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Does anyone use a therapist? My husband has PTSD and Bipolar from being in war. Every time we try to give mental health a shot we get sent to someone that just tells him to "Find god" or spend the hour trying to prove their religious views. Any advice on how to deal with the lack of professionalism?

LemonsAreSweet 4 Jan 3
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18 comments

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Find a veterans clinic. They are usually listed under Vet Clinic (and get confusing, I had a poor older couple bring their cat in one day, they were so embarrassed). They are free for combat vets and shouldn't be talking about religion. Check out the local (that's a relative term) VA hospital, they should be able to direct you.

Remi Level 7 Mar 6, 2018

Thank you, we actually did finally find a VA clinic close by, the closest hospital is 2 hours away and we were told there wasn't one... guess they were wrong.

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Check out MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), and the work they have been doing with entheogens to help people with PTSD to overcome it. It's still considered experimental, but the results are very encouraging.

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I'm all about therapy, drugs, and whatever it takes to cope with the realities of life. If "God" could have helped, he/it would have done so by now. Find a therapist who knows their stuff, and they won't need God. They'll have actual ways to deal with your challenges.

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Therapy involves a specific set of skills to address specific issues. Hopefully your hubby has a good one ( they run the gamut). Ignore those fatheads! Would he be seeing a therapist if he did not have causative issues?

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That's a shame. I go to an actual christian facility and not once has religion come up in any of my sessions. It could be because I told them that my trauma stems from religion being used to bully and belittle me growing up.
Keep looking the best you can. Hopefully, the VA can do something for him.

1

Roots and herbs will not help this man! Yes the VA should help them but there system is packed and flawed. It’s going to take time, therapy and more than likely meds. Most of all support.
Roots and herbs? Really?

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Find your own therapist.. Get referrals from friends, family, and co-workers. I was seeing a therapist in my first marriage about my husband drinking till he passed out. We were assigned to a male counselor who said it was okay to drink a 6 pack a day. I found another counselor. You can too.

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This is incredibly unprofessional, and I am sorry your husband is dealing with this. I am afraid, it takes some time to shop around for therapists. I have gone through maybe 5 regular ones (I don't count intermediate one-timers), and everyone is very different. I called around a few places to ask questions, went online to research my therapists' credentials. Usually respectable practices would put bios and techniques that the therapists use on their website. I don't have experience with war-related PTSD, but I have my own set of "demons" so to speak. I found that cognitive behavioral therapy worked best for me, as well as being under care of a psychiatrist. It's also important to indicate a preference for a secular therapist when filling out a questionnaire at your first office visit. If you need any more help, please, feel free to message me. i can share more info. I am by no means a professional, but I have gone through a fare share of shrinks 🙂

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Have you tried the VA ?

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I found that doing an extreme something with others got my mind off things. I focussed on motorcycles, 4 wheelers, gyrocopter flying to deal with anxiety and frustration. It worked for me. He's going to have to let time heal him.

He's gotten into metal detecting and thinking of picking up learning the guitar... it does help a bit 🙂

@acheronnstyxx. I belong to the V.F.W. I had guys I could talk to. Tell him to visit them. I am assuming he has gone through all the proper channels like the military hospital and the V.A. hospital. I never heard of them telling grunts to find god. Maybe an outside therapist might screw up and do this. Get back with the V.A. Your husband is not going to want to hear any answers from here.

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In many European countries it would actually be illegal for a certified therapist to do this. I do not know the situation in the US or more specifically in the state you are in, but is there no way to find out about professional registered and certified psychotherapists and the methods they use?
There are many different kinds of psychotherapy and I think it makes sense to first get an overview and if possible talk to some people who know about these kinds to figure out which may be most effective to treat PTSD / Bipolar.
Also something that is true for some European countries at least is that one should consider talking to a psychiatrist as well: conditions like bipolar disorder may be something where a neurological therapy alone or in combination with psychotherapy may be more effective. Modern psychiatry is not (necessarily) any longer what everyone knows and fears from novels like "one flew over the cuckoos nest". But again, this may all be very different depending on what geographical area we are talking about.

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that's criminal and taking advantage of someone in a bad place

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Have him get involved w/ groups of other vets... small number groups. Vietnam best.

that is a great advice... there are many groups and organizations trying to avoid the messed up done with the vietnam vets... organizations like wounded warrior should have something for PTSD too. the closest military installation or VA facility should had buletin boards with contact numbers or web sites.

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I am sorry to hear that. I know my son receives therapy, he is an afghanistan veteran and he don't talk about the picnic over there. My experience with VA is they like the pills for this and pills for that discipline. I stay away from medications. Religion is not a solution neither. You can try to request a professional without religious inclination. Thank Your Husband for His Service and Sacrifice. In the Navy the hardest job is recognized as the Spouse.

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That’s horrible. I too see a therapist and only once has one said I need Jesus. I know it’s frustrating but there are good ones out there.
I thank your husband for his service and sacrifice!

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No experience with therapist,sorry. But my heart goes out to you and your husband for your troubles. Dealing with non professionalism. Tell them you are seeking a realistic and productive treatment for your husband's condition. I wish you folks the best!

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Go to a professional therapist.. Look for the VA in your area...god does not exist ... Get him real help..good luck

0

I would read about PTSD online, and see which herbs can help.

Reading about any medical or psychological condition online is dangerous because there are so many quack sites, idiots and people who try selling snake oil out there. I would still use the internet, but only stick to trusted medical sites or scientific publications and only use it in addition to advice from medical and psychological professionals.
And I am pretty sure that herbs will not do a thing to help with those conditions.

Try Ayurveda, a thousands of year old system of health and wellbeing.

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