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How helpful do you think it would be to see a mental health professional who specializes in issues related to chronic illness?
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Before I got my Tandem and G6 I was so burned out and frustrated that therapy to deal with it would probably have helped a lot.—As long as the therapist was a T1 diabetic. However, Tandem and Dexcom have given me a new lease on life and I don’t feel the frustration anymore.
I have very mixed feeling about the mental health profession. I have seen some do more damage than good. I am also concerned about the long-term stigma resulting from going to mental health services.
I, personally, believe that many people in the mental health profession are not objective about their business. Some need to deal with their own personal issues.
Having said that, some people need, and can find help talking to the “correct person.” The problem is finding the correct person. Good Luck.
I agree!!!
@Lawrence S. I ‘hear’ what you say, sir. I, myself, had a ‘disagreement’ with a psychiatrist about a patient that he’d been requested to see … not myself, I hasten to add … and the said psychiatrist THOUGHT it would be a good idea to treat the patient with ECT (Electro Convulsive Therapy), and old form of ‘therapy’ which involved sedating the patient, then sending electric currents through the brain. (I’m going back to the 1980s here.)
The patient was discharged home without sufficient follow up support. It was when her son, who happened to be a police officer, couldn’t get his mom to answer the door that he decided to break down the door, finding that his mom was in an awfully distressed state, hadn’t been washing or feeding herself, and was almost lifeless when he reached her.
The lady was admitted to a home for Elderly, Mentally Infirm clients … that’s people suffering with one or more types of dementia (organic brain failure) … where I made good friends with her.
Sadly, the woman’s mental health deteriorated dramatically. Her thought processing was ‘off the scale’. i.e. when we had thunderstorms she would scream out that the devil was taking the power out of the Earth. I spent many occasions sitting up with her all night.
Sadly, the woman has passed away, quite some years ago now, but I still think about her and what she’d been through based on this particular psychiatrist’s views were on her. (I won’t go on about this individual psychiatrist, except to say that he had some ‘weird’ ideas about some things, and he carried out at least one criminal act that was reported in local news, over here in the UK.)
I said ‘helpful’ meaning for those who need/want it. I don’t but I can see that it might help my two T1 grandsons, especially the older one who almost died from his last DKA. He just gets tired of dealing with T1 and gives up trying.
anyone with or without diabetes may likely need to see a mental health therapist at some point like having heart surgery, or loss of a family member. They are so helpful if you want to keep your close relationships good. they are bound to be affected by major events and its better to deal with it with someone who is objective who can hear you and not be emotionally involved. It is totally normal to see a therapist forget what possible stigma there might be. do what is good for you !!
Depends on who you are seeing and what they actually know anout T1D.
I have experienced major depression off and on throughout my adult life. Coping with T1D on top of this can be very challenging. Having access to a counselor who specializes in helping people with chronic disease would be helpful to me.
The reason(s) I selected “Not helpful” is primarily because, first, I hate the thought of someone psychoanalysing [psychoanalyzing] me when I have absolutely no idea of their experience/biases/belief systems, etc.
I say this as during a hospital stay I was found ‘clapped out’ on many occasions by ward staff, and even found ‘collapsed’ into my evening meal, and scalded by hot cups of tea when I’d ‘fallen asleep’ with the cup in my hand.
Someone took it on themself to get a psychiatrist involved, but prior to that happening, various junior doctors were sent to my bedside to talk to me about things. (Such questions as “Do you believe in God?”, to which I replied that I believe in many Gods … I am Pagan (Witch). “Do you speak with this Higher Power?”, to which I replied that I do. From then on, I knew, in my own mind, that they were psychoanalysing me, and I don’t believe that they had sufficient training to be able to do this.
On another occasion, I requested that I wished to speak with a Psychologist as I was at an all-time ‘low’ in myself. (I was asked if I intended to do harm to myself, to which I replied that I didn’t know what I was feeling at that point in time.)
It was arranged for a Psychologist to come and see me at home, but when she turned up we recognised [recognized] each other from my job, which was as a Social Worker at that time.
I appreciated the offer that the Psychologist made of changing my meetings with another Psychologist, but I had sufficient respect for this particular Psychologist to trust that she should continue our sessions.
As it turned out, I felt that the sessions were a waste of everyone’s time as I knew exactly what responses the Psychologist needed from me in order that she could ‘fill in her forms’ to indicate that I was getting value from our sessions. (It was just like going back to my Social Work training, where you submit dissertations that you know would ‘impress’ the ‘marker’ of the said dissertation. i.e. using terms/colloquialisms/statements that you know they appreciate.
Please don’t get me wrong, I KNOW that SOME Mental Health Professionals use techniques that would be advantageous to SOME people, as would techniques used by non-Mental Health Professionals … I’ve used some of them myself.
I don’t know you… but I like you!!!
@ sweetcharlie, it’s a cruel twist of fate that we don’t know each other … somebody planted a great ocean between us. 😉
You wouldn’t believe how much your words mean to me, my new-found friend. <3
I saw a counselor when I was going through a divorce and was treated for depression. However the counselor was convinced that being a T1D caused the depression. No, I’m losing my soulmate. I’m fine with being T1D, I’ve been handling it since I was 7 years old. She would not lay off of it and I stopped seeing her because of that
@Sarah Austin. I’m with you on that, ma’am.
Unfortunately, when SOME Mental Health Professionals get ‘fixated’ on their initial ‘diagnosis’ it’s hard to get them to see any other thing(s) that may have caused the issue(s) you’re going through.
Twice in my long life with T1D I was referred for psycho-emotional counseling by two very tuned in endocrinologists. In 1981 I almost died from poorly controlled T1D, a subsequent miscarriage and was in an emotionally abusive and unhappy marriage. I suffered from deep depression, anxiety and PTSD. My then endo (who was also a T1 PWD herself) sent me to a holistic psychiatrist for MH counseling. I remained in treatment with her for almost 3 years – no drugs, just dynamic problem solving supportive and dynamic psychotherapy, including some group focused sessions. It was very effective.
In 2007 I was working as a community based diabetes home care RN and walked into an active drug deal in a patient’s home … with guns, vicious guard dogs and fierce looking drug dealers unloading their “cache” at the patient’s home where her adult sons were on the receiving end. In short I witnessed things I really did not want to see or have any part of. I had to report it to my supervisors and the authorities, and ended up with nightmares, severe PTSD emotional stress that caused my BGs to elevate and overall deteriorated physical/emotional/mental health. My endo MD insisted I take a Workers Comp leave of absence from my job and I underwent 8 weeks of twice a week cognitive behavioral therapy with another holistic MH provider.
I was lucky to be in the care of compassionate & understanding health care professionals – both in diabetes care and psycho-emotional care. My MH issues were not specifically T1D related, but they affected my overall T1D well-being.
PTSD is one of the most debilitating conditions a human can experience. It has no respect for age, income, rank, position. But it can be, like the T1D condition, manageable.
A high school friend who became a high-ranking military officer and a major general in our community have both written about their struggles. Their writings are excellent both with regard to the immense challenge and to the possible methods of overcoming the situation.
{{{{{Hugs}}}}} to you, ConnieT1D62. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
As Ahh Life correctly states, PTSD can be a very disabling condition. I, myself, have been experiencing horrible dreams and/or nightmares almost every night since I left my British Army service in 1979 and that, in itself, can be very ‘draining’.
I used to see one. She was amazing, she understood the mental toll of the day to day care of just the diabetes. It helped me a lot.
I think there are times it would be helpful- however cost is as usual a barrier
I have received counseling and I also have a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Gonzaga University. That degree certainly gave me insight into understanding myself as well.
Vicki, Retired LMFT. See my comments about couples. I was offered opportunity to enter non-degree training for counseling families with T1 child(ren) at major university. I was only a couple of years away from retirement so I declined.
If I was seeking mental health support, I think having a therapist who understands T1D and the challenges of managing it would be helpful both in my confidence that s/he understands what I’m dealing with and in getting the most effective advice.
Age 71, Married 47 yrs. Have T1 67 years. Might be helpful especially in issues arising when one partner is healthy & the other partner has chronic disease. Our marriage didnt suffer from stress of 2 autodiseases 8seases until I had T1 for over 50+ years. There is stress in doing detailed management of Type 1 & if there is decline in health the balance in the relationship changes. Every vitalic, long term relationship renegotiates along the way but renegotiation is needed more as one person becomes more ill. The balance in power, roles, responsibilities, decision making, etc changes.
Unfortunately all professional, mental health,, social sciences literature seems to speak to needs of caretaking partner. The unhealthy partner’s needs are relegated to the study of disease treatment & those focused on death & dieing. I’m not interested in pop articles.
Henny Renn–Amen to that. Married 52 years, I now do 3 things: caring, cooking, & cleaning.
I was neither trained nor, by nature, cut out for this. Relationships change, who takes charge where changes, and power relationships shift. I bludgeon on. But this has got to be an area rich for researchers as society ages, people live longer, etc. etc. Go for it guys!
Moreover, my experience with diabetic team members at Tandem and DexCom lead me to believe some patients would greatly benefit from a diabetic therapist certified as a diabetes educator. NPs and APNs would be beneficial as well I light of the systemic shortage of primary care.
In terms of my T1D (40+ years) I guess I am well-suited to deal with it: very (overly?) self-disciplined, it really wasn’t any kind of lifestyle change for me, I am appropriately anal-retentive and detail oriented. But having a partner with BP1 has put the idea in my head that therapy might help me cope. There are days when my mere existence is enough to set him off. Sadly – at least in my next of the woods – mental health services are in short supply. I failed the screening test, answering no to questions about suicidal/homicidal ideations. So I soldier on
Hi @Trina. Just saw your comment here and wanted to make sure you’re ok. When you say your partner is sometimes set off by your mere existence, I hope not violently so. You shouldn’t have to live on eggshells or be suicidal to get help. Try mentioning to your primary care doctor that your interested in speaking with a mental health professional for stresses at home. They should refer you. Best of luck. ♥️
I think it could be very helpful if the therapist was also someone living with T1D, not generic “chronic illness”. There are major differences as there are many chronic diseases. When I was an adolescent I was very angry and depressed because T1D seemed to make my life very limited. From dx at 8 thru high school I had repeatedly been told that I would die if I didn’t precisely follow every dictate from the MD’s, dietician, and , of course, my parents. Every MD appointment was lecture/ judgement. It would have been tremendous helpful then, but in 1959 – 1964 wasn’t a consideration.
If I needed to see an MHP, having one that specializes in chronic illnesses would be highly beneficial.
I am looking for one
In therapy, we never discussed diabetes. It was always about depression. But I’m convinced, now, that the therapy did lasting good. I haven’t been depressed in years. I’m absolutely crushed by the things that are happening in the world around me, but no longer allow it to bury each day in grayness. There are lots of time I wish that filling my pump weren’t such a chore, but all it takes is remembering how lucky I really am. The therapist didn’t ever stress that attitude, but I believe she did have a really good affect on my awareness of what’s really important. I’m fascinated with the way things work, and choose to get outside my own head for a better perspective. I’m so grateful that remembering to order pump supplies on time is my only real bugaboo!
I selected “a little helpfull”… Then I read all the answers and comments etc. T11D at age 20… age now 91… Never saw a MH professional…. Lived during much troubling world and family times.. Had 5 girls said “yes” but 4 Moms said “no”, until age 30.. Her age 18… T1D is just one of many good and bad things that happened…. I now have AMD and Asbestos related lung cancer…. Wife has Parkinsons…. These are just “some of the bad things”… . A MH professonal has no way to fix them… Had many family members that died young and many died old.. some were sick and some not..
I’m so sorry for the issues you’re dealing with! But how wonderful that you’ve managed T1D for so many years. It’s unclear what you meant by this: “Had 5 girls said “yes” but 4 Moms said “no”.” But thank you for sharing and my very best wishes and hopes for you and your wife.
One of my stresses for T1D is, when it comes to advantages of having an autoimmune disease–like getting vaccines before the general population, etc–nobody considers T1D an autoimmune disease. When I went to an autoimmune disease specialist due to other problems I was having, even *she* told me I didn’t have an autoimmune disease after all the testing was said and done. (I did have a positive ANA, but she said that was common with hypothyroidism). I had chicken pox when I was 6, and a few months later I was diagnosed with T1D. My body attacked my body to protect me from chicken pox! I’m 66 now. Anyway, that’s my main “psychological” complaint with being a diabetic, believe it or not! Has anyone else had this frustration? Generally speaking, though, being a diabetic has been a positive thing. As a teen and beyond, I didn’t get into drugs and alcohol the way my friends did (and some still do). I keep myself physically fit and eat healthier due to the T1D and other reasons. I have had many opportunities, like camp scholarships for diabetic kids, etc, due to the T1D. I try to frame it as an opportunity, not a burden.
Teach me this one would ya!?!?! I can think of a LOT of things to call D, but positive, I literally cannot understand? How do I get your “channel”… apparently I’m on an A.M. station, and did not realize it…
At age 6, it might have been helpoul, but after 56 years of T1D, carving out time to lament about my illness would not be productive. Years ago, I taught myself (with the help of my mother) how to deal with the mental frustrations and challenges of T1D (she was NOT T1D). I think mental health professionals are always needed when a person with a chronic illness is having to deal with other family members who have chronic/terminal illnesses. This is where T1Ds often don’t take care of themselves.
Helpful for sure, even if it helps to relieve the stress and anxiety you often get about caring for your own chronic illness while also dealing with others.
Yes, very much helpful. Remember to continue seeing a mental health professional, if you can, throughout your life.
Seeing any counselor helps especially those trained in cognitive behavioral therapy. Small support groups with facilitators trained in CBT also very good. A workshop for chronic conditions paled in comparison because it was too large and was only 4-5 sessions.
Hello Wanacure. In your experience, do particular D issues (the &*&& ugly ones) respond well to CBT technique(s)? I’ll stand in a yellow chicken suit, on one leg and squawk in Swahili if ANY tangible relief could be achieved. Not a fan of suffering, seeking tools and people who wield them expertly to debride some of this “mental pus” which D has so malevolently and freely given most of us.
I think it would be helpful if they specialized in neurochemistry and the way specific conditions play with your brain both short and long term.
There is a grand total of one (1) name within a 25 mile radius. They do not take insurance. Cash only. Could not begin to afford even their initial fee per hour. No care is possible until more (any) experts are local. It is pathetic and inexcusable situation
I know it’s helpful, as I see one! Makes a huge difference, I’m so grateful.
I would sell my “soul” to get access to anybody, much less remotely local! (Diabetes has shredded it nicely, looking for relief from swimming in the fires, pretty muds and quick sands of D mental health this long. How helpful would it be, Mayday, mayday, mayday…