73 Monte - a reply to your locked post

Monte - I felt compelled to write to you and explain a little more why that dreaded word "counseling" keeps coming up.  I feel as if you may not really understand all the purposes of counseling and when they can be useful.  I was a tad insulted by your post that "you were not in a bad way mentally" and thus didn't need counseling.  Counseling is NOT just for people who are in a bad way mentally.  Counseling can be for people to learn new ways to deal with new things in their life.

We don't drive a car without lessons.  We don't practice law before going to school and passing an exam.  You wouldn't sky dive without someone showing you how to open a chute right? Well most of us have never had a chronic illness before this and most of the parents on here never had a child with chronic illness before this either.  So, we have to learn about what effect that will have on our bodies and our minds.  We have to learn ways to deal with these new stressors.

I am a sucessful professional crohnie but after my diagnosis I chose to speak with a counselor to learn ways to deal with some of the things crohns would throw my way.  It had nothing to do with mental illness or being depressed or being weak. I just had to learn about something I never dealt with before.  Please don't think that everyone mentions counseling b/c they think there is something wrong with you or your daughter.  I think EVERY person diagnosed with a chronic illness should have to see a counselor and so should their spouse or parents just as much as that person should see a pharmacist.  It is HUGELY helpful and worth at least a free consultation.  I saw a counselor whose entire practce was treating people with chronic illness.  I wish everyone would do the same.  I went for a few months, once a week and once I felt I learned everything I needed I "graduated" and stopped going.

Hey Monte, don't leave us.  You are of course welcome here.  I just must have misinterpreted what you wrote.  Happens all the time on the internet.  We can't hear the voices.  I thought you were saying that people only go to therapy if there is something mentally wrong with them.  I was just explaining that this is not the case because there was nothing mentally wrong with me but I found it beneficially to go to counseling.  Some of my relatives are much older and see anything that could potentially be related to mental illness as shameful.  Even counseling, which many people without mental illness engage in.  I read a study once that less than 10% of people that seek counseling have an actual on-going DSM IV diagnosis.  Many go for situational counseling (grief, trauma, marital counseling, etc.)

Sorry if I came off harsh, I just wanted to make sure you were fully aware of its benefits and that there was NO NEGATIVITY in your posts prompting the suggestion.  Rather, it was suggested because it is good for anyone dealing with chronic illness in the family.  Hope you stick around!