I disagree.

Certainly there are those out there who fit your assessment. But both my psychiatrist and my therapist have been working on a plan with me (and have been since Day 1) to decrease my need for both meds and therapy until I don't need either. I recently stopped taking two of my meds (cold turkey, stupidly, but it was in panic), and while both doctors were surprised and concerned, they're supportive of my decision and are working with me to give me the best shot of staying off of them. Most importantly, neither of them tried to convince me to start them again.

As a side note, I've also worked full time as a bartender - you mention them never really listening to their patrons, and I'd say that both service workers and hairdressers are a completely different ballgame. Psychiatrists and therapists jobs' are to listen and assess. That's where the focus is. But a hairdresser who is focused completely on your small talk is probably accidentally cutting a huge chunk out of your hair, and a bartender who is utilizing all of their attention to be an active listener is letting the drink tickets pile up and is ignoring other patrons.

I'm sorry that you've had such negative experiences with psychiatrists, but my own personal experience has led me to believe that it isn't the case for them all.

I have never been to a psychiatrist but I have friends who go to them regularly. It seems that many are only there to prescribe meds. I have 2 friends who go, they have a 15 min appointment, they discuss their meds and if they need to be adjusted, then they leave. Not much conversation happens in 15 minutes.

I have been to traditional therapist (psychologists) and I have had some who have genuinely wanted to help me and others who wanted me to take meds because they believed that it was all a chemical imbalance. In the end it was up to me to take charge of my own mental health and seek out a therapist who believed what I believed and who could help me heal the way I needed to heal. I found that with my current therapist. She does not believe in meds and she believes, like I do, that something in your past is always the cause of anxiety and panic. We believe that the fight or flight response does not just 'break' one day causing anxiety and panic appear.

As for bartenders...I don't go to bars and if I did I don't think I would expect a bartender to listen to my story or even care about it as s/he doesn't know me at all.

As for hairdressers...I have never shared my story with my hairdresser as I feel it is none of her business.

I work with the public and I have found that everyone just wants to be heard. So even though it is not my job to listen to people's issues, I do listen. Because I know they just want someone to hear them. So I sit and listen and let them know they have been heard and that someone, even a complete stranger, cares that they have something to say. I see the relief on their face as they realize they have been heard. It's a wonderful feeling.

I still haven't been able to get into a shrink or anything, but I am working win a self-help book at the moment called the Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression. That symptom came first. I think that it is helping me and I know that there are some really good self help books out there. I know that anything I want to know about health I generally have to go to the books since in Arkansas we only have mds instead of naturopathic or holistic doctors.

I also Disgree,
I have only seen two doctors for my panic attacks, and both of them have helped me in everyway they could.One of my doctors retired ,he was one of ther best in his field,then i found another one almostt as good as my first doctor,and my i can talk as long as 2 and 1/2 hours with my doctor. Everyone who needs to see a doctor, please find one that will listen to you and not rush you, make sure he understands all your concerns,after all it is what we pay them for.Good luck ...and God bless.....

I have to disagree. My therapist actually saw me for free because I couldn't afford the sessions. And during the entire time I was in therapy, I was the one that didn't want me to get better, not her. I think it really depends on the therapist and if they are sincere.

A psychiatrist is there to hear your feedback of medications you've been taking by them and then prescribe you new medications if somethings not working.. A psychiatrist can prescribe therapy as well. Maybe if they have the degree for therapy in addition to psychiatry they are mixing the two. There definitely are people like this but not the majority. You have to see a therapist for advice. In this field this is why there are so many different career positions for every little thing. Shrinks are not psychiatrists. Shrinks are sort of like a therapist. It wasn't easy for them to get there, but if they're only listening then you should go to a different person. These people are like medications; you have to keep trying from different person to different person until you feel they are doing what they're supposed to do and until you feel comfortable with them. I went to a therapist once that couldn't even remember my name. So I tried another. now I've found the one. It took me four tries.

I think its more subjective. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I've seen 3 separate psychologists over the past few years and i keep hearing the same things. Its like they're wired robots just regurgitating what they just read, and not trying to connect. I was force fed fact sheets and treated poorly.

Personally, i've found them to be unreliable as the first one didnt even mention to me that she was quitting, the second lost my file and after 4 months, wanted me to start from the beginning, and the third moved overseas with hardly any notice. These things were partly out of their control but it was so incredibly frustrating to deal with over and over again.

I do however agree when you say "having someone to talk to is very addictive."