mc-ai/counsel-chat-user-questions huggingface dataset:
How can I get rid of my laziness?

I am lazy. I am very aware of the problem and try to talk myself out of it all the time, but I never seem to shake the habits. I try to think of what it is doing to me and my future, but no matter what, I keep creating excuses for myself to continue the procrastination. All I'm ever left with is regrets and a low grade. I am at an all-time low in my life, and I'm not even that old. I've always been a straight-A student, but now I'm getting C's and F's, and it hurts me to know that I am way better than that. It's not even like the work is hard.
I have a compulsion to fill in holes in my skin with ink

I never get infections or scars or anything, and it doesn't bother me if it gets filled up with blood or something, but I'm concerned.
How do I know if I have bipolar disorder?

I feel that I am struggling with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, and it is making my day-to-day life extremely difficult.
How do I help my husband get over his drinking addiction?
How can I stop struggling with alcohol?

My father is an alcoholic, and I see tendencies of that in myself. I am recently married, and I feel it affecting our relationship. I'm not sure why I do it, but I want to stop. How can I find the willpower?
The organization I work for has told me I cannot go to my 12 step meetings

This is my recovery, and I don't feel that it is okay for them to ask this. They told me it is policy due to the fact that I may run into a peer there. I am a peer counselor in the small community that I grew up in. I am in recovery myself. I was asked to come work for this organization after I was two years sober (I was in treatment in this organization). I work with mental health peers and run life skill groups. I don't work with substance peers.
How can I get away from my phone?

For some reason, I look at my phone, and in no time, five hours has passed. During those five hours, I'm playing games and trying to find out how to make my phone fun to use so I don't feel like I wasted my time trying to improve my phone's performance in my life.
Is there a lawsuit for counselors and therapists who failed to report a relapse?

I have a relative who is in his twenties. He was in a drug rehabilitation program and got kicked out for using drugs again. No one informed family that he was using drugs again. He subsequently overdosed and was found dead.
 Is their accountability of counselors, therapists or the halfway house for not reporting that he had relapsed? Is there a legal case for failing to report?
Can a past therapist disclose information to a current therapist that you are seeing?
Is it ethical for a social worker to ignore a client’s phone calls?

I terminated my counseling relationship with a social worker several years ago. I am now realizing that I would like to begin counseling again. The social worker’s voicemail message says that he returns calls in 24 hours, but he hasn't called me back. I called him on the weekend and made it clear that I want him to call me back. Can he just ignore me?
My boyfriend is in the hospital. They won’t tell me what’s wrong and if or when he’s coming back
Unethical Therapy Practices

What do you do when a therapist and a parent drugs a child and makes up lies in order to stop the other parent's custody visitation?
Is it a normal practice for a team of doctors who are connected by state or profession to discontinue your treatment?

They discontinued treatment for no apparent reason after they thought to diagnose me with schizophrenia.
Is there anything I can do about my therapist blocking my psychiatric services?

I had a dispute with my therapist regarding an appointment cancellation. Now, she is blocking me from seeing other psychologists at the same clinic (which takes my insurance), which is also where I get my psychiatric services. There is a strict 48 hour cancellation policy, and my appointments are at 3:00 on Tuesday. I called to cancel at 4:30 the previous Friday. I was late, so we contacted my doctor to tell her that I would be out of town. She said I could do a phone in session. The thing is we do double sessions.
Can I go see a psychiatrist without my dad finding out, even if I am on his insurance?
How can I see if a therapist if my mom can't afford it?

I think I have depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and I have anger issues. I told my mom over and over again. She told me she would get me a therapist, but she never did. I just found out that my mom can't afford a therapist for me.
I told my family doctor yesterday, that I am hoarding my Ativan pills. Is he legally required to tell my psychiatrist or therapist?

I have major depression, severe, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and personality disorder. I had an appointment with my doctor. I was very upset, and I shared with him about that particular drug.
In the state of New York, is it legal for someone to record a counseling session without telling the counselor or the other person in the session?
How do I, a LPC, start an online practice?
How does counseling end?

How does a counselor decide when to end counseling sessions or to terminate working with a client?
My therapist betrayed my trust

My therapist is gay so there are no sexual issues here. However, my therapist for six years has made me believe that he cares about me and that we are friends. I have loaned money to him many times, and he always paid me back.
   I had a medical emergency last weekend and I was heavily medicated. I knew that this therapist came into my home and wrote down my credit card information so he could pay back what he owed me, but this therapist dropped me off and never came again. I don't know what to do.
I'm in high school, and I want to be a psychologist

I just wanted to get to know one so I can hear about their college experience and the courses they took. I also wanted to know if they enjoy their job and how long they were in school.
Is it appropriate to give my counselor a bottle of wine for Christmas?

I am an international student, and it is my first semester in graduate school in the United States. I faced a cultural shock, and I was so depressed when I arrived here. My counselor in the university was my savior. He helped me a great deal. Now I am going back to my country for a vacation. I was thinking to get him something special with my country's name on it, and I remembered that he likes wine. My country is known for that. Is it appropriate to give him wine as a gift after Christmas?
What is the proper procedure if your child's therapist is leaving the practice to work elsewhere?
Should I get a new therapist?

I have an eating disorder of binging. I've had gastric sleeve surgery. I need help with issues of abuse as a child, addiction, and abusive men. I have been in therapy for five months and get no feedback from my therapist.
How do I approach my doctor about seeing a therapist?

I'm worried I should see a therapist due to past events and current mental status. I'm just so unsure of how to ask my doctor about seeing someone.
How can I be less stressed?

I need help dealing with stress. How can I handle it all and feel less stressed out?
How can I be less stressed?

I need help knowing how to deal with stress. What can I do?
How do I relieve stress and find balance?

I'm in my late 20s. I have two jobs right now, I'm in school, and I feel like I just have a lot under my belt right now. I get stressed out really easily. I tend to worry and over-think. I'm just worried about money and everything.
Is it bad to fantasize about my mom?
Why do I get aroused when women call me "gay"?

Is it a type of fetish, or is it normal?
Why do I have sexual urges for my sister?
Is there a reason I have always been attracted to men much older then me?

I am a young adult, and I was sexually assaulted by an older man when I was a teenager (which has really intensified the guilt/shame). However, I've been attracted to much older men since I was even younger than that.
How do I deal with sexual tension?

I have been experiencing a lot of sexual tension with a lot of the guys that I talk to nowadays. I keep imagining having sex with them. I have never had sex before, nor have I had a boyfriend. I feel lonely and empty. I feel like my body is not okay, and I am missing something. I talk to so many boys in school, and I always fantasize about half of them. I want this feeling to stop because it is interfering with my time to study since most of the time, I am busy thinking about sex.
How can I get some closure on an experience I regret?

Back in high school, my friend and I used to masturbate around each other. I hate even talking about it now because it's so weird. We didn't even realize how messed up it was at the time. One time, it escalated and we ended up doing it for each other. It wasn't supposed to be a gay thing, but it sure sounds like it now that I talk about it. I pushed this away until it recently came up in my head again. I'm having a lot of trouble.
How can I control my sexual urges?
Why do I always get ignored by people?

Every time I send a message to someone or a group message on Instagram, iMessage, or snapchat people will read my messages but then they won't answer me.    Could it be that there is something they don't like about me? I don't understand why they won't answer my messages. How do I get people to respond to me?
Why do some people try to make a joke for everything and laugh at everything?

These "jokes" are made about everything. They seem to have the need to say something "funny" about everything. It's not funny, just awkward.
My friends don't put effort into our relationship

It's really hard to not have negative feelings about friends who don't put any effort into nourishing our relationship.
Should I pull away from my best friend?

Because we are on opposite coasts, we try to talk early mornings, but she is constantly interrupted by visitors. I suggested setting aside some time, but she has made it very clear she has no intention of changing her lifestyle. She is also drinking beer every day on antipsychotics.
How do I repair my friendship?

My best friend and I were pranking her friend, and I told her to tell him that she likes him. She said no, but I forced her. After she told him, he told her that he likes her too. Their friendship is ruined because of me. She won't forgive me, and I feel really guilty. I feel like crying.
I have an old roommate who might be a psychopath

I was “mentored” by this guy for a few years spiritually. It was okay at times, but other times, it was just weird. I try not to think about it too much, but a lot of manipulation and lying happened, yet no one else really believed me when I told them. It's like he's two different people, and no one else really sees that side of him. I was blamed for a lot of our troubles, and now we don't really talk much. I'm worried because he's in a trusted position of leadership and no one suspects anything. They just think I'm attacking his character. How do I know for sure?
How do I stop a bully who adults wouldn't recognize as bullying without speaking to the bully?

She mostly targets me on social media. The bullying used to be much worse, but it is still going on. The comments are so vague, but I know that they are meant for me. Even when I confront her, she messages me short phrases to try to get in my head. If I try to fight back, she will ruin me.
How do I trust others?

I'm having problems shutting them out and putting up walls.
The girls at my coming-of-age party don't like their dresses

I'm having a quinceañera, and the girls don't like their dresses. They never told me, and now it's a week away. I don't know what to do.
How do I learn to let go of past problems and live one day at a time?

I would like to be able to have more positive relationships in the present.
How can I become more understanding?
I feel like my friends are ganging up on me

In this argument my friends are all against me so I'm wondering if I'm exaggerating my feelings. I feel like I'm being attacked and that is making me blow things out of proportion and taking the role of the victim, when in reality I'm the one being unreasonable and I am simply annoying my reasonable friends. Or are they really being insensitive and not respecting me in our friendship?
My friends accusing me of having problems

They're calling me names like hypocrite and a baby even when they act in the same manner as I do. I'm tired of being called names. What should I do?
The child I nanny hates me!

I nanny a three year old. When he wakes up in the morning he calls out for someone to come get him. If I am the one to go get him out of bed he gets really upset and refuses to let me near him. He screams that he wants his mom or dad (they work from home).    The rest of the day he loves me. But not in the mornings.
   What can I do?
How do I deal with bullying at school?

I've been bullied for years and the teachers have done nothing about it. I haven't been diagnosed with depression, but i have been extremely sad for years.
   How can I deal with being bullied at school when the teachers won't help?
How can I see my base doctor without my ID?

I need to get on base to see my doctor. My ID card was in my wallet which was stolen. I’m unable to reach my husband at this time. He is only one who can take me on base in order to get a new ID so I can continue to see doctor. Is there anything I can do?
What would happen if I got caught cutting myself in school?
Why can't I stop these thoughts?

I keep having these random thoughts that I don't want. Things like "you aren't worth anything." I know they're my own thoughts but it feels like someone else is saying it.
   What is wrong with me, and how can I stop having these thoughts?
How does a counselor diagnose someone with a disorder?
How do therapists characterize personality types?

How do therapists classify the type of personality their clients have? What characteristics do they look at to decide what type of personality the client has? I've read about this online, but I'd like to understand this from a therapist's point of view.
I think I empathize too much

I empathize so much, even with characters on tv or in video games, that I actually feel physical pain. This has made life difficult to say the least.
   I believe I have an actually case of something called hyper empathy disorder. But since it's such a new disorder I can't find any information about it. Could this be what is going on with me?
How would I know if I have the right therapist?

How do you know you have the right therapist for you?
 How would I know how to "train" my therapist to be able to give me what I need from treatment?
Is it normal to cry at therapy?

Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?
How does counseling help people?

Does counseling really do anything that can help people?
How does someone approach a counselor?

How does a person start the counseling process?
What happens in a counseling session?

After first meeting the client, what is the process that a counselor facilitates?
What are the skills needed by a counselor?

What are the basic skills a good counselor needs to have?
Are some clients more difficult than others?

What are some difficulties that a counselor can encounter when dealing with a client?