Psychiatry vs an online forum

[getthejoj]

Personally, I'll have to go with an online forum. On a place like this, you can complain about whatever you want, and if someone care enough to respond, they will. You can talk to people who are going through something similar to what you are going through, and sometimes, that's good enough advice. Now, I've never seen a psychiatrist personally, but paying somebody more money an hour than I earn all week to pretend to care about my problems and hand me a kleenex doesn't sound like my cup of tea. I can also do without the medications they'd probably tell me to take. Well, just my ignorant opinion. Anybody got any thoughts?

 

[NathanielWingatePeaslee]

Online forums are full of loonies. I should know--I'm one of them.

 

[laure15]

I agree. I can't afford to see a psychiatrist so I use online forums. I have a tendency to become dependent on people once I open up to them about my problems, so it's probably a good thing I don't see a psychiatrist because I could get addicted to him/her.

 

[this_portrait]

I take comfort in both.

 

[squidgee]

Never been to a psychiatrist or therapist but online forums are much more accessible and instant. If I feel like expressing my opinion, asking a question, venting or reading the stories of others here, it's only a few clicks and keystrokes away.

 

[CursedSoul]

Well yup here we go, shedding 400 bucks a visit is what gets me to my psychiatrist and psychologist(I'm going through a double treatment) its a standard treatment I guess but yeah online forums are a good thing when you've to talk to fellow patients..we don't have doctors here, do we? So shrinks are the real deal, my shrink is very attractive I might add so it is worth visiting..lol

 

[Unspoken]

I think forums are best for people who have enough control and perspective to sort the good advice from the bad. I've seen advice given by someone who is completely serious that would have lost me so much ground and so many good things.

Neither psychiatry nor forums have much to offer me at this point, though. They give me food for thought and once in a long while something worth bookmarking, but I've been over a lot of it by this point. Responses have typically been either someone who means well but has little new insight to offer or someone who doesn't understand the issue at all. I'd rather talk to family and the few friends I have, who know me well enough to offer more relevant advice and aren't on my computer.