Thoughts on therapy/counseling?

L'ennui, I have the exact same problem! Except I don't see a therapist. But I've been doing that for years. I won't say it doesn't help, it definitely does. But it's not enough. I *know* I'm not a failure, or stupid, or whatever it is. But I still *feel* like a failure. And now what? Honestly, I don't know. I'm not exactly hopeful. It's the same with anger. I know that my friend's sneezes aren't that upsetting. Knowing that keeps me from breaking her neck, but it doesn't keep me from feeling like I'm going to explode!

Sorry I have no answers, I'm just adding to your questions!

Just one more thing: have you considered having your mom and sister join you for a session? Maybe you could discuss it with your therapist. It could help your family understand and appreciate your efforts and progress. It's gotta be difficult for you to keep at it when your family can't see any improvements!

I didn't get much of anything out of therapy. I mean, he was an awfully nice guy and everything. But it was just like we were having a social conversation instead of counseling. He told me all about his son, who was bipolar, and I told him my story. After that, we just spoke of current affairs and whatever else. He always gave me a soda and I liked that, lol. So overall, it was pleasant, but I didn't learn even one new thing about dealing with bipolar that I didn't already know.

Pills are what do it for me. If I needed a friend, I know I could go back to him. But thank goodness I'm stable on my meds now and don't feel the need to go back to therapy.

Thanks for such a quick reply, Invicta. I really appreciate it and it's comforting in a sense to know I'm not alone in thinking this way! Of course, I wish you had a way out of feeling like this too, as I know how frustrating it is... It's like there's a disconnect in my thought processes from what I logically know, and how I feel, and it isn't yet being bridged.

I think the idea of my mum or sister joining me in a session is a really good one, so thanks for that. I'll broach it with my therapist next time and see what she says. It's definitely demotivating when my family say the CBT isn't helping, yet my therapist is telling me I'm making great progress. I start to doubt if my therapist's just saying that so as not to upset me, lol! (But that's my negative bias going again...)

Thanks again. Maybe one day we'll both find answers to some of the questions that keep popping up!

I'm finding it interesting reading about the range of people's experiences with therapy, too x