I Think I Just Got Tricked Into Seeing A Shrink...

Okay, so here's the story: Few months back, my dad calls me up asking if I'd be willing to see a "sleep doctor", which of course I said sure to, being I know he'll just annoy me till I agree. Cuz staying up all night and sleeping all day is a "problem" in his eyes. So I'm sitting there later on, thinking "I have NEVER heard of a sleep doctor, did he just trick me into seeing a shrink?" Cuz he always is ranting about talking to a therapist, I have issues I need to work out, and all this other crap. So, along with myself, I gotta show up with a survey on my sleep habits. Name of the office at the top, ramblings about specialing in this and that. And then at the end "sleep disorders". Disorder... thats a shrink term. And then we'll talk, and then he/she will determine I am not suffering a medical issue, but a psychological one, or some #######4 like that, and recommend I see a therapist and talk about my issues. Yeah, umm, ###$ therapy, no thanks, Doc. Maybe I'm getting worked up over nothing. Maybe, if I'm lucky, they'll just give me sleeping pills and send me on my way. Never have to deal with this $#%^ again. One can only hope so.

Bates, there are sleep therapists who specialize in people with insomnia, sleep apnea, etc. They aren't the same thing as a shink... there is usually a physical reason that people don't sleep normally (yours is just that another person is occupying your body LOL). Also, they have to be honest with you about who you're seeing, so let off the paranoia a little. I don't think you're being duped, but you're well within your rights to ask the doctor some point-blank questions (i.e. "what is your degree in?" and "what are sleep disorders and how does your clinic differ from those who specialize in psychological therapy?"). Try to be observant but without being paranoid. It's most likely that the doc is exactly what your father claims he is.

I'm just gonna go in there and enjoy myself. No need to interrogate the doctor. Besides, Frank hasn't had much chance to come out anyway, being I'm up till 4am most of the time now, and I'll sleep till 2pm. Apparantly thats "unhealthy" according to my dad. Bah, what a crapload, never heard of no one dying from sleeping in. And I know the sleep doctor is just that, a sleep doctor, I just don't want this to somehow find a way TO me seeing a therapist.

So he told me what I've been telling my dad: PERFECTLY NORMAL FOR A TEENAGER TO BE UP ALL NIGHT AND SLEEP ALL DAY! I'm getting the recommended hours of sleep, just on a different shift than the "average" person. Apparantly I have breathing problems when I sleep, so they're gonna stick me in a sleep center for a day whenever. Hopefully Frank doesn't wake up .

Good, glad you guys are "normal" and you didn't get tricked into anything.

i'm glad it was just a sleep doctor!
If I didn't like therapy I'd be damn paranoid too! Anyway, it's good that they see you as 'normal' (sometimes DID can be the most excellent of defenses! )

Anyway hope the sleep center thing goes well

They must be a really bad sleep center, who don't know much about sleeping cuz they want me to go in at 9pm and wake up at 6am. How is THAT sleeping?! Unless they're popping me full of drugs, I'm not passing out till 4, and sleeping for 2 hours. And if I do pass out, we're hoping Frank stays out cold, or they're gonna know someone is awake.