Hard times

[Lexigirl81]

I've never been part of a group therapy like this before. Honestly I usually just keep all my pain to myself. I have suffered with depression since a child. Now as an adult I link it to being sexually abused as a child by a family member. The isolation over the past year has caused severe panic attacks. No meds work for longer than a few weeks. I really don't want to go back to counseling/therapy because it never helps this feeling. I just want to lay in bed and sleep all day and night. I couldn't function at work so I took a lower level job so I could just go through the motions of my day and go home. I get severe migraines on top of these overwhelming emotions. I don't feel love anymore. I feel dead inside ;(

[designguy]

I don't know what kind of therapy or therapists you have had in the past but it sounds like you are suffering from sexual trauma and would possibly benefit from working with a trauma therapist and one who specializes in treating sexual trauma.

[Midori]

Unfortunately, Covid has done us no favours. It has stolen our lives over the last year and a half, and made us afraid of other people possibly carrying the virus.

Those of us who have mental health problems have often not been able to continue with our therapies face to face, and have fallen back as a result.

Time will sort it out, but it is no comfort to you right now. This forum and the folk here may be able to give you thoughts and ideas to help.

Cheers, Midori

[AZdesert35]

That's definitely a tough existence and unsustainable. I wouldn't give up on the therapy just yet. My cross to bear is anxiety. I've tried all the meds and all kinds of different counselors, and here I am at 47 still dealing with it. I think it's a matter of finding the right therapist and the right venue. For me, I've been trying to find someone who specializes in anxiety and it's frustrating because I get the list from my insurance company and when I try to filter by anxiety, everyone pops up. I look at their page and the specialize in anxiety, and 50 other things. I'm sorry, but if you specialize in that many things, you don't really specialize in anything. You're just trying to check as many boxes as possible so you end up in as many search results as possible. That's just Google culture screwing us again. The venue is also important. I'm Zoom-ed out and while teledoc appointments are convenient, spending more time talking to a 2D face on my computer monitor just doesn't do it for me. In fact, the reason I am here is because I wanted to find an anxiety support group locally but there were none in my area. I think I do the best when I am around other people who have similar struggles as me, and we share our stories and solutions. Unfortunately, it's still a digital platform, but I am keeping an open mind. Therapy is expensive. For the price of a $150 one hour session, I could find 4 friends, take them all to dinner and talk for 3 hours and probably feel better after it. Just keep looking for new ways to process it. So... I say keep searching for that right therapist and that right venue, and you'll find the one that works for you. Until then, you just need to live to fight another day. Surround yourself with healthy, supportive people. You can do this.

[lovetodance2018]

I am glad you reached out here. I am sorry you are struggling and you went through such a traumatic childhood. I am sorry to hear therapy didn't work in the past. It sounds like you just haven't found the right one to help you. I have learned that until you heal from the past, let go, and learn to forgive the person and yourself it is hard to move forward. You do need someone to help you with that. It starts with believing that you are special, beautiful and God created you. What you went through isn't your fault and it is time to stop reliving it. It was horrible going through it once, why think about it over and over again, and therefore, reliving it. Here is a podcast (bit.ly/3sUB5kk) you might find helpful. I will be praying for you and if you need someone to open up to and chat with feel free to pm me. Hugs and God Bless

[Operalady]

Hello a good therapist will help guide you to healing. Do you want healing or do you feel you deserve to suffer like it’s all your fault? No one deserves to be taken advantage of especially a kid. Our feelings can be resolved with therapy and put this behind you! Group therapy sounds like it could be helpful as you workout and get feed back from other victims. You are not alone. Your experience could be of tremendous help to others who also suffer as you do! Do not give up! Your worth it ! Gods wants you to be happier. Life is a process of working these things out with ourselves .

[lovetodance2018]

How are you doing? You have been in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs