Is it possible to pinpoint and fix your own problems w/out shrinks?

I’ve been to clinics on several occasions. The only role the psychiatrist would play is sort of a backboard which I would bounce ideas off of. They don’t pinpoint or fix your problems, they more just guide you.

It seriously depends on what your problems are and how much they are affecting your daily life. It is possible to help yourself in some scenarios but not in others.

Of course it is. Many people have done it and many people continue to do it. Maybe it wouldn’t work for certain people or certain problems, but of course it’s possible.

you first must be hounst with yourself

There’s a saying in AA that “your own best thinking got you where you are.” That’s not to say it applies to you specifically. Can you recognize and change what unhealthy distortions you’ve imposed on yourself and your reality? Do you know what healthier behaviors and thoughts look like and can you adopt them despite what your subconscious prefers? A good shrink will give you tools to help you help yourself get better. Simplistcally, they’re shortcuts to feeling better more quickly instead of relying on trial and error.

@kevbo GA!

My best friend is a psychology major. She thinks that a lot of the people in her department joined so they could learn how to work out their own issues for free.

I don’t know how true this may or may not be, but I’ve been to a psychiatrist before and what I mostly got out of the experience was being able to have a sounding board to talk about my problems. A normal conversation is a give and take, but talking to a psychiatrist focuses the whole discussion on you. So, I think it’s very possible to work this stuff out on your own, or by having a good talk with someone.

It is possible, but there’s help if people want it, and that’s not a bad thing.

The shrink that helped me the most did not “pinpoint and fix my problems” — he taught me to do it myself.

In other words, “yes”.

@Haleth
“She thinks that a lot of the people in her department joined so they could learn how to work out their own issues for free.”

Free? I’d say it probably cheaper to pay a psychologist than to go to college for 4 years.

@jackm Ah, yes. But college only lasts 4 years for a lot of people. Issues, on the other hand, can last a lifetime. ;)

@DrasticDreamer
True, but college for 4 years can cost $200,000. If you plan on spending more than that on psychological help, then it’d be worth it.

Most of us are unaware of what our problems are and how incorrect thinking has gotten us there. As I’ve said before here on Fluther, I was able to find and fix many of my problems with the help of an anxiety workshop I listened to on my iPod. It should be noted, though, that I would not have been able to figure out my problems without that guidance, even if it wasn’t from an actual person talking to me specifically (I supplemented my treatment with an actual therapist, but I would say 80%-90% of my recovery was because of workshop, with the therapist being useful for questions not addressed in the workshop).

Yes. Your own understanding of your disorder and your own level of realization that you have the problem of course has a lot to do with it.

@jackm Some people may pick Psychology as their minor- most of the time you have to minor in something, and they work well with many different types of majors. That way you just pick 6 classes that go hand in hand w/ what you need to figure out, and you gain enough knowledge to help yourself…. I know a couple people that did it!

@BBSDTfamily
True. Maybe i should try that. I need fixin’

@jackm I’m guilty of it. It was interesting to me so the classes were easy, it went hand-in-hand with my Marketing degree, and I took classes that actually helped me out in my own life (or my near future- wasn’t a mom yet). Child Psychology, Adolescent Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Social Psychology were the favorites. Even having to take Behavioral Statistics helped me for my Marketing Research class…. I was one of two A’s in that class just b/c I’d had the info before.

@BBSDTfamily
I wish I could. Theres not much space in my engineering curriculum to fit extra classes though.

@jackm That’s right I forgot not all majors need a minor to go with it… my husband didn’t have one either and he was engineering also. Hey if you ever do have room for an elective though, I recommend it!

The very point of most current day therapy is to give you and help you learn to use tools to do exactly that. You will always have been your own healer, no matter what the modality of your treatment.

Modern psychotherapy helps facilitate the process; therein lies its value.

No. I do not think that you can ‘pinpoint’ any of your own emotions, unless you are aware of your own subconscious. Which no one is. You, can’t specifically locate reason behind any of your own feelings like that. Pin point is really a bad term. No one can “pin point” feelings.

I would not suggest you go out and get some self help books or any other kind of self help(of you alone trying to help yourself). I think most people, (if not any person, ever) need another person to help them figure out themselves. Its all about perspective. They are able to help you because they are not you. They see you very differently than you see yourself. It’s a good thing, too.

A professional psychiatrist or counselor is a great idea, as long as you just keep in mind, that a lot of doctors in that field are prescription-happy. You are not a machine, you shouldn’t be prescribed meds right off the bat. It takes a while to try to understand a person. Id say if your counselor recommends you meds within three evaluations, immediately get another doctor.

If you truly want growth, go seek professional help, from someone who specializes in helping you. People can only help guide you. Not fix you.

If you don’t have a serious depression that needs medical or professional assistance, but only minor normal day-to-day neurosis (like me), or just want to change the way you think, I think you can work on yourself, find some of your problems and solve them. In fact, i have and i believe i feel better because of it. I only have myself as anecdotal evidence though, so your mileage may vary.

There is alot of bullshit overpromising self help litterature out there, and “NLP” is one of the worst sinners, although I found one NLP-technique which really works wonders for me, it’s called reframing, and involves questioning your beliefs and turning them around and see if they work better.

I really recommend the book “mind lines” – if you try to see through the quasi-scientific-techno-mumbo-jumbo the “mind lines” they have can actually give quite surprising results if you use them on yourself. They helped me realize i had some beliefs that really weren’t helping me at all, and allowed me to change them. It’s quite a painfully detailed book though, so dont expect to get through it in one sitting.

Beware of NLP in general though, it’s a bunch of hogwash, and don’t believe their scientific aspirations.

http://www.amazon.com/Mind-lines-Michael-Hall-Bobby-Bodenhamer/dp/1890001155/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256060288&sr=8-1

For most minor life upsets and ‘off days’ people can usually pinpoint and address their own problems. Most of the time a reasonable person will be able to make use of the popular solutions to most daily issues.

However, there are more serious problems that are best addressed by a professional.
A trained psychiatrist can prescribe medication when necessary, for severe conditions, and a trained psychologist can help guide the client to a plan they might might not have considered on their own.