Why You Shouldn't Delay Therapy
Author: Asasia Richardson
You’ve seen advertisements on social media, depictions in TV and film, maybe someone you know even talked about their personal experience with the subject - therapy. Today, therapy and mental health are discussed more than ever before. But how do you know it’s time and if it’s for you?
The first step to determining if it is time to start therapy is to normalize it! It’s completely normal to seek out a professional if you are struggling with your mental health. Research shows that the majority of people delay seeking mental healthcare, usually for years. Often, this delay is due to internalized stigma or fear of stigma, believing that you don’t need help, or feeling as though you should handle the problem on your own. However, delaying seeking therapy can lead to a worsening of symptoms. While you may have doubts, therapy is for anybody and everybody! You do not need to wait for your mental health to deteriorate to find a therapist, and in fact, you shouldn’t! Just as you would go to a doctor if you were having physical health concerns, you can go to a therapist for mental health concerns.
Therapy is not one-size-fits-all, and can be helpful for a variety of people and experiences. Therapy can be used to help treat mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, trauma, suicidal thoughts, and substance use. In addition, it can also be a space to work on challenges related to relationships, career, identity, and more! If you’re unsure if therapy might be a good fit for your current situation, it can be helpful to ask yourself these two questions:
Is it interfering with my daily life?
Have I tried to fix/improve on my own, but haven’t seen the progress I would like?
If the answer to either of these is yes, it might be time for therapy!
Here are some other signs to look out for to indicate if it might be time to seek help for your mental health.
You’re feeling persistently sad, anxious, irritable, or upset.
If you have noticed that these feelings are coming up more often than not, take up a lot of space in your mind, or are getting in the way of doing things you typically do, it could be time to ask for help. We all have difficult days or periods, but if these feelings are not passing, it’s a sign that there is something more serious going on.
You’ve experienced a recent big life change or traumatic event.
When we experience major events or shifts in our lives, it can have a huge impact on our mental health. Whether the change was something like a move to a new city, losing your job, a break up, or traumatic event such as witnessing or experiencing violence, using therapy to process your emotions can be imperative to adjusting to your new normal.
You’re experiencing problems or conflict in your relationship(s).
Human beings are social creatures, so our relationships can be a useful measure of where we stand. Perhaps you feel that your relationship is the source of conflict and negative emotions you could use some help in working through. On the other end, maybe you are noticing that you are creating conflict in your relationships or feeling distant from those you are usually close to. Therapy can be a helpful space to either work through your feelings about your relationships, or get to the source of the problem that is impacting your relationships.
You’ve lost interest in things that used to bring you joy.
One common symptom of depression and other mental health problems is anhedonia -- the decreased ability to feel pleasure. If you find yourself feeling numb, withdrawing from your relationships, or feeling as though you are just going through the motions, you are likely experiencing anhedonia.
You’re experiencing unexplained physical health problems.
The body and mind are not two separate parts of ourselves, they are intrinsically connected. As a result, many people experience physical symptoms of mental illness. This can include sleep difficulties, aches and pains, breathing problems, muscle tension, headaches, stomach pain, gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, and memory problems. Many people will recognize physical symptoms without attributing them to their mental health, and consequently seek medical treatments. If you’ve gone to the doctor and they were unable to identify a cause for physical symptoms, or their recommendations haven’t been effective, it might be time to see a therapist to explore other causes.
These are just a few examples of signs that it may be time to go to therapy. It can be difficult to know when it’s time, and the social stigma against therapy and asking for help might lead you to question your needs. However, you deserve to have a space where you can openly and honestly express your feelings and get the support you need. Don’t wait until you hit rock bottom, there are people who can and want to help.
