Do I have to keep seeing my therapist?

[texasvet]

I am 65 years old and have been 100% P&T  SC PTSD for 7 years. With all of this Covid stuff, I haven’t seen my therapist for several months.  I’ve decided to not see him for the next few months & I wonder if I am in danger of losing my benefits if I stop going to my therapist for a while or if I stop altogether. 

Thoughts?

[Buck52]

you might ask to reduce your sessions not that you improved but its just to much to go through  with this pandemic going on, so if your seeing your therapist every week or every 2 weeks  you might ask if you can just see her like every 3 months   and if things get bad  then you can ask to go back to every 2 weeks or once a month...but remember the PTSD Session appointments are getting hard to make and lot of younger  veterans are coming in for help   and the scheduling is getting harder and harder to get in to see the therapist.

Normally after 5 years & P&T  OVER 55 your pretty safe on any reductions.

Edited January 23, 2021 by Buck52

[texasvet]

1 hour ago, Marine Corp 69/70 said:

All you have to do is call your therapist and tell him or her that you don’t want to come in because of Covid -19 you would rather talk on the phone or video conference, if they say yes find if they say no your are covered. If you want to stop altogether I would talk to him or her about it and see what they say, because if you do stop going. PTSD or any disability not over ten years or more VA can take your s/c away over ten years they can only reduce the rating so think hard before you make the wrong decision.

Thanks Marine Corp,

I’m 100% P&T and 66 years old.  

My award letter says “No examinations will be scheduled in the future for your Permanent and Total disability.”

A family friend is a VSO.   I’d like to ask his opinion, but I really don’t want anyone to know about my problems.  I live in constant fear that my children will learn about my PTSD and panic attacks and limit my time with my grandchildren.

Thanks,

texasvet  

 

[texasvet]

2 hours ago, Buck52 said:

you might ask to reduce your sessions not that you improved but its just to much to go through  with this pandemic going on, so if your seeing your therapist every week or every 2 weeks  you might ask if you can just see her like every 3 months   and if things get bad  then you can ask to go back to every 2 weeks or once a month...but remember the PTSD Session appointments are getting hard to make and lot of younger  veterans are coming in for help   and the scheduling is getting harder and harder to get in to see the therapist.

Normally after 5 years & P&T  OVER 55 your pretty safe on any reductions.

Thanks Buck,

I’ve told my VA therapist many times that I feel guilty taking up his time, because I know that younger guys that are suffering from PTSD need help.

I’ve told him that after 10 years of therapy, the best thing that I can say is that I understand PTSD now and how/why it changed my life.  So in that respect, therapy has helped me.   It has not stopped the panic attacks or the nightmares or feeling of guilt & remorse whatsoever.  
 

And to be honest, I worry that one day my wife will say that she’s had enough.   That’s why I hide things as much as possible from her.   

As I’ve told my therapist many times,  “You can’t unring a bell.”  
 

Thanks,

texasvet

[broncovet]

I dont recommend you squander your time worrying about a reduction.  I consider time spent "worrying" as wasted time.  

Instead of worry, you can take action.  Actionable events include:

1.  Contact therapist and ask for "streaming" (online) appointments.  At my VA I had my last 2 mental health appointments via live stream.  Your VA may not be able to do that.  I "cant imagine" in my wildest dreams cancelling appointments when our country is on covid 19 restrictions being a bases for reduction.  

2.  Knowledge beats fear.  Study the regulations and understand when they can reduce you.  Its actually very difficult for VA to reduce you.  They have to demonstrate "actual improvement under ordinary conditions of life".  Being "locked down" with covid is not "ordinary condtions".  https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.344

3.  If you are unhappy with your therapist you can get alternate therapy.  

4.  Relax, get a hobby, enjoy your life, love others.  Its like worrying about the sun colliding with the earth, there is not much you can do about it anyway, so worry is useless.  "If" you get a reduction proposal, deal with it then..we can help..  

[texasvet]

Hello All,

It's been a while since I got on Hadit and I want to again thank everyone for their answers to my question about any requirement to continue seeing my VA therapist.

A couple of months ago, I remembered that through my wife's job, she knew a young man that went to work for the VA.  I contacted him and he was nice enough to answer my question about whether or not I had to continue seeing a VA therapist for my PTSD.

He told me that since I was rated at 100% P&T, there was no requirement to continue therapy with a VA therapist.  He said that it was my choice whether or not I saw a VA therapist or an outside therapist or no therapist at all, my choice. 

So for now, I'm going to continue not seeing anyone and use the coping skills that work best for me, namely "avoidance."  If I end up in a "dark hole" there is always the VA Crisis Line that I've used a few times. 

Thanks,

Texasvet

[GBArmy]

texasvet What the gentleman told you is correct. If you are rated 100% P&T, you don't have to continue seeing a doc for your disability, or for any other disability you may have. However, I can think of two good reasons to continue to seek help. First, even though you are at 100% P&T, you may want to pursue SMC's or use the VA for regular healthcare. It is always cleaner if you are an active participant in the VA healthcare system. After 2 years or so, you can be dropped from the active register. If you go back after a breach in activity, you have to get a new PCP again, take physicals and blood work, etc. Secondly, and most importantly, with any disability we have, we should all strive to get better by getting treatment and that would include some setbacks that your doc can jump on if you are under constant treatment. Maybe push your appointments out to every other month or 3 or 4 months. You may feel that they don't help very much but they usually do, even it it is just a little. I hope you continue, at least on a limited basis.