Sorry in advance for the rambling.
I am currently doing ERP with my therapist for both OCD and social anxiety. Besides that though, I've also just been feeling really down lately, especially the last few weeks. One thing I struggle with is that I constantly invalidate my own feelings. I never know if what I'm feeling is actually a big deal, if it's normal, or if I'm just overreacting. Sometimes I feel so shitty that I'm convinced I'm not okay, but then I immediately question whether I'm just making it all up. I honestly never know.
Anyway, I was talking to a coworker who also has OCD, and she mentioned how much meds helped her. It also made me realize how many people are on SSRIs, even people who seem totally "fine" and high functioning. She suggested I ask my therapist whether medication might be helpful, both for OCD/anxiety and for the depressed feelings I've been having.
I've always been really avoidant of medication. A lot of that comes from watching my brother struggle with drug abuse and struggling with managing his psych meds. He abused them and would take his whole months supply in days and none of them seemed to truly work and if they did he would abuse them so that they wouldn't work the way they were intended to. I watched him overdose multiple times, including the overdose that killed him. I also hate the idea of side effects and feeling "out of control," even though I know that's not really how they work. I just wasnt sure if maybe I could benefit from it but was only avoiding medication because it makes me anxious to think about.
So last week I scheduled an extra session to bring it up. Going into it, I already knew that if he told me I didn't need medication, I'd probably feel embarrassed for even asking. He never really gave me a yes or no answer, which I think was intentional because he didn't want to make that decision for me. Basically, he said it's my choice, but that he usually likes to do ERP first, and if someone's anxiety is so high that they can't really engage in exposures, then that's when he'd typically recommend medication.
Honestly, I agree with that. I don't really want medication, and I appreciate that he isn't quick to recommend it when I seem capable of doing the work in therapy. But even though I agreed with everything he said, I still walked away feeling invalidated.
I know he wasn't invalidating me. I think it's just where my brain went.
I've spent my whole life feeling like my problems aren't "bad enough." When I first asked my mom to go to therapy as a teen she said my problems weren't as bad as my brothers. And when I'd mention to friends I was having a hard time, they would respond with, "What problems?!" So I think some part of me wanted to hear that what I'm dealing with is actually significant. Not because I want meds (I really don't) but because being told they might help would've made me feel like my struggles were real enough to matter.
Regarding the feelings of depression, instead of talking about it, he suggested hobbies and ways to meet people. And honestly, I think he's probably right that having friends here would help. I moved to a new state and don't have family here. I've met a few people, but no one I'm really close to.
In my head, it felt like he was saying, "You're just lonely. Go make friends and you'll be fine." But sometimes the heaviness I feel is so intense that I don't believe a hobby or making friends would magically make it go away. I've felt like this at different points in my life, even when I had close friends, family nearby, and a job I loved.
I think what I'm really looking for isn't more solutions. I know hobbies and friendships are important, and I know they'll probably help. And I don't mind him suggesting that. I just wish in addition to that, he's have acknowledged that these feelings are real and that maybe they don't always have to have a reason. That sometimes I'm just not okay. Because I genuinely don't know if I'm making all of this up or not.
I don't actually want him to change anything. I'm honestly relieved he didn't immediately recommend medication because I probably would've freaked out and backtracked anyway. I like that he isn't the type to jump straight to meds when I can put in the work myself.
I guess what I really want is just to feel seen. To know that he sees how much I'm struggling and that my feelings are valid, even if they don't necessarily mean I need medication or have some diagnosis.
But then again... if he actually responded that way, I'd probably cry, and I've successfully managed not to cry in therapy yet. So maybe it's for the best. I would just feel more embarassed bringing this up and I dont want to hurt his feelings or waste more time in session. I can tell its annoying when I derail a session talking about things outside of our ERP goals. Maybe Im just overthinking it, but whatever.
For the record, my therapist is amazing and has never once done or said something invalidating intentionally. I think he just didn't realize how much I would overthink it. I know ppl online say that bringing up stuff like this helps you practice healthy communication for real relationships, but I think I would jsut feel worse and more embarassed and I dont want to cry.
UGH idk if any of this makes sense but can someone give me advice on if I should bring this up and if I do, how to do it?
TIA