliant, just that most don't listen to what you have to say and only hear what they want to.

[jenny407]

Psychiatrists - like other doctors - like human beings in general: There are good ones and bad ones. M@CHINE: If you feel like seeing one, do go. I don't see how the chair should pose a problem at all.

My MS friend made very good experiences with his psychiatrist - my SCI friend didn't see any (didn't feel the wish or need to).

You'll find out if this psychiatrist is the right one for you - do you feel trust?

As for others who answered: Having a routine psychiatrist in hospital - well, well-meant idea, but if you don't wish for one, what's the point? Bev, fortunately you are a grown-up person and quite capable of saying NO!

M@CHINE: very good luck!

Edited by jenny407, 21 August 2010 - 03:01 PM.

[ClaraTaylor]

Yep. I went to one run by the local Church. The women who helped were all fantastic but there was one problem... the flight of stairs to get to the "talking rooms" ! Most of our chats were done in the kitchen where I was made to feel useful because I built their new worktops / cupboards.
Giggling aside they were a wonderful sounding board, a bit like this forum. It is nice to be able to rant or cry an not have someone (aka family) get melodramatic or judge me based on their memories of the old me.

[Tetracyclone]

My Dr. was thrilled to be able to refer me to the rehab recovery group. This is in Taiwan. He knew i did not speak Taiwanese...

Dummy Doctor...

[Beautiful]

S&W Winger, on 20 August 2010 - 10:34 PM, said:

BTW, my own beloved brother is a mental health therapist...but while I believe they sometimes really do help others (e.g. Art Therapy) the cynic in my also feels that most therapists, psych's, et al, enjoy the good feeling that they receive from helping others

Lol, there goes my first career choice... how do you feel about occupational therapy?

[Illinois Boy]

Only after talking to EDOG......
Then I need at least 3 to make the peanut butter go away.....

Jim

[M@CHINE]

Thanks everyone

[The Black Sheep]

I actually think the best psycho-therapy sessions I've had were through this forum board and in some of the private chats I've had here. About 6 years after my injury I went to the high school counselor regularly for an unrelated-sci issue, and it does help to talk, but I think, for me, it is best to vent and converse with people who know where you're coming from and have gone through something similar. Several times I've talked to curious people who are genuinely interested in spinal cord injuries, but never therapy.

It's good to talk to anyone. If you're going through depression, or if you're looking for encouragement, a psychiatrist can be very helpful. For productive advice on how to adapt to a new life-style, this has been my best outlet.

[Mary-Anne]

I studied Psychology in college so of course I am biased.
My partner, who has the SCI, has had experiences interacting
with mental health workers, which, to describe it politely,
he considered at best not useful.
So he is biased in the other direction.

I believe he is showing symptoms of clinical depression,
which I understand is common after SCI.
He is not willing to take drugs for that.
It bothers me, and I wish I knew what to do for him.

Judging by what I can find online, there is a certain amount
of evidence that Coping Effectiveness Training
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/12675978
reduces depression after SCI.
There is even a workbook explaining how to do it.
http://www.nature.co...sc2009103a.html

At least, that is the opinion of the mental health workers.
I would be interested to hear from a patient who has
tried this.

Edited by Mary-Anne, 12 September 2010 - 02:51 AM.

[Travelling Blackbird]

At the hospital, I was seen once by a psychologist, who decided, without discussing it with me, that I should go on anti-depressants. I refused, she refused to see me a second time. That was in Ireland though, which has one of the worst-ranked health care standards in Europe.

I had some talk therapy when I moved back to Poland, and while I felt the therapist was smart and friendly, I didn't feel it was much more beneficial than talking things over with friends.

I didn't see a therapist again until early last year, when I saw a talk therapist (once, didn't like him), a behavioural therapist (twice, didn't like her), and finally started seeing a trauma specialist. He doesn't recommend medication, and he doesn't do talk therapy. He's focused on post-trauma reactions. I feel like I'm actually getting something beneficial from him, and from the sessions.

If you feel you need therapy, then you need to try a couple of therapists, and see if their personality, methodology and approach suits you. Never let someone put you on a drug unless you feel you need it and understand the effects, never go into therapy if it's not addressing your needs and your particular condition. Post-spinal cord injury, one could have post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, an inferiority complex, dissociation... there isn't one method that deals with everything, and not everyone reacts in the same way. Be aware of what you need, be wary of someone who wants to put you on pills after one session or who doesn't define an end point for the therapy.

[pinkcloud]

[quote name='Mary-Anne' timestamp='1284259368' post='182313']

Hi Mary Anne - I shall go and have a look at this website - thanks for this.

E-dog - I think your story is fecking funny. Dosnt surprise me that she would run away - some medical doctors treating the physical condition do, so the same goes for some of the head doctors. Thats why we appreciate this site so much hey? I am glad someone has the guts to give some of these a good kick up the jack-sie.

Mary-Anne, when sci hits you its REAL hard to respect many doctors experience from the outside/learnt by textbooks/learnt by patients unless:

1. They have had it themselves.
2. Have loved and or cared for someone with it themselves.
3. Really - and I mean really, have genuine empathy.

It kind of comes from the pain levels we have, the disappointment with the healthcare system who dump us, the way some of us (me included) are treated at our most vulnerable times by some awful paid care proffesionals.....

If it helps at all - I see SCI like this - I wouldnt wish this on somebody on death row. And I really dont take keen-ley to such people.

If you work in mental health now - I say go and spread your wisdom. I'm just about to study it myself. I was studying counselling just before the operation and was gutted I had to leave. I'm not now. I hope to go into it from at deeper level and from a 'real' level.

What can you do to help your husband? Give him hugs - not drugs. I guess you know that only when someone is ready to ask for help themselves - does help do any good. Without as many choices in life for us with SCI, its important he has a choice how to deal with his what you believe is his depression. If the care system was better and gave us emotional hugs and emotional care and listened to us - we wouldnt need to come to the internet on this site for it would we?

I would say scrap your psychology training for now in regards to your husband - and start again - at the level you are at now which is living it. I am lucky thats the position I am in.

Do I have counselling - yes. A close family member of mine has seen psychologists too. Lucky I do trust them and they know their stuff. I dont have to worry about him worrying about me - it means I dont have another emotional burden to carry along. You are too close to your husband to work with him - thats why theres rules set out to not work with close relationships Plus we are not PATIENTS on here - we are individuals (just at bit of institutionalised reference I noticed you made in your thread)

Edited by pinkcloud, 12 September 2010 - 09:56 AM.

[Mary-Anne]

E-dog's story also made me laugh out loud.

Gooserider is a bit skeptical of all sorts of authority figures, including doctors, and he was that way long before being injured. We have been together about 17 years.

No, I do not work in mental health. I also studied Computer Science, and I normally write software. I have been unemployed for over a year, just on top of Gooserider becoming paraplegic as of March this year.

Yes I understand that people are not usually patients on this website. What I meant in using the word in what I posted is that reading papers published by the mental health professionals, mostly the doctors, gives their perspective about that therapy. In the context of the therapy, the patients could have a completely different perspective, and I have not read that perspective. The same CET techniques are apparently also applied to HIV positive men and parents of autistic children. I am not sure whether the variable use implies it's a good thing or a bad thing.

When I was trying to convince Gooserider to get therapy, because I thought he might feel better as a result, I tried to find a mental health worker who lives with SCI, because I felt pretty sure that someone speaking from personal experience was the only kind of therapist he would want to listen to. We live outside of Boston, and if there is a psychiatrist or social worker or such with SCI, I could not find them. So, if you want to study mental health, that seems to me a fine idea.

As to why one comes to a website, I had not thought about how rare SCI actually is until we lived with it. Being unemployed, I have thought a lot about whether one could go into business supplying something to people with SCI. Between the small numbers and the fact that people with SCI do not have much money to spend, I just cannot justify any business except what health insurance would pay for, and there are too many competitors in that.

[julibugs]

Hi M@chine,

Why not go along and make your mind up after meeting the doc, you should get a gut feeling about it being right for you or not. I agree with others who have said peer counselling can be one of the best ways to work through your feelings and that is more or less what you get here on the forum. I know it lifted me from a very dark place when I first joined.

Julibugs

[airart1]

well, we all live the same experience and we can talk about stuff that affects us directly where a psych don't know anything about our injuries, they're head doctors, not saying it don't effect our head, it does, but really its about adjusting to our bodies.......peer conversation is alot better therapy or it was for me..........my ex couldnt even relate to my injury, when i needed understanding i was treated like i was normal and my body and aches were far from normal.....which incurred in a divorce because of lack of understanding........she wanted me to be normal and i couldn't be that for her.......

[pinkcloud]

Mary-Anne, on 12 September 2010 - 03:58 PM, said:

Mary-Anne a lot of authority figure bring me out in a rash too - only the stuck up ones without a clue though.

What I meant is yeap, a lot of us may be 'patients' and we may talk about our experiences as patients - that dont mean we like to be thought of as a patient when we are not in the waiting room or hospital bed. Thats why we write 'has anyone else had..... not have any other patients had.... Escaping from that label is a luxury. I didnt write to offend. And I only speak for myself.

I wish you well with your journey - maybe you can chat here if not already done so about how you feel helpless? As we all say on here - group therapy - even if done by internet is better than a lot of head doctors. For carers and sci's alike.

I had a check out at the site but it said I had to pay to read the full document - as you said SCI is a small area compared to a lot of things and maybe if it wasnt that document would be for free too. The best kind of things - where there are no hidden agendas - are for free, Like this site is free to join.

I repeat myself here - but a lot of carers have helped me understand life from the other side. Keep on sharing

[dangerousdave]

Long long long ago when i was knee high to a huge grasshopper i went to speak to a wiser man then me about a issue i had issues with
He listened - i talked - he said, and several days or weeks or months later my issue went away
Now i just put posts here and listen here and follow through ideas here
This forum has become my free charging all knowing philosopher of life advisor clinic
And i love you all and thank you from the bottom left hand ventrical of my beating (sorry god i'm still winning) heart, the right side goes fluttery now and again

If you have issues just talk em through with someone, thats all you do with a highly paid psyco

[airart1]

yep, we know our own problems better than they do