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I decided to give a try with some talk-therapy. Nothing particularly troubling going on in my life, just thought it was worth trying and see how I may improve from it.
I am trying out an online service rather than in person and the therapist is int he USA. I have to say im really troubled by the policies in the USA regarding therapy. Specifically that a therapist is not allowed to legally treat you unless you provide contact information so if they think you are a threat to yourself or to others they can basically get you committed against your will. Its a requirement and if you wont give it they wont give you therapy.
This seems astoundingly reckless as a policy. for starters it would cause anyone who is suicidal to avoid the help they need, and second, it puts people at risk of either not being candid with their therapist or potentially being abused by the therapist if they misinterpret some perceived risk.
While I have never been suicidal I also dont trust anyone with that level of power over me. I am barely a few minutes in to therapy and already I was forced to lie about my name and identity. Something I should not need to do, I should have a right to privacy and anonymity if I chose.
@NAZl How so, ther eis a law in place that requires them to collect contact information. Why cant that law be reversed regardless of if therapy is affordable or not?
@freemo Because priorities are a thing and no one will care until it's an actual option.
@NAZl Well in that regard I cant disagree. The more people who have therapy the more people will care about the particulars of therapy. But I have no doubt that the people who currently do have access to therapy are still going to care.
@freemo You overestimate how much people think about things.
@freemo Do you think this policy has saved any lives tho? If not, why not?
@realcaseyrollins I have no doubt it has saved many lives. It has also caused many lived to be lost. Its really hard for me to judge which of these numbers would be greater but I suspect there are other policies that would produce better numbers in both categories. Most notably, allowing anonymity, but requesting the contact information and letting the patient pick if they want that "protection" or not.
@realcaseyrollins I'm sure the TSA has saved some lives, similar issue there. @freemo
Slightly different issue. The TSA oversteps their bounds mostly due to a privacy issue. but I doubt the TSA is actively causing people to die needlessly as is the case here.
@freemo Tbh I doubt it has made anyone die. Suicidality often comes in waves, you can usually assess risky people, but not the ones who'll actually do it from the ones who won't, and then there's the question of when, wild cards are a huge factor.
Also keep in mind we sign in our info for everything medicine related, it's just part of the routine, no one actually thinks about it.
@realcaseyrollins
the scenario in which people die are people who either have been committed before or know of the power of a therapist to commit someone and actively avoids therapy to avoid that risk. Therefore not getting the support they need to help medicate or talk through their issues that might lead to suidice.
@freemo I am a Christian and Prison Chaplain. If you’d like to talk to me I’m certain that you’ve not got ANYTHING I’m afraid of and it’s confidential and can be anonymous.
Genuinely
WetYeti
@WetYeti I very much do appreciate that, its wonderful to hear. But technically speaking if you know my account here then it already isnt anonymous :)
@freemo well until you said that I hadn’t looked 😂😂. Still
@freemo Those aren't problems that can really even be addressed until regular therapy becomes affordable for normal people.