How to Know If It’s Time for You to Call a Therapist

Ever wondered if you might need therapy? Chances are the answer is yes. But often people suffer silently for months, or even years, before they turn to a professional.

That’s unfortunate because therapy is an outstanding help when you need it. A professional therapist can provide a safe place to unburden yourself of your problems, uncertainties, and dilemmas—and there are plenty of those these days with the added stress the pandemic has brought to all of our lives.

If you’re trying to figure out if you or someone you know could benefit from the help of a therapist, check out the tips below. 

If your emotions are interfering with your ability to function day-to-day, it’s time to seek help. Some of the most common symptoms to pay attention to are feelings of fatigue, hopelessness, apathy, resentfulness, or anger. Additionally, if you’re having difficulty regulating your emotions or building and maintaining relationships, are experiencing changes in sleep or appetite, or you no longer enjoy activities you once loved, you might want to consider a therapist.

Everyone feels these emotions to some degree, but if you’re experiencing them so much that it makes working, parenting, or just plain living difficult, you would probably benefit from talking about your feelings with someone who can provide a listening ear and helpful recommendations. Other reasons to seek therapy may be more extreme and obvious—phobias, feelings of extreme anxiety and depression, obsessive compulsiveness, eating disorders, and substance abuse.

You may be wondering what the benefits of therapy are for your specific scenario. Why wouldn’t you just talk to a friend about your problems and save the money and time, right? The great thing about professional therapists is that they can give you any number of tips to use from their years of practice and study. They can help you build a set of emotional tools, so that you can take charge of your own mental health. 

A therapist can also offer an unbiased ear for you to talk out your life’s problems. If you turn to a friend for that, you might end up worrying about how you’ll be perceived, especially if you bring up trauma you’ve experienced or unpleasant feelings you’re having. A therapist is there to hear all of that and can help you sort through trauma, intense emotions, and other trouble. Therapy can also help you achieve mental health goals, learn more about yourself, and lead to improvement in many areas of life, including setting boundaries, investing in healthy relationships, and fostering interpersonal connections. 

Having a trusting relationship with your therapist is the only way your sessions will contribute to your healing process. Therefore, finding the right therapist is incredibly important. Ask around to see if anyone you know has recommendations. You can also look online or post to an online forum. You may want to get multiple recommendations and then do a quick interview with each before deciding. Either way, be clear about what you want and what type of therapy you are seeking.

Finding the right therapist will help you on your path toward being a happier, more fulfilled version of yourself. In Hancock County, Healthy365 offers mental health resources including Support Navigators to identify local resources. And remember, if you or anyone you know has suicidal thoughts, immediate help is available at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.