Despite the progress we as a society have made in recent years, there is still a significant stigma surrounding mental health. Since the advent of mental health treatments, “going to counseling” or “going to therapy” has been something that people who are suicidal or bipolar do. The “average” person typically believes that counseling or therapy is for people with major mental illnesses and that they don’t need to go because they don’t suffer from a major mental illness.
This is not true. Counseling and therapy are for everyone, and everyone can benefit from a few sessions with a professional. Here’s 5 reasons why you might want to go to counseling even if you do not suffer from a mental illness:
1. Counseling provides a safe environment to express your feelings. Our society does not often encourage emotional expression, even with family or partners. Feelings are typically viewed as a sign of weakness or cowardice, so sometimes we have no place except in our heads to vent our frustrations or express our sorrow.
Counseling can give you that place. It gives you not only a secluded, private place to say everything on your mind but also a professional who is trained to listen and help you work through everything you’re feeling. Sometimes just having an opportunity to say everything out loud to a real person who is actively listening is all the therapy you need. Sometimes you might need a few words of advice, and sometimes you might need a lot of words of advice. Whichever it is, counseling can provide that solution.
2. You become more comfortable with your feelings. Simply saying something out loud can validate what you’re feeling. Saying that same thing to someone who will recognize your feelings as legitimate and proceed to help you work through them make you less uncomfortable with what you’re feeling and more ready to tackle the issues. Routinely going to therapy can help you become more comfortable with expressing yourself not just in a therapy environment but also with your friends, family, and partners.
3. You can receive advice on your life problems. Sometimes our friends, family, and partners aren’t the best sources of wisdom, and we find ourselves resorting to Google or our own experiences to solve problems. Most of the time, neither of those options are effective.
A professional counselor, however, can help you work through just about everything. They go through years of education and training, and many of them have seen a huge variety of situations and experiences that can inform their advice. You can always feel comfortable seeking wisdom from a counselor because they are as objective as it gets and everything is completely confidential.
4. You learn how to work through issues by yourself. When you go to counseling, you’ll often receive advice and recommendations on strategies to work through your problems. You might get mood charts or coping strategies to help you with whatever you bring to your counselor that day. You might just get some words of encouragement. Regardless, these mechanisms build up in your memory and become a part of your everyday strategy.
Mental health is a very important part of our daily lives. It affects how we function in school and work and among our family and friends. It can affect our productivity and our overall health. Even if you do not suffer from a mental illness, taking care of your mental and emotional health is still very important.
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Disclaimer: This article was not written by a medical health professional and should in no way act as a substitute for medical or mental health treatment. If you believe you may suffer from a mental illness, please seek help immediately.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, please dial 1-800-273-8255 immediately.
