Questions About Therapy/Concerns About Therapists / Question
Published: October 6, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Will visiting a therapist help me to get rid of my obsession with suicide and self-injury?
Signed: Will Therapy Help Me Get Rid Of My Suicide And Self-Injury Obsessions?
Dear Will Therapy Help Me Get Rid Of My Suicide And Self-Injury Obsessions?,
There are effective therapies available for people who are dealing with suicidal thoughts and who participate in self-injurious behaviors. The modality of treatment and treatment plan that will be most effective will depend on several factors such as the age of the person, the severity of the issues at hand, and the contributing factors of the suicidal thoughts and self-injurious behaviors.
There is outpatient therapy where a person meets with a therapist (generally) 1 time per week, outpatient day treatment where a person spends the day at a treatment facility but goes home for the evening (clients may start at 5 days a week and decrease days with time), and inpatient units where people will stay day and night generally from 2 days to 2 weeks. Outpatient, day treatment, and inpatient could involve individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy or some combination of the three. Whether in outpatient, day treatment or inpatient, people dealing with suicidal thoughts and self-harming behaviors might also be prescribed psychotropic medications to address their symptoms.
If you are preoccupied with thoughts of suicide and feel obsessed with self-injurious behaviors, then FX highly recommends that schedule a consultation with a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist, clinical social worker, or psychologist as soon as possible. A mental health professional can assess the situation, give you an accurate diagnosis, and work with you on formulating an appropriate treatment plan based on your diagnosis. If at any point you feel that you might act on your suicidal thoughts, FX strongly recommends that you tell a trusted adult and go to your local emergency room right away so you can get immediate help.
In answering your question FX would also like to point out the following:
· There are many mental illnesses, such as mood disorders, that have no “cure,” so to speak. The point of therapy, or any kind of treatment, is not necessarily to cure and completely rid you of your mental health illness, but to help you manage the symptoms in a way where they do not interfere with your life – to be able to function again in ways that were becoming difficult and to not experience negative emotions and changes in moods so intensely and frequently.
· Therapy is most effective for clients who want change and want to do the work of therapy. You could have an amazing teacher, but if the student has no interest in learning, the outcome is not as promising. You could have a fabulous personal trainer, but if the client doesn’t want to do the workouts, again, the outcome will not be as promising as when the client wants to put in the work. It is very similar with therapy. For therapy to be as effective as it can be, it is important to have an experienced professional working with you – but it is also important, as the client, to be very committed to the process.
FX hopes that we were able to provide the information you were looking for. If there is any further information you need, or any details you would like to add to your question, please feel free to write back with another question.
If you live in northern New Jersey and need help finding a therapist you can call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at 973-247-1400. Outside of this area you can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website for referrals in your area. You can also contact your insurance company to get a list of in-network mental health providers or check with your school social worker or psychologist to get a list of referrals in your area.
If you get to the point that you are seriously considering suicide or are afraid of your impulses then you need to seek help immediately. You can call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room. In northern New Jersey you can also call the crisis hotline from Morristown Memorial hospital at 973-540-0100. Outside this area call the Suicide & Crisis Hotline, 1-800-999-9999, 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
It is estimated that major depressive disorder (MDD) affects about 5% of adolescents, and that between 10 - 15% of adolescents have some symptoms of depression at any one time.
