I never understood when my friends said that they refused to see a therapist.
If you were having issues that couldn't be solved, it didn't make sense for someone not to check these problems out with someone who was trained to help you through your problems.
Some people say it's because it takes "too much time"; it's "too much money"; only people who are crazy go to therapy; they can deal with it on their own; their problems just aren't big enough to go to therapy.
Let's just deal with all of these so-called "dealbreakers" for avoiding therapy right now, shall we?
For those who say that therapy takes too much time, let me just stop you right there. Yes, therapy is a time commitment, but an oh so useful way to utilize your time. Think about it. You're taking an hour of your life to rant to an unbiased observer, then to listen to their perspective before possibly working on exercises to help you think better.
One hour.
Is that really too much of your time that you can't take out of your life to possibly benefit you?
And even if it is too much of your time because you are so busy, why not take that time to give yourself a chance to feel better?
On to the next point: it costs too much money.
For some, this is very true and a serious issue we have in our country. Though there are some measures you can take to ensure that you are getting the mental health care you need while not breaking the bank.
Firstly, most psychologists are covered by some form of insurance. It's pretty straightforward if you look up psychologists in your area who are covered by your insurance. Some still require a copay, however, it is far less expensive than it originally would've been had you not had insurance.
If you are not one that has insurance, there are plenty of resources at your fingertips as well. Community centers for example usually can do a one-hour consultation for free -- and most therapists can work with you to find a price that works for you.
To the next point: only crazy people go to therapy.
First of all, no. Just no.
According to the American Psychological Association, roughly 59 million people in the United States have received mental health care in the last two years alone.
If you honestly believe that many people in this world are "crazy", then you need to reevaluate.
Believe it or not, therapy presented on television and in movies is an exasperated, unrealistic version of what therapy actually is. While it may look like there are some "crazy" people on shows like Dr. Phil -- in reality, therapy is nothing like that. It doesn't involve girls saying things like "catch me ousside, how bou dat?"
Therapy is simply a conversation between you and another person, and it is as crazy or beneficial as you make it.
Problem #4: they can deal with it on their own.
Sure, you may be able to deal with whatever problems you're having by yourself -- but sometimes even just an outside perspective can help you fully assess and interpret the situation you're in.
Sometimes it can be hard to see the correct way to deal with something if you're in the middle of it. So by simply allowing someone to assess the situation from a different angle can be completely beneficial!
And finally: their problems just aren't big enough to go to therapy for.
Whether you're minimizing your problem or simply don't have problems to deal with right now, there is always room for improvement in life. Be it dealing with everyday stressors more easily or working on a technique to do better in school -- therapists and counselors are there for any and all problems you could think of.
No one's life is perfect, but the little steps we make along the way can get us very close to perfection.
Live your life the way you want to -- but I sincerely believe everyone in this entire world can benefit from therapy.
