Should I stay in group therapy?
July 4, 2006 3:23 PM Subscribe
Should I stay in group therapy?
I'm in a group that meets for 90 minutes every week. I'm not sure how much it is helping me. I'm somewhat afraid of telling the group about this for fear of their reaction. Already I think some of them don't think I am listening because much of the time I'm really not. Hearing them talk will cause me to go into some self-reflective episodes sometimes, and other times it's just really too exhausting. I have other friends that I really do listen to and I get a lot out of those relationships, but I'm starting to feel that the group is a slight drag.
Occasionally I feel like I will get something helpful from the group, but not every week, so it is hard to motivate myself to go when I have so many other pressures on me. I feel like I might benefit from CBT or problem-solving therapy every few weeks or so, although I am not insured for individual therapy and would have to pay for it.
I've never been severely depressed although I go through very mild depressive episodes periodically. I have seen individual therapists before but most of them really didn't seem to know what to do with me. Maybe I shouldn't be in therapy at all.
What should I do?
I'm in a group that meets for 90 minutes every week. I'm not sure how much it is helping me. I'm somewhat afraid of telling the group about this for fear of their reaction. Already I think some of them don't think I am listening because much of the time I'm really not. Hearing them talk will cause me to go into some self-reflective episodes sometimes, and other times it's just really too exhausting. I have other friends that I really do listen to and I get a lot out of those relationships, but I'm starting to feel that the group is a slight drag.
Occasionally I feel like I will get something helpful from the group, but not every week, so it is hard to motivate myself to go when I have so many other pressures on me. I feel like I might benefit from CBT or problem-solving therapy every few weeks or so, although I am not insured for individual therapy and would have to pay for it.
I've never been severely depressed although I go through very mild depressive episodes periodically. I have seen individual therapists before but most of them really didn't seem to know what to do with me. Maybe I shouldn't be in therapy at all.
What should I do?
Based on your description, if it were me, I wouldn't keep going. That sounds pretty annoying, frankly. Why do you feel that you should keep going if you aren't getting anything out of it? I can't imagine that group therapy is appropriate for everyone. Admittedly I've never done it; I've had individual therapy and found it helpful, though.
posted by ludwig_van at 4:14 PM on July 4, 2006
posted by ludwig_van at 4:14 PM on July 4, 2006
Try switching to one-on-one therapy with a therapist. Group therapy wasn't for me either.
posted by IndigoRain at 5:37 PM on July 4, 2006
posted by IndigoRain at 5:37 PM on July 4, 2006
I sat in on a "Men's Issues" group session last week. Quite frankly, if group sessions are like this I wonder if any participants get anything positive out of them, or if everyone goes just to feel better because there's almost always someone there who's more miserable than they are.
I'm somewhat afraid of telling the group about this for fear of their reaction.
That line alone tells me you should leave. If you can't discuss leaving the group, how healthy can it be, really?
posted by krisjohn at 8:53 PM on July 4, 2006
I'm somewhat afraid of telling the group about this for fear of their reaction.
That line alone tells me you should leave. If you can't discuss leaving the group, how healthy can it be, really?
posted by krisjohn at 8:53 PM on July 4, 2006
I'm not a psychologist, but I've seen studies that basically say group or talk therapy is very good, *for some people*. You're probably not the right person to make a determination as to whether it's good for you or not - no more so then you're in a position to recommend treatment for any disease; that said, you are in a good position to give feedback to your health professional(s) and talk about what you experiencing.
Perhaps you've asked the wrong question, might I suggest that instead of asking "should I follow treatment x" you might instead ask "how do I find the right treatment". What I'm trying to say it, talk to your doctors, and tell them what you're trying to tell us. Good luck.
posted by tiamat at 10:19 PM on July 4, 2006
Perhaps you've asked the wrong question, might I suggest that instead of asking "should I follow treatment x" you might instead ask "how do I find the right treatment". What I'm trying to say it, talk to your doctors, and tell them what you're trying to tell us. Good luck.
posted by tiamat at 10:19 PM on July 4, 2006
If you are self-conscious, tuned out, and fearful of others' reaction, when in a group setting maybe you need group therapy. You only get over these reactions by exposure to what you fear. But to get anything out of it, you need to have the guts to tell the group, that the group both bores you and scares you. This should spark things up. If you aren't willing to tell them what you say here, you might as well stop going.
posted by zackdog at 12:08 AM on July 5, 2006
posted by zackdog at 12:08 AM on July 5, 2006
Why are you in therapy? Were you referred to the group or just joined for yourself? Why? What do you feel therapy in general should be achieving for you? Is the group you're in making any progress towards your aim(s)?
It almost sounds like you're in therapy just because it's what people do, and if that's the case I'd definitely quit - not everybody needs therapy. If there's a more specific reason to be there, I think the questions above outline the main factors you need to consider.
posted by jacalata at 7:22 AM on July 5, 2006
It almost sounds like you're in therapy just because it's what people do, and if that's the case I'd definitely quit - not everybody needs therapy. If there's a more specific reason to be there, I think the questions above outline the main factors you need to consider.
posted by jacalata at 7:22 AM on July 5, 2006
Response by poster: I guess I got in therapy because I was pretty depressed at the time. I don't really feel depressed now.
I feel like I have some specific problems with the way I deal with things sometimes and the group can be helpful, but every week is just way too much for me.
posted by rwatson at 2:04 PM on July 5, 2006
I feel like I have some specific problems with the way I deal with things sometimes and the group can be helpful, but every week is just way too much for me.
posted by rwatson at 2:04 PM on July 5, 2006
Do you think the group helped you get over the depression, or you just got better yourself?
It sounds like you think that the group does have a benefit, but that it has helped you enough that you no longer need such intensive support. Is it possible for you to simply attend every few weeks? The point of therapy is to eventually not need therapy*, so you should be able to explain that you are gradually reducing your dependance on the group. If you were seeing an individual therapist, the frequency of sessions would also decrease as you got better.
*quote from someone else on here once, no idea who
posted by jacalata at 8:11 PM on July 5, 2006
It sounds like you think that the group does have a benefit, but that it has helped you enough that you no longer need such intensive support. Is it possible for you to simply attend every few weeks? The point of therapy is to eventually not need therapy*, so you should be able to explain that you are gradually reducing your dependance on the group. If you were seeing an individual therapist, the frequency of sessions would also decrease as you got better.
*quote from someone else on here once, no idea who
posted by jacalata at 8:11 PM on July 5, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ironmouth at 3:34 PM on July 4, 2006