“Progress is not achieved by luck or accident but by working on yourself daily” ~Epictetus
How many times have you been talking to friends/neighbors/family who casually mention that they should probably go to therapy? Whether they are being sarcastic or not, they bring up a good point…How do we know if we need to go to therapy? Events like losses, relapses, chronic or terminal illnesses, or mental health flare-ups can be signs we should seek professional help. But what if none of those things have happened to us, can we still seek a little extra support from a trained, licensed therapist? The short answer is YES–I am a strong advocate for everyone going to therapy!
Now for the longer answer. First, I cannot possibly stress the misnomer that therapy is for “broken” or “damaged” people; this is a stigma that unfortunately has deterred many of therapy. Fact is, going to therapy is like taking your car to get an oil change. It is necessary to keep things running smoothly. When those maintenance lights come on, you simply make time in your week and address them. This does not mean the whole car is bad or that there is anything wrong with it. In fact, the better we are about keeping up on routine maintenance with our vehicles, the better they run and and the longer they last! Same with working on our mental health. There is nothing wrong with going to therapy! If a check engine light is on in the dash of the car, we address it. If there are figurative “check engine” lights turning on in our lives, let’s address those as well.
So, what would be some of these check engine lights/warning signs that we need therapy? Here are a few that often bring clients to my office:
- Using substances to cope
- Feeling irritable, short-fused
- Having a hard time regulating emotions
- Difficulty performing in school/work
- Struggling to maintain relationships
- Experiencing disrupted sleep patterns and/or diminished appetite
- Things that once brought joy no longer do
- Going through or anticipating a major life event
- Navigating difficult family dynamics
- Wanting to improve oneself but not knowing where to start
- Unhealthy habits controlling your life
- Repeating the same stuck patterns
- Recently experiencing a horrible/traumatic event
- Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, hopeless
- Just wanting/needing someone unbiased to talk to
- Nothing else is helping
This list is by no means comprehensive. Many of these “signs” may describe any of us reading this blog on any given day. However, if we experience these symptoms persistently and for an extended period of time, they can start to impact our daily functioning, and professional help may be necessary to deal and heal. The longer we leave these symptoms unchecked and untreated, the more they can affect our health and relationships. We would not leave a car “check engine” light on longer than absolutely necessary if we wanted to ensure we could drive ourselves and family around safely. Life is hard; if we could have help from someone who is experienced and can support us in our hard times, why would we not take advantage of that resource?
We all experience stress, anxiety, difficult relationships, mood swings, life transitions, and other forms of distress in our lives. It may be due to a professional setback, some kind of rejection, financial issues, strained relationships, deep loss or a myriad of other reasons. Much of the time, we will be able to bounce back, and sometimes we may need a little extra help to do so. This is why I will always be an advocate of therapy for myself and for you! I do not expect everyone to immediately book an appointment…but research your options and go and find a trained, experienced counselor to help you handle the stressors of life that are causing your theoretical engine to overheat!
If any of the above warning signs are creeping up, now is as good a time as any to prioritize mental health and get into therapy. Why wait any longer?
Melissa Cluff is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in North Texas, providing face-to-face and telehealth therapy options to clients in Texas.
References:
- Cluff Counseling: A THERAPIST’S TIPS FOR FINDING THE RIGHT THERAPIST FOR YOU
- Cluff Counseling: CHOOSING THE RIGHT THERAPIST FOR YOU
- Cluff Counseling: I’M NOT CRAZY! OVERCOMING THE STIGMA AROUND THERAPY
- Cluff Counseling: MELISSA CLUFF, AN LDS MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST
- Cluff Counseling: THERAPY IS THE NEW SELF-CARE
- Cluff Counseling: WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING…TO START THERAPY
- Forbes: 10 Sure Signs You Need To See A Therapist (And How To Find The Right One)
- Georgia Hope: 10 SIGNS THAT YOU MIGHT NEED A THERAPIST
- Good Therapy: Why Should I Go to Therapy? 8 Signs It’s Time to See a Therapist
- Self: 13 Signs It’s Time to Consider Therapy
