nervous around shrink?

[carebear]

I am currently seeing a behavioral psychologist for anxiety and depression and for some reason i find that i feel even more anxious around her than i do absolute strangers! i feel fine on my way there but as soon as i sit down and begin to talk/listen i feel ike i am being electricuted with anxiety. i think/i know its messing with my treatment and stuff.

anyone have this problem? :roll:




http://www.myspace.com/leelo_x add me!

 

[Alejandro]

I am exactly like you. I'm fine going there. Going up to the secretary and speaking to her is a bit nervous experience. When I see the psychiatrist, I get very nervous. Last time I was there, I was figiting with my fingers (obviously a sign of nervousness) and he was watching my hands, which made the nervousness worse!

 

[Septor]

I do to.I don't now what is actually.I think it has to do with the fact that I feel there observing how I act how I talk more then a stranger ever would .There measuring my every word and actions.

Funny you mention fidgeting with your fingers because I do the same thing when I see my psychiatrist.Which make me more nervous of course.

 

[Faded]

........, I was figiting with my fingers (obviously a sign of nervousness) and he was watching my hands, which made the nervousness worse!

I feel and do that too.. When i havta sit on the chair (in Ther. Office).. its like sittin on needles, and when she asks..it takes me a while to concentrate then to answer correctly (which i never) .. and my hand wont get away from my mouth ,, IT SUCKS and its even more embarasssin... i never told her how i felt about it..Thats why i think im Cheating on Myself! Even thu i started taking professional Counceling .. i still find it hard to be open and honest.
Well, they all say its the first weeks .. So i hope its Better .. and to Everyone!

 

[B]

I'm just curious, and I guess this is addressed to all of you: do your therapists ever comment on your nervousness/fidgeting?

 

[skatterkat]

My counselor asked me during my last session to figure out (this is kinda complicated) when I feel anxious, which part of my body I retreat into.

I think it's my feet, cos I tend to clench them when I'm anxious, which tenses my legs and thus my whole body. Also I tend to fidget with my hands, like brush imaginary hair away from my face, rub my nose, stuff like that. She didn't make a big deal out of it, just made ME more aware of what I was doing and why, and how I can use it as a signal that I need to actively change my thinking.

I have to say though, I'm really comfortable with my counsellor, which is incredibly weird for me, but she's absolutely lovely!

Hope this post is relevant somehow, I'm kinda on a sugar high at the mo so sense is out the window! ^-^;

 

[Chrysta]

When I first went to my shrink I was very nervous around her. I would try to not look at her and only look up every once in a while when I had to talk. I have been going to her for over a year now. I don't like going.. not because I am nervous, but because she is rude.. but I feel a lot more comfortable around her than I used to.

 

[corsa]

This is what psychs *generally* look at during a session with a client:

The clients appearance and behaviour

So they're looking at stuff like dress and general appearance, posture and facial experessions.

Thought processes:

stuff like rate and flow of speech. Is the client talking coherently, does it make sense? Are they aware fo there surroundings, are there any hints of delusional thinking?

Mood and affect:

what is the prodominent mood state of the individual, and is this mood consistent with their body language. E.g the client may say they are happy to talk about a particular topic but they have their hands folding across their chest, indicating they are defensive or uncomfortable.

Also, is the clients affect congruent with what they are talking about? So if they are discussing something that is distressing, the client shouldn't be smiling etc.

Is the client suicidal?, if so the psych must legally do a risk assessment and not let you leave the office until they have implemented a safety plan.

Intellectual functioning:

speaks for itself. what is the clients vocab range, are they cognitively impaired?


Generally they are looking for any inconsistencies with stories told by clients and a large part of that is looking at body language. Also they summarise back alot of what you are saying so that they can confirm for themselves what you may be presenting with. A good psych won't offer advice, they are there to listen and guide. Also they should not self-disclose too much or talk about any problems they may be experiencing at that time. This practice facilitates co-dependancy or counter-transference. --> That's why alot of clients start to have romantic feelings for their counsellor.

 

[savage_beagle]

shrinks are just people, not gods.

Hi! Ok, this is a reply to carebear's post on seeing a shrink (psychiatrist). The post made me laugh to myself. Let me tell you why.A few years back, i too saw a ''shrink''. What a huge waste of time , at least in my case. He had good credentials and all the degree paper certificate crap nailed to his wall, and seemed mid 40's, polite, well dressed and well spoken. I was kinda nervous about having to sit in front of a ''head doctor'', and give my life history and problems/feelings..to basically a complete stranger. Since i had booked an appointment a month ahead, i had a little time to think of what to say and how i should behave. So, i started reading on subjects like FEAR, procrastination and so on. I saw the shrink, caught him yawning a few times while telling him my personal stories, he forgot i was single (thought i was married with maybe kids)..in other words..i realized i was really just sitting in a chair and asked to ''talk'', while some over payed goof got a gauranteed full payment from my medical insurance. He was of absolute no help, only eager to dispense free samples of paxil , and finally prescribe to me paxil on a monthly basis, so as it ran out..i had to book further appointments to come get the anti-anxiety drugs from him(and he got his monthly payment from my health insureer..nice scam). My point is this=the doctor is just a man/woman...nothing more. a highly paid professional that is trained in the feild of mental illness. No need to kiss the shrinks ass and feel inferior...just another schmuck doing his/her job. Next time you go visit your shrink..remember....its only a person..a human being , flaws and all, offering their opinion . That person may screw the ass off their spouse after work, kick the dog, scold their kid, park the car half on the sidewalk, eat their steak with a fork and spoon and then take a huge shit and flood the toilet. Dont feel intimidated by the them, just tell them your point of life, you pay them, leave and hopefully you gotten some help. By the way...i asked others...shrinks are useless asswipes...a psychcolgist is worth every penny. Anyone have any comments on the 2? thx, bye!PLEASE EXSCUSE MY SPELLING MISTAKES, I AM IN A RUSH TO GO TO THE BEACH AND RELAX, KINDA GOT EXCITED AND TOO LAZY TO FIX THEM UP(I'M REALLY NOT A MONKEY WITH A KEYBOARD).