Lived Experience Forum

[TheVorticon]

For me at the moment, the most therapeutic things are relational:

- experiencing what it's like to try being open about even basic boring stuff, and for it to be ok (or even encouraged) for me to talk about it rather than not saying anything,

- finding ways to put words to the thoughts in my head during a dialogue, rather than only formulating the words when I'm on my own,

- listening to, and accepting in, other perspectives from someone whose opinion I respect, value, and who I believe understands the situation well enough to not just reject their perspective outright. This can include watching/reading online videos or posts/blogs, and they don't even have to be directly talking to me for me to get some value out of it as long as it's presented in a way that gets through the wall. But I need repetitive work there to get my original perspective to budge. 

[bipolarbunny]

@Appleblossom For me therapy is writing and running mostly.

Writing helps me to firstly compile my thoughts and then sort out the bat shit crazy from the enquiring logical mind. It's cathartic and cleansing and is safe because nobody gets to read it unless I say so and I can say what I like, it also turns thought into a tangible object that I can either keep or toss away. I find once thoughts are out on paper they are no longer in my head. 
Running is like an exorcism of emotional demons for me. It really helps my anxiety and aggression if I'm manic and it gets my ass out of bed and makes me move if I'm depressed. It doesn't take any more thought other than lace up and get out the door. Once I'm moving my mind starts to open up and a lot of the mess in my head gets sifted through. I generally always feel better after a run. 
Swimming is also semi therapeutic for me as in order to swim I need to be present in the moment to breathe correctly or end up with water up my nose. It's really a form of mindfulness and it also slows down my brain when I'm manic. 
BB 🐰💙

[Appleblossom]

@bipolarbunny 

I was a swimmer and it is wonderfully calming when I get into the stroke.  

[AussieRecharger]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EDhdAHrOg

Therapy is about acceptance.. processing the events and understanding your role, your area of influence and what is outside of your area of influence. 

This was a great book that gave me a lot of therapy and it's kind of been my mantra for a while now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPW4rqKkekA

Understanding what you suffering for and why. Understanding how to take the power back so you can control what you are suffering for. 

We all suffer in life, but having the power to choose what is worth suffering for, makes for a powerful life. 

[rivergal]

So true.... 

I was think of therapy as in Pyschology therapy. 
but often the Pyschologists homework is for me to develop ways to maintain my self care therapies and pick apart a conflict to change my mindset and beliefs about it. 
Therapeutic sleep and good sleep hygiene. 
therapeutic exercise- walking running swimming

Spiritual self care - connection to nature , connection to healthy relationships, connection to playfulness and activities that are meaningful. 

[Appleblossom]

Ha ha @AussieRecharger 

As a woman I loved "Its not the Nail"

I also identify with blokey things enough to think a fair bit about logical stuff, but I get that we dont always see what the other person sees. I will try and remember that vid!

The baby at my door step thingy happened to me ... long story ....

I like WIlliam James.

[rivergal]

@AussieRecharger 

Ha ha ha 

I loved the humour in the "it's not about the nail "clip..... pun intended.

I have tried to read that book  "The subltel art of not giving a F*** but didn't get through it.

I like the video summation of the core message.

i found Pema Chodren books helped me out i think it was called "Start where you are"

Thanks for the post 

[Appleblossom]

Well overwork does not sound like therapy

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210518-how-overwork-is-literally-killing-us 

@Former-Member Having studied a lot of psychosocial theory yonks ago before it became a buzzword, and updating myself.  I hear you about the difference between the process and the person delivering... or being paid for it. It is my knowledge of the process that has kept me going til now.

Cheers

Apple

[Mazarita]

What is therapy?

I would say various things have been therapeutic in my life, including hearing wisdoms from friends and others I have encountered in my life over time.

In terms of psychiatry, mostly what I seek is a specialist who has at least good intent, and who I like or in some way relate to as a person, and who respects me and is willing to enter into a partnership with me in my treatment, me with the final say. I see my psychiatrist as my ongoing advisor in what we both consider to be necessary medications for my bipolar. This is a therapeutic relationship and I also value often his counselling.

I have a beautiful therapeutic relationship with my GP of over 10 years. She is the core of medical treatment for me, both physical and mental, and has helped and supported me greatly.

Psychology I'm not so sure about, though it hasn't been awful since I found my current psychologist, who is a warm and lovely woman. Just not sure how much psychology has helped me so far. It has helped to some extent, no doubt.

The current physical therapies I am able to access through ndis - physiotherapy and acupuncture (that's non-ndis) - are already improving my mental health as well after only about six weeks of sessions. Improvement of pain levels seems to me to have automatically improved my mental health.

Psychosocial support is powerfully therapeutic for me, helping me to re-grow basic life skills when I have sunk to one of my big lows.

So many other things are therapeutic for me: creativity, occasional crafts, walking in nature, listening to birds, friends and loved ones. So much goodness in combination over time has definitely improved my quality of life, bit by bit and accumulating.

[Appleblossom]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg 

This made me laugh about experts ....and management ...and professional roles ...what is possible....

this expert was reasonable ... go the maths nerds. 

Felt therapeutic for me to watch.  Finally time enough for silly antics..