Posted by OldSchool on January 26, 2002, at 12:21:55
In reply to Therapist wants Suicide Agreement (not to), posted by Shar on January 25, 2002, at 22:12:48
> My therapist is beginning a group in Feb. that I want to be in, and wants me to agree to a one year commitment to the group, and that I won't commit suicide during that year.
>
> I've been seeing her for 10 years or so; this isn't a new therapeutic relationship, but it is the first time she's asked this of me before I joined group therapy.
>
> I understand her reasoning (she explained) but I am having a hard time giving up the option of suicide. I have always had a lot of ideation, but do not make suicidal gestures. However, if I commit to NOT do it for a year, I'm very big on honoring my commitments and won't do it.
>
> Aside from the "you shouldn't kill yourself" stance, does anyone have experience with this in therapy, or comments?
>
> Thanks,
> SharThis is a cheesy way to deal with suicide. Tell your therapist to shove it. They cant make you sign anything or agree to anything. You are a free person and nobody should be encouraging you to sign or agree to anything.
The best way to deal with potential suicide is to GET OUT OF DEPRESSION. That means taking your meds first and foremost. Or having ECT. Therapy wont help that. Tell your therapist that. When I was in the psych hospital for a week, after I got discharged my psychiatrist wanted me to go to this day hospital program. Where Id go as an outpatient to the hospital at 9 AM and it was like this BS class run by some psych nurse. I knew more about the psych meds than this nurse did. We'd leave at 2:30. I found it humiliating, degrading and extremely depressing.
Just the atmosphere there was extremely depressing to me. At the day hospital, these nurses constantly talked about this "make a pact to not committ suicide." I was already not suicidal in the least and I was insulted I was having to listen to their garbage. They also read poetry to us, which I thought was cheesy and has nothing to do with my medical illness of major depression.
Just for background info, before this all went on a year ago I had previously been seeing psychiatrists outpatient for three years. And I had never made any silly, stupid "pact" with my psychiatrist to "not committ suicide." Give me a break.
Mental health is a weird world and its filled up with weird people. My advice to you is to take your meds and treat your depression but dont go for these cheesy therapy type things. Tell your psychiatrist that you arent suicidal period. But dont go for any kind of formal "agreement." Thats like they are treating you like a little kid or something.
If they get mad that you wont agree and start giving you a hard time cause of it, report them to the licensing board of you particular state (social worker certification board, psychologist certification board, etc.)
Always remember that YOU are in charge of your life. Not your therapist, not your doctor.
Old School
poster:OldSchool
thread:17208
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020125/msgs/17232.html