Reply To: Therapy agreement. Is this logical?

OP – I have been reading this thread from beginning. Wasn’t going to comment, but you remind me of my sibling who refused to help themselves for years (and a little bit of me – see below). In fact, I have probably said much the same to that sibling.

The thing with therapy is you must be willing to take accountability for your own health – be it physical or mental. Your physical ailments are literally physically crippling but also mentally crippling. Somewhere in that you need to take the first step in breaking the cycle. In your case, it would be the medically recommended medicine protocol. Will medicine cure your physical ailments? No, but it will help alleviate/control symptoms leading to feeling better physically, which in turn leads to feeling better mentally. Then the therapist has something to work with.

If you will not do in-patient care to get stabilized, look into Intensive Outpatient Therapy(IOP). This allows you to be home to care for your pets but has many types of sessions throughout the day – individual, group, etc. The therapist may be able to line you up with a program. If not, contact your local mental health center.

As for wanting to not be on the planet anymore – your reason for not going inpatient is your pets – let them be the reason for remaining on the planet.

On another note – I am a Type II Diabetic with severe IBS. I was devasted when I received that diagnosis as I always ate healthy, was not overweight, and exercised. It came down to genetics – Type II is up and down my family tree, and, as it turned out, gut issues (no one talks about that one though). Oh, I took the medicine as prescribed – but did not make any dietary changes. I was in major denial. It took me about a year to wrap my head around it and make the changes needed to bring both under control – I feel physically feel better 95% of the time and mentally have come to see my dietary restrictions as a fun challenge.

No one can make changes in your life but you. Therapists can support you, help you with coping skills, and help you assess and release the emotional blocks you have put into place. But none of that will happen unless you are willing to take the first step. And that step is to take your medicine.

I wish you peace and success in taking that first step.