I Need To See A Shrink

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Tom Clumsy

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1. around Kanagawa, or anywhere accessible through Odakyu line
2. just psychotherapy, no antipsychotics
3. english or tagalog
4. no hollistic approach, meaning I can't do yoga, detox, meditation and that type of crap
 
Contact Tokyo English Life Line. They have resources and can also do counseling directly.
 
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I'll also add that if you work for a large enough company, they have employee assistance services that includes counseling, most of the time. The company pays for it, but they would never know why you'd be seeing a therapist.
 
But don't be surprised, TELL does not come cheaply and as far as I know you cannot claim on Japanese insurance.
 
R.O.B said:
But don't be surprised, TELL does not come cheaply and as far as I know you cannot claim on Japanese insurance.
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I used TELL years ago and was minimum 10,.000 then depending on your income

I know heaps about this subject
Psychotherapy works for some but not others and there are different approaches. You don't have a lot of choice in Tokyo

If your problems are depression and or anxiety, medication will be you r first line of defense then consider other options

Yoga and meditation are no crap they have kept me alive this past year. Not much fun doing it though it is boring as shit

Before deciding on which line of psychotherapy to follow, ask yourself if your difficulties arise from traumatic events in the past. If that is so, a good counsellor can make a big difference. If however you have a family history of mental illness, that sucks a rats because it means it is a physiological brain chemistry imbalance gig

Let us know how you get on. It's nothing to be ashamed of
 
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Yup when you call to ask for info, ask what type of psychotherapy they use and if they start using technical terms ask what they are talking about

It will be behavioural or cognitive or both but most likely they won't commit and say it is tailored to each individual.

Is it one hour or 50 minutes? Time is money here

You'll probably need to go about 10 times. You don't get results overnight

One good thing that came from my visits to TELL was helping me deal with obnoxiousness at work. I was looking for ways of confrontation and revenge. Counsellor advised just doing nothing

Tagilog won't get you very far unless you wanna date a fat Flippa from a hostess bar. Will cost you a lot more than a shrink though by the time you've paid for all her friends in all
 
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the reason why I wanna try psychotherapy is that it is the only approach I have yet to try

I've seen four psychiatrists but their meds have crazy side effects

I've tried buddhist approach but it doesn't work

I've been to a spiritual healer but he recommends detox and herbs and I'm not willing to do that

now I want to check out this stuff I see in movies and cartoons where you sit on a couch and some shrink would talk you out of your delusions
 
to answer your question, my problem is hallucination and delusions

back when I was 27, I was watching some hoops on TV, then the commentator dude suddenly talked directly to me and was very accusatory in his tone. That was the very first time I experienced persecutory delusions. I freaked out.

Then it became the same for radio, internet posts, people on the street, co-workers, then my own family.

their main topics are stuff I feel guilty about, like sexual fantasies and insecurities and failures.
 
it is probably hereditary because I noticed my pops having some kind of mood disorder but has not been diagnosed. He's a good man but when he's in that state he's a jerk I wanna avoid.
 
Tom Clumsy said:
the commentator dude suddenly talked directly to me and was very accusatory in his tone.
Click to expand...

Mate, the combination of hallucinations and accusatory overtones are a pretty classic symptom of schizophrenia, which is due predominantly to chemical imbalances in the body - if this is the case you don't need psychotherapy, you need a proper psychiatrist and medication. Psychotherapy is mainly aimed at emotional troubles. Hallucinations are a strong indication of physical problems.

Try:

http://eng.amda-imic.com/?ml_lang=en

They'll help you find medical professionals who can deal with you in your preferred language.
 
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when I took meds, it made me depressed and the hallucinations were still there
 
Tom Clumsy said:
when I took meds, it made me depressed and the hallucinations were still there
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That doesn't mean you don't need meds, it means those weren't the right meds.

I've seen schizophrenic patients undergoing treatment, and when the right combination of meds kicks in, it's amazing.

It can take a long time to get the meds dialed in, but perseverance will pay off.
 
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Sudsy knows what he's talking about

There are many different meds
Finding the right one for you is a bit hit and miss but it will work

See some psychiatrist
 
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Yeah...definitely. I am no expert at all, but I do know (well, in some cases) people who have been on anti-psychotic meds, and it is NOTHING like taking an antibiotic to get rid of an infection...like just some pill you pop, and the problems quickly go away. It is more like carefully adjusting your brain chemistry...very complicated and maybe "every case is different" sort of situation (I'm not sure).

Anyway, meds can be a huge help but require you to work closely with a good and determined psychiatrist to get them adjusted right to help you. And even after they are right, your brain chemistry can change slowly, so you may have to get them re-adjusted from time-to-time for many years, maybe for the rest of your life.

But don't give up! Hang in there and keep trying...your happiness depends on it.

-Ww
 
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Tom Clumsy said:
I've seen four psychiatrists but their meds have crazy side effects
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You've had bad luck with psychiatrists but good ones are hard to find

The longer they have been in the profession, the less they tend to listen and more interested in the financial rewards that come with private consultancy work. Plus the fact they don't keep abreast with new development in medication.

Even though the older ones have experience, I would try and seek out someone under 40 and preferably a woman

If you got a reliable Japanese speaking friend then check out the net preferably starting with places near home there are sites where patients write reviews. There is actually so current boom in mental health professional so you got a good chance of finding someone good. The psychs catering for expat community are ridiculously expensive and I'd say no better.

Before seeing a psych I would write down a simple history of the illness and symptoms and names of medication you took

Japan is a bit slow to approve new medications but very careful and risk free. So best seller in the US may not be adopted if there Are doubts about long term effect

Don't leave any stones untouched I know how debilitating mental illness can be when not treated. Maybe Sudsy can help with names of medication.
 
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Hamerare said:
Maybe Sudsy can help with names of medication.
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That would be getting dangerously close to giving actual medical advice - though I did complete SOME medical schooling, I decided a career in medicine wasn't for me, thus I'm not an MD, and try not to make recommendations beyond simple over-the-counter remedies.

These types of meds are serious business, and need to be taken under careful monitoring by a medical professional. What works for one person may not work for another, or may work better in combination with another medication - prescribing meds for brain chemistry related issues is much like picking a lot, you have a general idea what should be effective, but there's a significant amount of trial and error before you get that "click".
 
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I know a guy who is delusional.

Sometimes he snaps on an internet forum, and is really persuaded he is victim of a strange (obviously misdiagnosed, possibly psychosomatic and most possibly imaginary) disease where he kind of wets his pants out of sudation due to some aliens and invisible forces having corrupted his lower body.

This is really terrible, and his posts could not be mocked too long before people realize this was beyhond any manageable threshold of internet's awkwardness.

I also had a tense chat with him IRL that could go awry at any moment and in which I felt all kind of disturbing waves. It was ok in the end but I really

He told me he is under treatment for being unbalanced, and it's clear that it is very important for him to be treated with chemicals in order to stay in an open environment, even if he struggles so much with pretty much anything in his life.
Probably a psychotherapy-like process can help on top of the necessary medication.

Also a thing I've heard firsthand : many psychotherapists in Japan have a hard time adjusting to non-japanese clients because of the difference of culture : some of they just reach plain wrong conclusions by trying to stick stereotypes on their clients. Statistically gaijins fit less the japanese stereotypes compared to japanese people.
 
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Yep you're ri
DJV said:
I know a guy who is delusional.

Sometimes he snaps on an internet forum, and is really persuaded he is victim of a strange (obviously misdiagnosed, possibly psychosomatic and most possibly imaginary) disease where he kind of wets his pants out of sudation due to some aliens and invisible forces having corrupted his lower body.

This is really terrible, and his posts could not be mocked too long before people realize this was beyhond any manageable threshold of internet's awkwardness.

I also had a tense chat with him IRL that could go awry at any moment and in which I felt all kind of disturbing waves. It was ok in the end but I really

He told me he is under treatment for being unbalanced, and it's clear that it is very important for him to be treated with chemicals in order to stay in an open environment, even if he struggles so much with pretty much anything in his life.
Probably a psychotherapy-like process can help on top of the necessary medication.

Also a thing I've heard firsthand : many psychotherapists in Japan have a hard time adjusting to non-japanese clients because of the difference of culture : some of they just reach plain wrong conclusions by trying to stick stereotypes on their clients. Statistically gaijins fit less the japanese stereotypes compared to japanese people.
Click to expand...

Yep you're right

A typical Japanese psych would assume your problems were culturally based . I was once accused of that here. Easy and symplistic assertion to make

A check on the net will reveal what medications are available in Japan for schizophrenia. Chances are they'll be far fewer than in the US

I know the most used anti psychotic med in the US is am opiate called Seroquel or Quetiapine which has a wide range of uses depending on dosage. Side effects are awful for a few days then disappear. Worth looking into.

I usually tell psychs what med I want to try based on my own research. They usually go along with it because my guess is as good as theirs

Mental illness is a terrible affliction. You can't just take a pill to alleviate the symptoms
 
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Japanese mental health care sucks a big one. I say check your local city/ward office for any reliable ones in your languages
 
johnnyboy84 said:
Japanese mental health care sucks a big one. I say check your local city/ward office for any reliable ones in your languages
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Sorry to disagree but that hasn't been my experience. A lot will depend on what area of Tokyo you live in. Richer area = better doctors.

In general J doctors tend to overprescribe with light dosages
The main problem is finding one who listens and doesn't try and get rid of you after 10 minutes but this is same everywhere.

You need to speak and understand though which is a problem for Tom C.

Ward office may be worth a try though

I'm kinda curious to hear what bad experience you got with psych in Japan.
 
johnnyboy84 said:
Japanese mental health care sucks a big one.
Click to expand...

There's nothing wrong with the care available, it's actually quite good.

The issue in Japan is the lack of easy access to information about it and the public stigma of seeing a therapist, and for non-Japanese, finding care with a provider that is competent in their own language.

There's also the issue of it being nearly impossible to commit somebody against their will, which I have seen play out quite badly for one of our clients; but that's a legal issue, not a care issue.
 
DJV said:
I know a guy who is delusional.

Sometimes he snaps on an internet forum, and is really persuaded he is victim of a strange (obviously misdiagnosed, possibly psychosomatic and most possibly imaginary) disease where he kind of wets his pants out of sudation due to some aliens and invisible forces having corrupted his lower body.

This is really terrible, and his posts could not be mocked too long before people realize this was beyhond any manageable threshold of internet's awkwardness.

I also had a tense chat with him IRL that could go awry at any moment and in which I felt all kind of disturbing waves. It was ok in the end but I really

He told me he is under treatment for being unbalanced, and it's clear that it is very important for him to be treated with chemicals in order to stay in an open environment, even if he struggles so much with pretty much anything in his life.
Probably a psychotherapy-like process can help on top of the necessary medication.

Also a thing I've heard firsthand : many psychotherapists in Japan have a hard time adjusting to non-japanese clients because of the difference of culture : some of they just reach plain wrong conclusions by trying to stick stereotypes on their clients. Statistically gaijins fit less the japanese stereotypes compared to japanese people.
Click to expand...

you really shouldn't mess with him. Another psycho open-fired in California just recently LOL
 
Sudsy said:
That doesn't mean you don't need meds, it means those weren't the right meds.

I've seen schizophrenic patients undergoing treatment, and when the right combination of meds kicks in, it's amazing.

It can take a long time to get the meds dialed in, but perseverance will pay off.
Click to expand...

I see where you're coming from

but in my opinion, the side effects are really not worth it. I know that it shouldn't work like a magic pill, as Wwanderer put it, I wouldn't have seen four psychiatrists if I didn't believe it will work at some point, I would have stopped after the first two or three prescriptions that didn't work. After the fourth psychiatrist, I just decided I don't wanna do trial and error with my brain.

the bottom line is without meds I can somehow work and function like a normal guy, although it is very difficult. With meds' side effects like depression, and intrusive and repressed thoughts I'm almost suicidal. Death is always the theme. I get thoughts like, what if suddenly have a heart attack at work, what if I suddenly had the impulse to jump from a building. For me, this stuff is a lot more dangerous than my disease, which is basically just being too irritable with imaginary persecutory voices at one time, then laughing too hard at the corniest jokes at another.
 
Tom Clumsy said:
I see where you're coming from

but in my opinion, the side effects are really not worth it. I know that it shouldn't work like a magic pill, as Wwanderer put it, I wouldn't have seen four psychiatrists if I didn't believe it will work at some point, I would have stopped after the first two or three prescriptions that didn't work. After the fourth psychiatrist, I just decided I don't wanna do trial and error with my brain.

the bottom line is without meds I can somehow work and function like a normal guy, although it is very difficult. With meds' side effects like depression, and intrusive and repressed thoughts I'm almost suicidal. Death is always the theme. I get thoughts like, what if suddenly have a heart attack at work, what if I suddenly had the impulse to jump from a building. For me, this stuff is a lot more dangerous than my disease, which is basically just being too irritable with imaginary persecutory voices at one time, then laughing too hard at the corniest jokes at another.
Click to expand...

I think part of the problem may be that you seem to be hopping from one psych to another when the meds don't have the desired effect, instead of sticking with one and working through the side effects with them.
 
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