This scratches on some things some popular people sometimes note: A feeling of being derooted, having no sense of belonging or meaning. Maybe this is a reason for the recent resurging of religious organizations. Of course if this vague shred of an idea has some truth to it one should be able to create or find a tribe substitute.
I will look into it, thank you.
So continue burning through therapists in the hope of being understood. Is there any shred of evidence that I should try psychoanalytic treatment again? From my impression the effect of it is similar to homeopathic treatment.
Sorry, but there is really no answer to the question as posed.
How can I restate it to get a more answerable question?
It was mainly a thought that occured to me to write down as the rest of the story wrote itself. My problem is more social anxiety, which of course pertains to the social environment. Moving of course will not help this anxiety one bit, more probably even amplify it.
How strong is the evidence in favor of psychological treatment really?
I am not happy. I suffer from social anxiety. I procrastinate. And I have a host of another issues that are all linked, I am certain. I have actually sought out treatment with absolutely no effect. On the recommendation of my primary care physician I entered psychoanalytic counseling and was appalled by the theoretical basis and practical course of “treatment”. After several months without even the hint of a success I aborted the treatment and looked for help somewhere else.
I then read David Burns’ “Feeling Good”, browsing through, taking notes and doing the exercises for a couple of days. It did not help, of course in hindsight I wasn’t doing the treatment long enough to see any benefit. But the theoretical basis intrigued me. It just made so much more sense to be determined by one’s beliefs than a fear of having one’s balls chopped off, hating their parents and actively seeking out displeasure because that is what fits the narrative.
Based on the key phrase “CBT” I found “The now habit” and reading me actually helped to subdue my procrastination long enough to finish my bachelor’s degree in a highly technical subject with grades in the highest quintile. Then I slipped back into a phase of relative social isolation, procrastionation and so on.
We see these phenomena consistently in people. We also see them consistently in animals being held in captivity not suited to their species’ specific needs. I am less and less convinced that this block of anxiety, depression and procrastination is a disease but a reaction to an environment in the broadest sense inherently unsuitable to humans.
The proper and accepted procedure for me would be to try counseling again, this time with a cognitive behavioral approach. But I am unwilling to commit that much time for uncertain results, especially now that I want to travel or do a year abroad or just run away from it all. (Suicide is not an option) What lowers my odds of success even more is that I never feel understood by people put in place to understand in various venues. So how could such a treatment help?
I am open to bibliotherapy. I don’t think I am open to traditional or even medical therapy.
Indeed I can try again. Though social cues are quite powerful in maintaining the routine.
Having options is nice. Also more varied experiences tend to stick better, like reading two different explanations of the same phenomenon.