What is Depression
Clinical depression is a state of sadness or melancholia that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individual's social functioning and/or activities of daily living....
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Artist not sure if I should return to therapy
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Hi
I'm a writer and a sculptor who is about to be moving to California in two months to attend college. I was in intensive psychotherapy for about two years until a month ago when I cut it off. My therapist and I had a major disagreement over my diagnosis. She felt that I had characteristics of schizoid personality disorder with severe anxiety due to living with a borderline mom. She also suggested, in the vague way that therapists do, that I remain in therapy for "long term treatment." During the two years I was in therapy I was having trouble creating art and I certainly wasn't going to make that kind of sacrifice over an indefinite period of time. The problem is that right now I'm starting to struggle again. I don't think that I have schizoid personality disorder, but problems with regulating my moods and levels of anxiety which comes from my relationship with my mom. I don't know if I should return to therapy because since I left, my sculpture and writing has started to pour out of me. But I'm also having real problems that I want to address before I leave for California, like a creeping habit of insomnia and an anxiety driven need to overeat. I've also started crying before bed, playing a film reel of nightmarish memories in my mind. Is there someone who has had a similar situation with therapy and can help me out? Thanks- J Posted on 11/02/09, 07:11 pm |
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I am no expert by any means. From what you say, there is doubt over your diagnosis .. so the obvious thing is a second opinion.
Not sure what that will involve but the question needs to be settled before you know you are 'going in the right direction'. I am not necessarily referring to you but there have been many great 'artists' whose "great" work was the result of madness. The term, as you may know, is 'outsider art': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsi... http://www.people.vcu.edu/~djbromle/modern04/alexanderm/index.htm http://www.rawvision.com/outsidera... I do not think you should forgo mental health treatment because your art is flourishing. With these comments, I think you need to seek another psychiatrist for an evaluation/diagnosis. Where you get treatment for it could be in California as long as it is effective. 
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