Counseling #1

Today was my first counseling appointment. I desperately tried to find someone who deals with infertility, no luck, but at least she deals with all of the affects of it. I've never had counseling before so I wasn't sure what to expect. She took me to her office and then asked if I would mind if an intern observed. It was the intern's first day. I'm such an open book I didn't mind.

Today was all about her learning about me. I did most of the talking while she asked questions and took notes. I spilled my guts and cried a few times. Half way through I noticed that the intern was tearing up and by the end she had tears rolling. She then spoke up and asked if she could say something. She announced that she dealt with infertility for 14 yrs and never did conceive. She adopted two children and loves them as if they were her own, but that she still has that pain of never being pg or giving birth. She confirmed that all I was saying was so true and that I made the right decision to seek help. She then said that she was thinking of specializing in infertility and I encouraged her to do so as there are so many of us and so few of them.

I do not for one moment believe that was a coincidence. Prior to my appt, I was so upset and prayed I would find someone who could understand and relate to my pain. God's good! I told the intern she's welcome in my counseling session anytime.

The counselor made the observation that I kept saying "I failed". She wanted me to understand that I have not failed at anything. True, but my body has. My assignment for this week is to get some exercise everyday. She believes this will help with my stress and sadness, I agree! She also wants me to get out of the house more. I work from home so some days I never see sun light. Again, I agree!

She diagnosed me with Adjustment Disorder. Below is from WebMD, I'm including it as many of my readers are dealing with the same misfortune.

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Adjustment Disorder is a short-term condition that occurs when a person is unable to cope with, or adjust to, a particular source of stress, such as a major life change, loss or event. Because people with adjustment disorders often have symptoms of depression, such as tearfulness, feelings of hopelessness and loss of interest in work or activities, adjustment disorder is sometimes called "situational depression". Unlike major depression, however, an adjustment disorder is triggered by an outside stress and generally goes away once the person has adapted to the situation.

The type of stress that can trigger adjustment disorder varies depending on the person, but can include:

Ending of a relationship or marriage.
Losing or changing job.
Death of a loved one.
Developing a serious illness (yourself or a loved one).
Being a victim of a crime.
Having an accident.
Undergoing a major life change (such as getting married, having a baby or retiring from a job).
Living through a disaster, such as a fire, flood or hurricane.

A person with adjustment disorder develops emotional and/or behavioral symptoms as a reaction to a stressful event. These symptoms generally begin within three months of the event and rarely last for longer than six months after the event or situation. In an adjustment disorder, the reaction to the stressor is greater than what is typical or expected for the situation or event. In addition, the symptoms may cause problems with a person's ability to function; for example, the person may be unable to sleep, work or study.

Adjustment disorder is not the same as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD generally occurs as a reaction to a life-threatening event and tends to last longer. Adjustment disorder, on the other hand, is short-term, rarely lasting longer than six months.

What Are the Symptoms of Adjustment Disorder? An adjustment disorder can have a wide variety of symptoms, which may include:

Feeling of hopelessness.
Sadness.
Frequent crying.
Anxiety (nervousness).
Worry.
Headaches or stomachaches.
Palpitations (an unpleasant sensation of irregular or forceful beating of the heart).
Withdrawal or isolation from people and social activities.
Absence from work or school.
Dangerous or destructive behavior, such as fighting, reckless driving and vandalism.
Changes in appetite, either loss of appetite or overeating.
Problems sleeping.
Feeling tired or without energy.
Increase in the use of alcohol or other drugs.

Symptoms in children and teens tend to be more behavioral in nature, such as skipping school, fighting or acting out. Adults, on the other hand, tend to experience more emotional symptoms, such as sadness and anxiety.

How Common Is Adjustment Disorder? Adjustment disorder is very common and can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, race or lifestyle. Although an adjustment disorder can occur at any age, it is more common at times in life when major transitions occur, such as adolescence, mid-life and late-life.

How Is Adjustment Disorder Treated? Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) is the most common treatment for adjustment disorder. Therapy helps the person understand how the stressor has affected his or her life. It also helps the person develop better coping skills. Support groups can also be helpful by allowing the person to discuss his or her concerns and feelings with people who are coping with the same stress.

Most people with adjustment disorder recover completely. In fact, a person who is treated for adjustment disorder may learn new skills that actually allow him or her to function better than before the symptoms began.

Can Adjustment Disorder Be Prevented? There is no known way to prevent adjustment disorder. However, strong family and social support can help a person work through a particularly stressful situation or event. The best prevention is early treatment, which can reduce the severity and duration of symptoms, and teach new coping skills.

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Wow, describes me well! But I had to chuckle at "having a baby" as one of the types of stress that can trigger this disorder! Hahahahaha If only I had that problem. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to learning these coping techniques before my husband needs counseling to learn how to cope with me. =)