When it’s Time to See a Counselor

The stigma around mental health and therapy is deep-rooted and can make people scared to make the leap and get help. But caring for your mental health is just as important as going to the dentist or the doctor: your mental health needs check-ups too.

Recognize the signs you’re struggling

It can be hard to admit when your health is keeping you from living the life you want to live. Denying that you have a problem can keep you going for a while, but eventually, life catches up to everyone. Learning to recognize the signs that you’re struggling with your mental health is key, as is realizing you need to stop and take care of yourself: you’re no use to your family, friends, or coworkers if you aren’t healthy and happy.

Sometimes the symptoms of mental illness aren’t obvious, especially if you don’t know much about mental health and the different types of disorders and issues.  Here are seven signs to start searching for “therapy near me“:

Your mental health disrupts your life or causes distress

Try as we might resist, humans, are all guilty of bending to the will of their ego. Our society encourages people to take care of themselves and push any problems aside, and we thrive on being able to “overcome” our circumstances. But sometimes you can’t hide from your problems, especially where mental health is concerned.

When your stress, anxiety, or depression starts to interrupt your everyday life and keep you from doing the things you want or need to do, that’s a red flag. If you’re performing poorly at work for weeks on end or continuously feeling like you have no energy to do the things you used to, your mental health is ruling your life. It’s time to see a counselor.

You have experienced trauma or are grieving

A traumatic experience doesn’t have to have happened recently for you to be able to seek help. Sometimes experiences from childhood remain with you into adulthood and affect your mental health in ways you don’t understand or expect. From physical, mental or sexual abuse to the death of a close friend or family member, all of these events can have lasting impacts on your health and wellbeing.

It can be helpful to speak to someone about life events that you haven’t fully recovered from. A therapist can help you understand why the events occurred and help you offload any feelings of guilt or responsibility, giving you peace of mind.

Your family, friends don’t want to hear it anymore

Friends and family are a great support system when you’re feeling down. A friend with a listening ear can work wonders on a conflicted mind. But if your friends stop returning your calls or your family stops being receptive to conversations about what’s bothering you, it’s a sign you’ve overshared and exhausted them emotionally.

To preserve your friendships and relationships with family, reach out to a counselor. Counselors are paid professionals whose job is to listen to you and offer constructive tools to help you cope.

Others are noticing your stress is getting worse

When you’re not feeling your best, it’s common to try to suck it up and pretend nothing is wrong. But when your mental health goes unchecked, it can become too much for you to hide. Others will start to notice changes in your mood or behavior and may voice their concerns to you.

If coworkers, neighbors, friends, or family speak to you and tell you they’ve noticed you’re not yourself, it’s time to get help.

Your sleep or appetite have been impacted

It is often easy to overlook the physical symptoms of mental illness, but changes in sleep habits and appetite are two key ones to look out for. If you’re so anxious you’re having trouble falling and staying asleep, or are depressed and wanting to sleep all the time, those are indicators you need to seek professional assistance. If you typically enjoy eating and drinking but find yourself uninterested or unable to eat as much as you need, that’s also a warning sign, as is overeating. A noticeable change in appetite is a cause for concern, and therapeutic counseling techniques will be able to identify the source of your problems and help you find some relief.

You turn to drugs, alcohol or other substances or addictions to cope

It can be tempting to disappear into a drink when you’re having a hard time with your mental health. There’s nothing wrong with that if done once in a blue moon. But if you find yourself consistently turning to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, sex, gambling or other addictive coping mechanisms, your self-medication may end up making matters worse instead of better.

Instead of adding to your burden with another issue, make a therapy appointment and see what healthy coping styles you can learn to deal with your stress, anxiety or depression.

You’ve tried everything, but nothing improves your anxiety

Sometimes there is nothing more difficult than admitting you can’t fix your problems alone. When you’re dealing with anxiety or depression, it’s likely an ongoing issue that you have tried to cope with by yourself. But sometimes there isn’t enough self-help in the world to help mental health issues.

If you’ve tried exercising more, spending time with friends, bought all the self-help books and tried all the meditation and essential oils you could afford, it may be time to seek the advice of a qualified professional.