Does Counselling Work?

[foxtrottango]

I have recently decided to seek counselling for certain issues in my past. I thought I had dealt with it all and moved on but in the last couple of years I have felt like I have been going mad. I now very rarely leave the house, if my fiance isnt with me I find it very difficult to leave for any reason. I can leave to go to work but I have to come straight home after and go straight there. I can't deviate IYSWIM.

This has got worse over a couple of years and is now really impacting on my life. I am very neurotic and tightly wound. I had a miscarriage last year followed by a slipped disc and so I was very depressed between May and December. This depression seems to have lifted now thank goodness but I really want to get to grips with sorting my life out and living my life.

What I really want to know is, will counselling help? I know what I want, I want to be able to leave the house! I had my first session yesterday and the counsellor said that I'm ok at work as I have a mask on but I don't like facing the world without it. I just don't like facing the world if I'm honest. Until the depression lifted after Christmas my landline had been unplugged for months, I refused to go to the doctors for medication I need, I even hate people knocking on my door! I wasn't always like this, I used to go running every day, walk my dogs every day and just get out and about. I have tried telling myself I just need to get a grip, I have tried forcing myself to go out but it puts me under such stress I have now stopped.

I know what I want to get out of counselling but I'm not sure if sitting and talking will have such a concrete result. Is it possible to talk all this through and get me to the point where I can pop out to the shop without even thinking about it. Or am i expecting too much?

Yes counselling can work. You may need more than one form of counselling. To help you get out of the door again you may need very practical counselling such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which can help you to learn to think differently and that way change your behaviour. You may need something more along the line of psychotherapy to really figure out how your past influences how you are now.

I've needed both.

Totally agree with madmouse i have had both and had my last (never say never) appointment. im over the moon, i feel soo happy although my family are still going through some bad shit. i am fully ready to deal with what life has got for us! it took alot of time and i had to drag myself there and sometimes i didnt even bother, it does hurt and can be really intense but well worth. give it a go you have nothing to loose.

oh and by the way you need to be sure the councilor is right for you i saw 3 before mine came along.

Thanks for that, I'm not sure the counsellor is right for me, only had one session though. I am getting the counselling though a charity, I wouldn't know how to go about getting CBT or psychotherapy. I'm glad to hear it can help though, I just wasn't sure how much difference it could make.

counselling through a charity is usually person centred counselling which is good if there are things you want to talk/work through.

CBT is usually available on the NHS, ask your GP.

Yes I think it does I'm in the early stages of counselling for childhood 'issues'and it is hard but I think it will be worth it I'm also on meds and although I hate them I know I wouldn't of been able to get through the last few months and the next few as well. My counseller is a volunteer and is fantastic feel really comfortable with her and the support I have had on this board has been amazing as well.

I'm seeing a counsellor. She tells me anything (counselling, medication) WON'T work unless you "engage" with it. So, if you really want to make it work, then you can.

Agree with others though about finding the right counsellor for you.

Hiya
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I had my second session today, it was hard. The counsellor has said a few things though that make me believe he knows what I am talking about. It's such a good feeling to think someone understands what's going on in my head!

I get stressed before I go in there but once I start I feel OK and afterwards I feel a lot better so hopefully it is doing me good!