Hey Everybody! You know what day it is
It's finally Friday!
And that means that I'm ready for a nap! Because I'm tired because it's been a long week.
I don't know why, but it has. But it's Friday! and that means I'm on Facebook Woop Woop!
so if you asked your questions using the hash (gibberish) using the hashtag,
that's hard to say sometimes, Kati F.A.Q., I found it and I answered, and I have 4 of them.
Some of which, if you asked your question, you were like Kati you didn't tell me your answer
notice that some of these will probably answer your question because oftentimes
I will get multiple questions that are very similar and I will forget to go back and let all of you know
that I answered your question. So I hope this answers more than 4 people's questions
Without further ado question number one
Kati, I was seeing a counselor for anxiety but my insurance didn't cover her
and I couldn't afford it anymore. I saw my doctor and he keeps trying to put me on antipsychotic
medication for anxiety. I don't want to take it, but he seems to have an attitude
and I keep asking for different things. What do you suggest I do? I had a lot of versions of this.
I had another saying what if I don't want to go on any medication? and I think the main topic is
what do we do when they want to put us on something, and we don't want to?
It doesn't matter if we have already been on something or we don't want to go on this particular thing
or we don't want to go on medication at all and we are afraid they are going to keep pushing it on us
which, to be honest, psychiatrists, the majority of them, nowadays
don't really see us for a full hour, they don't do therapy while at the same time prescribing medication
a lot of what psychiatrists do today is now called med management, they have you come in and they're like
hey, you've been on Cymbalta for you know like six weeks how are you feeling?
are you having any side effects? blah blah blah. they just ask you about that medication and that's it.
And if you want to talk about, you know, your feelings and stuff, then you call me, the therapist.
So it can be tricky if that's all you're seeing, if thats the only person you're seeing,
because if you don't want to be on medication, I would encourage you just to see a therapist
because we don't prescribe medication because that would be illegal.
I'm not a doctor. Can't call me Dr. Kati, It's just Kati Morton MFTI. Right?
So yeah, if you don't want medication, I wouldn't go see a psychiatrist
like in the person in this one who said she's already seen a psychiatrist
I would have your argument and even ask the doctor why do you feel I should be on it?
What is it that I'm missing with what I'm already on? It's your body, it's your choice, you don't have to take it.
He might get an attitude with you because he or she or whoever the psychiatrist is thinks they know best
and you think you know best and both of you are right because they know best when it comes to medication
but you know your body best and it's your experience and your choice
so speak up, be heard and if you don't like the advice of what they are offering you, find somebody else, okay?
Hope that helps! Question number two: "hi Kati, when you begin your recovery,
is it normal to feel like you have taken a huge step back? and I mean huge.
I have never binged or purged for more than X days in a row.
but I have since I started addressing my eating disorder. I also bought a scale and I cannot seem to get off of it
I know this doesn't mean I should quit recovery, but is this pattern unusual? I feel hopeless. Thank you."
It's so normal! I know this is terrible but for any of you who haven't been following me for a long period of time
or haven't gone back and watched all my videos, which I almost have 300, which I totally get it if you haven't
but I have a video way back in the day called, actually there's two of them,but one is I Miss My Eating Disorder
because it's kind of what it's like our eating disorder gets ramped up
also I have one that's called Why Does It Feel Worse First In Recovery? I don't think that's the actual title.
I think it's Why Does It Feel Worse When We Start Recovery?
Anyway, I bet if you search feel worse in my channel you can find it
and the reason for this is we haven't addressed anything
and it's really hard when we first start addressing stuff
it's almost like we've been ostriches, we've got our heads in the sand.
they're the ones who stick their heads in the sand, right? So anyway, we have our heads in the sand
and we don't want to deal, and when we finally come out and look around
we're like holy shit there's a lot of stuff I have to deal with
and our eating disorder goes crazy because that's our only coping skill.
if it's not an eating disorder you struggle with, if it's self harm, the urges get worse at first
also anxiety, depression, whatever it is, get really bad at first when we start working on ourselves
because it's our only coping skill. So I would encourage you to be honest about your struggles
say, I've never had it as bad as I am right now. Let them know you need some extra support.
And also utilize my eating disorder workbook. I know it's hard, I know it's a lot of work,
but it will really really help. So I would download that on my website katimorton.com
and get started. and the self-harm workbook is coming together, I know many of you are like
"Kati I'm trying to click and it's not downloading!" that's because I'm finalizing it. I know.
I was fighting with the website, I think I figured it out. I have to add my disclaimer
saying this is in no way therapy and then I think we are good to go! So stay tuned shortly, it will be out.
Thank you for your patience on that too, sorry it's taking so long
Okay question number 3. Please, please answer!
And I am! Due to me turning 18 I have to leave my current therapist who I have known for nearly 2 years,
who I have known for nearly 2 years, and see a new one. I am so upset and I don't want to leave.
I feel rushed because there is only a month to say everything I have ever wanted to
there are still big issues which I have never gotten into and now there's not enough time.
Every time I speak about leaving in a session I start crying. I don't know what to do or how to make it easier.
I'm already struggling more recently and I think that this will make it worse.
First of all, that really sucks that you have to switch. I'm sorry. Maybe they only see children I would assume
since you said that you're just turning 18. but I'm so sorry for that and it can be really hard to lose a therapist.
I would encourage you to even watch my grief and grieving video
because to be honest you are grieving the loss of this relationship and what it meant to you.
The one thing I want to caution against is feeling like you have to take this month
and you have to share everything and work on everything you want to share and work on
because you can do that with your next therapist.
What I would encourage you to take this month and do is process the loss. Talk about it in therapy, cry it out.
I would encourage you to put together a list of things you have worked on with her
and how far you've come and the things you've accomplished that you're really proud of
even if it is just you allowed me to trust someone outside of my friends and family
and it felt really good to have a place to vent
whatever it is, share where you've come from, and where you're at now
and all the work you've done together, and process.
Take this month to not do any more work on you and working through your treatment plan
unless something's happening now that you have to talk about it
but spend this time to process the loss because it's really hard and moving on from a therapist I could say
from personal experience takes time and I still to this day am like ugh I wish Rebecca was still in practice
because my therapist retired and I had seen her for years all through undergrad, grad
and then it was like boom, nothing. So I totally get it. Take this time to process that
and the freedom to feel sad and upset, struggling. it's okay. you are going through a big transition.
Question number 4: Hi Kati I'm 11 years old and have gone through a very weird stage
that's led me to drastic mood changes and I have a feeling that I may be bipolar
but I don't know how to tell anyone. I go from extremely high to rock bottom on the floor.
Please help. Lots of love.
You are 11 years old, so it sounds like you probably have to talk to your parents about it
which I know sucks and we don't want to talk to our parents because they never seem to get it
but they are going to have to be the ones who get you help. There are some caveats within therapy
where if parents aren't onboard and not supportive let's say, maybe they're the ones who were abused,
we, as therapists, are allowed to take you on without their consent, but 11 is too young
I believe the beginning is 12 or 13, so I would encourage you to talk to your parents
just to say something, whichever parent you are closest to, maybe your dad or your mom
and say something to the effect of, you know I have been really struggling lately
I would really like to talk to someone. I'm feeling like my mood is all over the place.
It would be really nice to have a place to vent. and I think getting someone to talk to, just a therapist
would give you a nice gauge as to what it is you are really struggling with
are there other ways we can cope, sometimes if our mood is all over the place,
it's not due to bipolar disorder. It could be many other things. it could even be diet.
So if you are struggling with an eating disorder
and you are on the anorexic side or bingeing and purging or whatever it is,
and your body is not getting the nutrients it needs, our brain runs on all of our different hormones
and our hormones run on our nutrients, and if our bodies aren't getting what it needs,
our mood is like so labile, it all over the place.
So I would encourage you to check into a couple of those things
a therapist being the most important, but if you think your eating may be causing it as well,
I would see your doctor and get some blood work done, just to be sure, okay? Journal Topic:
Now this comes from, now I won't say their name, because they didn't say if I could or not
but it comes from one of my followers, and I love it when you guys give me journal topics
and someone also sent me, Elisa, I think that is how she told me to say it, sent me a a big list of them
so thank you so much! This person said, Hey Kati, I'm not sure if you filmed yet for your Friday video
but for the journal topic, I had an idea!
I'm in Government this semester and we are learning about what the government has to secure for us
which is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Right? We've all heard that in the states.
Okay, my Government teacher told us for our homework this weekend
when we have to do something that helps Oh, we have to do something that helps pursue our happiness
I litterally got teary-eyed because sometimes it's hard to do something that's for yourself. Love your videos
Yeah, what can we do to improve our happiness?
What's something you can do that's just for you?
That's totally selfish and totally indulgent?
What can that be? because oftentimes we are so judgmental
on ourselves we don't even give ourselves an inch to even be like
well, I'd really prefer to have that, but I'm going to have this, or I'm going to do this.
or you know I told that friend I'd do that, but I can't. I just can't say no, I double booked myself,
or whatever has been done. I have a, we have, a 3 day weekend here in the states
so how about you take one of those days and make sure you do something that's just for you
and that improves your happiness, and then let me know about it?
Okay? I love you all! Have a wonderful weekend!
I will have a regularly scheduled video coming out on Monday and then Tuesday I'll be on Tumblr
so ask your questions and I'll see you then! Bye!
Subtitles by the Amara.org community