Your Mental Health Matters

Experts, how do I know when I should seek therapy? I know that's a very broad question, but lately I've been wondering if I should get professional help. I don't think I need professional help, exactly, but I think maybe it would be beneficial. I'm able to live my life, but I worry a lot: I get anxious and stressed and, sometimes, a little depressed. And I'm worried that I'm too reliant on some of my friends to listen to me when I get upset and complain about things. One of my friends has even told me that she would prefer I went to a therapist with some of my concerns instead of her. But I also have some hang-ups about therapy, I guess — I don't want to feel like a crazy person, or anything. Experts, what do you recommend?

Our recommendation is simple: you should heed your friend's advice and go get yourself a therapist.

Therapy isn't for "crazy" people. It's something that can help virtually anyone. A therapist's role is to help you unpack and examine your feelings, reactions, and behaviors. A session with your therapist is an exercise in mental health, and it's good for you and your well-being.

It sounds as if you're currently using your friends in place of therapy. Typically, that's not recommended. Sure, it’s perfectly fine to vent and bounce ideas off of them from time to time, but when we rely on our friends to help us take stock of our mental health, we put a burden on them that is unfair. Plus, our friends aren't qualified mental health professionals (at least, not usually): therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, on the other hand, are.

A therapist is neutral in a way that your friends can never be, no matter how much they might want to be. A therapist has years of advanced training and the professional background that it takes to make sure they’re responding to you in the healthiest way possible. And working with a therapist means being able to share things in strict confidentiality. For all of these reasons and more, talking to your friends would never be a substitute for therapy.

We should be proactive about our mental health. Just as we visit doctors regularly to check on our physical health, it's a good idea for all of us to be working with mental health professionals, explain the experts at Therapy Group of NYC. And when you're dealing with issues like anxiety and depression, the advantages of working with a mental health professional are only more obvious.

Fortunately, some of the unfair stigma surrounding mental health is falling away. While it's unfortunate that, according to research, there has been a generational increase in mental health issues, it's encouraging that to see Americans becoming more willing to address anxiety and other mental health issues in a professional setting.

The real-world consequences of avoiding therapy are many and varied. Experts agree that your physical health and even your lifespan can be significantly affected by your mental health. In other words, investing in therapy is a smart way to manage one aspect of your overall health and well-being.

No matter how serious your anxiety or depression issues may be, the sensible thing for you to do right now is to address them by reaching out to a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Doing so will give you a powerful new way to address your struggles and to be proactive about your happiness, productivity, and overall mental health. Gaining a proper connection with a mental health care provider for these sorts of concerns will also improve your relationships with your friends. You'll be better off in so many ways if you can find the courage to stop going it alone.

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