I don't understand therapy.
October 10, 2010 4:38 PM Subscribe
Tell me more about "therapy".*
There is (to my eye) an overwhelmingly common response on AskMe to suggest (or even demand) "therapy" for OPs, whenever difficult situations or atypical behaviour are encountered. While I haven't done a systematic check, this seems to come almost exclusively from US based respondents.
Without being remotely judgemental, to my Australian eye this seems quite bizarre. In my social world the only people who submit themselves for therapy have a diagnosed clinical condition, such as depression, or maybe an addiction. While I certainly wouldn't mock anyone who told me they were in therapy just to work through life issues or because they'd seen a bad thing, I would think that they were somewhat fragile or delicate souls, they would attract my sympathy, maybe even my pity. (I would also think I must be a bit of a failure as a friend if I can't be supportive and they had to pay someone to talk to them.)
I'm not suggesting our way is right (or even generalisable to all of Australian culture, only my bit), I'm just pointing out the differences. Which leads to my question, how, when and why did the US fall in love with therapy? Is it only for a certain class of people, are mefite responders unrepresentative of US culture or is this something that you do quite across the board?
I don't really need to get into any debates regarding the effectiveness or otherwise of therapy, we'll all have our views and any studies we may cite will all just confirm our biases, that would be a pretty fruitless discussion, so I'm not asking for any therapists or patients to defend their personal or national honour or anything, I'm just asking how and why the US got to this place, is Canada heading in the same direction, will Australia be inflicted with the idea?
*In putting "therapy" in quotes because I'm not even clear we have a common language here - is this counselling, undertaken by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with a postgraduate degree and the power to prescribe psychoactive drugs, or is it a diploma-type qualification, a nice person to chat with, or what?
There is (to my eye) an overwhelmingly common response on AskMe to suggest (or even demand) "therapy" for OPs, whenever difficult situations or atypical behaviour are encountered. While I haven't done a systematic check, this seems to come almost exclusively from US based respondents.
Without being remotely judgemental, to my Australian eye this seems quite bizarre. In my social world the only people who submit themselves for therapy have a diagnosed clinical condition, such as depression, or maybe an addiction. While I certainly wouldn't mock anyone who told me they were in therapy just to work through life issues or because they'd seen a bad thing, I would think that they were somewhat fragile or delicate souls, they would attract my sympathy, maybe even my pity. (I would also think I must be a bit of a failure as a friend if I can't be supportive and they had to pay someone to talk to them.)
I'm not suggesting our way is right (or even generalisable to all of Australian culture, only my bit), I'm just pointing out the differences. Which leads to my question, how, when and why did the US fall in love with therapy? Is it only for a certain class of people, are mefite responders unrepresentative of US culture or is this something that you do quite across the board?
I don't really need to get into any debates regarding the effectiveness or otherwise of therapy, we'll all have our views and any studies we may cite will all just confirm our biases, that would be a pretty fruitless discussion, so I'm not asking for any therapists or patients to defend their personal or national honour or anything, I'm just asking how and why the US got to this place, is Canada heading in the same direction, will Australia be inflicted with the idea?
*In putting "therapy" in quotes because I'm not even clear we have a common language here - is this counselling, undertaken by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with a postgraduate degree and the power to prescribe psychoactive drugs, or is it a diploma-type qualification, a nice person to chat with, or what?
This post was deleted for the following reason: At poster's request -- mathowie
You missed the "not judgmental" bar in your askme...
that said...
In australia there is 1 psychiatrist for every 7,333 people
In the US there is 1 psychiatrist for every 10,233 people
I didn't do social workers, psychologists, ministers, etc... but, given those numbers, I suspect your theory that we here in the States are fragile special snowflakes that need someone to help us work through our issues as opposed to folks down under might be incorrect... at least, that's what the numbers say...
posted by HuronBob at 4:52 PM on October 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
that said...
In australia there is 1 psychiatrist for every 7,333 people
In the US there is 1 psychiatrist for every 10,233 people
I didn't do social workers, psychologists, ministers, etc... but, given those numbers, I suspect your theory that we here in the States are fragile special snowflakes that need someone to help us work through our issues as opposed to folks down under might be incorrect... at least, that's what the numbers say...
posted by HuronBob at 4:52 PM on October 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
Also, it's hard to generalize about America. There are 300 million of us and not everyone is gung ho about therapy. You likely are suffering from a kind of sample selection bias if you conclude that the US, as a whole, is obsessed with therapy. I'd aver that the average American MeFite is more accepting of therapy than is the average American.
posted by dfriedman at 4:52 PM on October 10, 2010
posted by dfriedman at 4:52 PM on October 10, 2010
*In putting "therapy" in quotes because I'm not even clear we have a common language here - is this counselling, undertaken by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with a postgraduate degree and the power to prescribe psychoactive drugs, or is it a diploma-type qualification, a nice person to chat with, or what?
It can be either or both. Generally speaking (really generally!), in the U.S., your psychiatrist will prescribe drugs, but not talk to you in a therapeutic session; your therapist - who, most commonly in my experience, will be a licensed clinical social worker - will be the one you spend the 50-minute hour with.
The times I've been in therapy, I have been depressed. The vast majority of it was talk therapy, with no drugs. What I mostly needed help with was identifying destructive patterns (of thinking, behavior) and learning to not do them, or work around them.
Friends are not always good people to turn to in times of emotional/psychological trouble. Not that they don't want to help, but they may not be equipped to help, or the help may actually make things worse (because they're not equipped o help), or because the person asking for help is going spend more energy worrying about the feelings/perceptions of the friend they've turned to than they are in getting better or changing their behavior or whatever.
Honestly, the nice thing about going to a professional is not having to worry about that person's emotional well-being, or if they're going to say something accidentally indiscreet the next time you're together with a bunch of other friends, or if they're going to have any respect for you after you've spilled your guts.
posted by rtha at 4:53 PM on October 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
It can be either or both. Generally speaking (really generally!), in the U.S., your psychiatrist will prescribe drugs, but not talk to you in a therapeutic session; your therapist - who, most commonly in my experience, will be a licensed clinical social worker - will be the one you spend the 50-minute hour with.
The times I've been in therapy, I have been depressed. The vast majority of it was talk therapy, with no drugs. What I mostly needed help with was identifying destructive patterns (of thinking, behavior) and learning to not do them, or work around them.
Friends are not always good people to turn to in times of emotional/psychological trouble. Not that they don't want to help, but they may not be equipped to help, or the help may actually make things worse (because they're not equipped o help), or because the person asking for help is going spend more energy worrying about the feelings/perceptions of the friend they've turned to than they are in getting better or changing their behavior or whatever.
Honestly, the nice thing about going to a professional is not having to worry about that person's emotional well-being, or if they're going to say something accidentally indiscreet the next time you're together with a bunch of other friends, or if they're going to have any respect for you after you've spilled your guts.
posted by rtha at 4:53 PM on October 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
As a fellow australian, I kind of resent the "our way isn't therapy" routine and your caveat that it's just your bit doesn't change your frame of reference or your assertion that it's a cultural phenomenon. Just pointing out the differences, just asking questions, tends to be the way that some people manufacture controversy when none exists.
Would you make the same claim about penicillin, for example? You'd never say that that's a Scottish thing. Just because something works and gets adopted by different groups doesn't make it cultural imperialism.
"I don't really need to get into any debates regarding the effectiveness or otherwise of therapy" Kind of sums it up, doesn't it. Surely it's effectiveness is the only thing that should be queried.
It's emergence in culture is something that some reading can cover quite easily. I'd recommend starting with Freud's three essays on sexuality to get an idea of how the notion that people's moods and feelings aren't existential abstracts, but tied to their upbringing and it's intersection with their current life.
The benefit of therapy for me is that I find that good therapists enable better choices.
posted by Ultrahuman at 4:57 PM on October 10, 2010
Would you make the same claim about penicillin, for example? You'd never say that that's a Scottish thing. Just because something works and gets adopted by different groups doesn't make it cultural imperialism.
"I don't really need to get into any debates regarding the effectiveness or otherwise of therapy" Kind of sums it up, doesn't it. Surely it's effectiveness is the only thing that should be queried.
It's emergence in culture is something that some reading can cover quite easily. I'd recommend starting with Freud's three essays on sexuality to get an idea of how the notion that people's moods and feelings aren't existential abstracts, but tied to their upbringing and it's intersection with their current life.
The benefit of therapy for me is that I find that good therapists enable better choices.
posted by Ultrahuman at 4:57 PM on October 10, 2010
I would roughly compare going to therapy to going to working with a physical trainer or nutritionist. Sometimes you need an expert to help you sort shit out or at least sort things in fashion without spinning your wheels forever. Sure, you ask your friend the physical trainer to help you lose 100lbs, but to lose that weight requires a lot of work, energy and education, which can suck the joy of a friendship. Going to an expert, who's been trained in various methods to help you achieve goals, can be more helpful than just talking to an untrained friend.
Ideally, a person going to therapy for would have several friends to also talk with, but that isn't always the case.
posted by nomadicink at 5:00 PM on October 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ideally, a person going to therapy for would have several friends to also talk with, but that isn't always the case.
posted by nomadicink at 5:00 PM on October 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: what the hell is there to resent? I made it perfectly clear that it was my personal view and I'm not here to fight about whether therapy works.
(sorry, intervening twice in a row to try and avoid a stupid conversation that I thought I clearly did not intend. Let me restate it: please don't tell me I'm wrong or judgemental and that therapy is great. For the purposes of this thread, I'm completely not interested.)
If you're saying that in fact if AskMe was populated mainly by Australians, and "you need therapy" would be as common an answer then, well that is on topic. Though I question it.
posted by wilful at 5:03 PM on October 10, 2010
(sorry, intervening twice in a row to try and avoid a stupid conversation that I thought I clearly did not intend. Let me restate it: please don't tell me I'm wrong or judgemental and that therapy is great. For the purposes of this thread, I'm completely not interested.)
If you're saying that in fact if AskMe was populated mainly by Australians, and "you need therapy" would be as common an answer then, well that is on topic. Though I question it.
posted by wilful at 5:03 PM on October 10, 2010
*In putting "therapy" in quotes because I'm not even clear we have a common language here - is this counselling, undertaken by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with a postgraduate degree and the power to prescribe psychoactive drugs, or is it a diploma-type qualification, a nice person to chat with, or what?
A therapist can be a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a social worker.
Psychiatrists have the power to suggest drugs because they are MDs = Medical Doctors.
Psychologists are PhD folks mostly without the power to prescribe. However, certain states in the US do allow prescribing by psychologists who have also studied psychopharmacology.
Social workers are usually folks with a Master's Degree in Social Work.
Definitely, not a diploma type qualification or a nice person to chat with (not in the US at least). Some countries don't have rules set up as yet and some don't have advances. India comes to mind where they still practice dream analysis I believe, the advances are still behind there.
---
Think of therapy this way:
What do you do when you want to lose weight?
You go to the gym, you buy new clothes, you do certain things and use tools like the gym.
What do you do when you want to influence and change your pattern of thinking?
You use therapy as a tool among other things.
Sometimes exercise is a tool regardless of going to therapy or not in changing your perspective.
I suspect the reason you are finding a lot of go to therapy solutions is because it's worked for people. A therapist is someone who will be able to provide an objective and unconditional environment where you can really open up. That's hard to find among friends.
posted by iNfo.Pump at 5:05 PM on October 10, 2010
A therapist can be a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a social worker.
Psychiatrists have the power to suggest drugs because they are MDs = Medical Doctors.
Psychologists are PhD folks mostly without the power to prescribe. However, certain states in the US do allow prescribing by psychologists who have also studied psychopharmacology.
Social workers are usually folks with a Master's Degree in Social Work.
Definitely, not a diploma type qualification or a nice person to chat with (not in the US at least). Some countries don't have rules set up as yet and some don't have advances. India comes to mind where they still practice dream analysis I believe, the advances are still behind there.
---
Think of therapy this way:
What do you do when you want to lose weight?
You go to the gym, you buy new clothes, you do certain things and use tools like the gym.
What do you do when you want to influence and change your pattern of thinking?
You use therapy as a tool among other things.
Sometimes exercise is a tool regardless of going to therapy or not in changing your perspective.
I suspect the reason you are finding a lot of go to therapy solutions is because it's worked for people. A therapist is someone who will be able to provide an objective and unconditional environment where you can really open up. That's hard to find among friends.
posted by iNfo.Pump at 5:05 PM on October 10, 2010
Response by poster: Once more peeps, thanks for the answers, but the question is sociological not psychological, when did the US start turning to therapy, is it a class thing, common across the US, or is it a mefi thing?
posted by wilful at 5:07 PM on October 10, 2010
posted by wilful at 5:07 PM on October 10, 2010
In my experience it's a white, urban, upper middle class thing. MeFi's draws heavily from that demographic.
posted by phrontist at 5:10 PM on October 10, 2010
posted by phrontist at 5:10 PM on October 10, 2010
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Argentina is known to have a lot of Freudian psychoanalysts, so it's not an exclusively US phenomenon.
posted by dfriedman at 4:44 PM on October 10, 2010