Mental illness is dumber

[TheBlackSheep]

Mine was mostly covered, thank goodness–co-pay of only a few hundred dollars, and I think the full price of the psychoanalysis was more than $5K.

So I came here to say I didn't think you had had psychoanalysis though the idea of you in Freudian or Jungian therapy (or the idea of some super specialized MD administering it) tickled me. Then I googled it to make sure I wasn't being a complete idiot and discovered neuropsychoanalysis, which I have never heard of before and which is FASCINATING. Is that what you went through? Now I gotta go explore this idea. Who knew.

It's cool that you guys had this conversation, though. Thanks to Cognoscente for sharing your experience and to Portia for bringing it up. We talk a lot about depression/anxiety/bipolar disorder/sometimes personality disorders around here but not so much other mental health issues.

[Craig Jessop]

Comment on last posts: I really want to be psychoanalyzed, but I'm pretty neurotypical, so it probably isn't worth the money. I just have a pronounced reaction to stress, and a desire to control things, but none of these things have interfered with my life, so is it worth the hundreds of dollars? Yes, no?

[Craig Jessop]

Rant of the day: My computer is 4 years old and on its last days. This is an incredibly inconvenient time for me because I can't afford a new one. I'm not a big computer user, and most of my internet use is on my phone, so I've been able to get by without a new computer for about a year now. However, I'm now in the process of applying to law school which involves a lot of writing. It's really irritating to have to deal with my Windows 8 system, complete with long load times, broken applications, and a semi-autonomous disobedience on the part of IE. I don't want to upgrade to Windows 10 because my work computer had huge problems with it, and I just can't afford to take the risk on my finicky old machine at home.

[Cognoscente]

So I came here to say I didn't think you had had psychoanalysis though the idea of you in Freudian or Jungian therapy (or the idea of some super specialized MD administering it) tickled me. Then I googled it to make sure I wasn't being a complete idiot and discovered neuropsychoanalysis, which I have never heard of before and which is FASCINATING. Is that what you went through? Now I gotta go explore this idea. Who knew.

I went back to my medical history on my clinic's website and double-checked, because I wasn't using the term with the correct industry terminology in mind. That said, it looks like that's exactly what I had:

Code: Select all

Reason for Visit
 	Cognitive Complaint
Encounter Diagnosis
 	Attention and concentration deficit [383743]  - Primary	
 	Executive function deficit [365053]
We Performed the Following
 	NEUROPSYCH TESTING BY PSYCH/PHYS
 	NEUROPSYCH TESTING BY TECHNICIAN

If you're interested, BS, I'll let you read the full evaluation some time.

And yes, Portia, I'm a developer, or close enough to it. I'm an engineer at any rate.

[Cognoscente]

I probably shouldn't make an appointment for Jungian therapy.

[Emiliana]

My husband was recently diagnosed with ADHD. A couple of instances this spring caused me to encourage him to get the evaluation. Things like whacking his head on his cubicle, on purpose, just because he was bored; and getting his phone stolen but not realizing it for a couple of weeks. Then it took him about two months to actually schedule the appointment because he couldn't remember to do it during business hours.

[Emiliana]

In other news, the back to school anxiety has hit FULL FORCE.

[Cognoscente]

Then it took him about two months to actually schedule the appointment because he couldn't remember to do it during business hours.

Holy crap this is me

[Portia]

I just have a pronounced reaction to stress, and a desire to control things

I provisionally diagnose you with lawyeritis. :P Haha, I kid.

but none of these things have interfered with my life, so is it worth the hundreds of dollars? Yes, no?

Pretty much any psychological/psychiatric counseling is really only recommended if it interferes with your life. Freudian psychoanalysis, I can't speak to.

You sound a little bit like my mom. It seems like this personality type (which I don't think is anything but that) can have a rough time in interpersonal relationships, so it may cause others problems? I dunno.

Maybe family counseling would be something to check out if you marry or become a parent -- but again, I tend to lean towards the "if ain't broke" model.

[TheBlackSheep]

If you're interested, BS, I'll let you read the full evaluation some time.

1. I'm tickled that you called me BS instead of TBS, as sometimes I definitely feel that way about my writing and my single biggest regret of writing for the Board is calling myself the Black Sheep instead of just Black Sheep. 2. I would definitely be interested.

Comment on last posts: I really want to be psychoanalyzed, but I'm pretty neurotypical, so it probably isn't worth the money. I just have a pronounced reaction to stress, and a desire to control things, but none of these things have interfered with my life, so is it worth the hundreds of dollars? Yes, no?

There are still therapists who specialize in psychoanalysis out there. You don't have to have a serious, crippling mental illness to undergo therapy, so if you are that curious see if your insurance covers them and give it a go. A deep desire to control things sounds like great psychoanalysis ground to me, but of course I only know what I have learned in classes. (Then again, that is a pretty common complaint.) Psychoanalysis is meant to be qualitative rather than quantitative anyway. Of course, if you were really going to be psychoanalyzed you would have to commit to years of three times a week sessions, or at least that was how it was back in the day. I've never undergone psychoanalysis so report back if you go.

I probably shouldn't make an appointment for Jungian therapy.

Bahahaha. I don't think that Jung had the same thing with phalluses that Freud did, so poor Niles. My favorite line on that show is still when Niles filled in for Frasier on the radio show: "Frasier may be a Freudian but I am a Jungian. There will be no blaming mommy today!"

Also a note: neurotypical doesn't mean without all mental disorders. It only means without developmental disorders. Psychoanalysis was historically used to treat "hysteria," and it is now most commonly used to treat mood disorders, anxiety, or more everyday problems. That was why I was especially confused when Cognoscente mentioned undergoing it as part of an ADHD evaluation. So, just to be crystal clear on terminology.

[Portia]

In other news, the back to school anxiety has hit FULL FORCE.

Fun! ^_^

[Whistler]

Comment on last posts: I really want to be psychoanalyzed, but I'm pretty neurotypical, so it probably isn't worth the money. I just have a pronounced reaction to stress, and a desire to control things, but none of these things have interfered with my life, so is it worth the hundreds of dollars? Yes, no?

Everyone is a little bit neurotic sometimes. Read some CBT self-help from your library if you want to learn more about some techniques for dealing with anxiety.

[Emiliana]

It is day two of school and I am so busy I kind of want to cry.

My debit card was denied at the gas station this morning and it turns out my checking account was overdrawn....which I NEVER let happen. Ever. (I was able to transfer some from savings to get through till I get paid in a few days, but I don't like doing that, either...)

I forgot to get my medicine refilled so I didn't take it yesterday and I started getting withdrawals during the night but the pharmacy doesn't open until after I had to be at school so I couldn't get it this morning. And now I am getting "brain zaps."

I need to go pick up my medicine but I am so tired I don't want to get off the couch.

[Emiliana]

It is day two of school and I am so busy I kind of want to cry.

My debit card was denied at the gas station this morning and it turns out my checking account was overdrawn....which I NEVER let happen. Ever. (I was able to transfer some from savings to get through till I get paid in a few days, but I don't like doing that, either...)

I forgot to get my medicine refilled so I didn't take it yesterday and I started getting withdrawals during the night but the pharmacy doesn't open until after I had to be at school so I couldn't get it this morning. And now I am getting "brain zaps."

I need to go pick up my medicine but I am so tired I don't want to get off the couch.

Got my medicine and the world doesn't look quite so bleak. Remembered that the reason I have such a ridiculously busy school year is because I'm now teaching AP, which is a thing that I am really really excited about.

Still gonna go to sleep at 8:30.

[Whistler]

aww . Glad you got your meds.

[Cognoscente]

Been on bupropion for about 3 weeks now. How do you know recognize if it's working? I guess I've been feeling less depressed more often, but I don't physically feel any different.

[Portia]

Been on bupropion for about 3 weeks now. How do you know recognize if it's working? I guess I've been feeling less depressed more often, but I don't physically feel any different.

I reacted quite badly to SSRIs, so if you don't have negative physical symptoms, that's a good sign! Three weeks seems like a good time to follow-up with a real doctor. >:-P

Maybe tracking your mental health? It's a bit cheesy, but I've used Happify.com and will track my mood about monthly (and being female, I try to be aware of how my menstrual cycle affects it too). Something like that may help you see longer-term trends.

[Cognoscente]

Wow, they gamified happiness?

[Portia]

Wow, they gamified happiness?

Yes. Yes, they did.

[TheBlackSheep]

My depression is generally all SCREW YOU MEDS so if I feel any better any more consistently I chalk it up to meds. Sometimes the only way to gain perspective is to stop and feel yourself tank... But I don't recommend it obviously. But sometimes the incremental changes are hard to notice. And at 3 weeks it isn't at full strength anyway.