Do I Need to See a Therapist?

     People sometimes call me and state that they are afraid that their problems lack sufficiency to see a therapist.  Usually at this point in the conversation I have insufficient information to form an opinion on their specific situation.  I tell them so.  Then I follow up by explaining my belief that they must be experiencing some significant distress in order to take the time to get a name or referral and then to take the significant step of making contact. To date, I have not met anyone that I believed was undeserving of my time beased on a lack of need. 

     Probably this is due to the fact that I work with everyday people who experience difficulties in life. Whether those difficulties be the mundane business of living or they are extraordinary, you deserve consideration and respect, If you believe you may benefit from therapy then you probably should call on someone to talk to. This person need not always be a professional. I often have people say that they are calling because their friends and family are tired of hearing about their issues. That is a perfectly valid reason for calling a therapist.

     Another good reason to call a therapist is to get help in dealing with a specific concern such as overwhelming anxiety or depression creeping into your life. Trained professionals have tools that you may be unaware of that are shown to be effective by research. Oftentimes, client are aware of specific tools but forget to engage them such as a person that knows how to meditate but fails to do so. Sometimes, implementation of a specifc skill such as abdominal breathing is not performed properly and the individual fails to get the full benefit from the tool.

     In many cases conditions that I treat are chronic conditions meaning that in some people these conditions are always present. However, when treated properly, these issues can be managed. I specifically refer to anxiety and depression which increase in stressful situations.  A potential benefit from therapy is the development of tools for preventing and minimizing future episodes.. Having a number of interventions ready to engage in when anxiety increases, or depression begins often can minimize their effects.  These interventions can prevent an emotional bump in the road from becoming a landslide.  It is also important to note here that sometimes a bad day or two, can just be bad days.  They do not necessarily mean we are on a downward slide.  We all have bad days. Sometiems, the simple act of expressing our concerns out loud to another human being and feeling heard by that person can be enough.  Many of my clients call when they are aware that life is feeling difficult again. Otherwise they are busy living their lives. This is a perfectly good reason to call a therpist.

     With a few exceptions, like the death of a significant person, a serious medical diagnosis, or surviving a life threatening experience, people seldom call for one reason. Usually, several things are happening at onc, and all together calling a therapist makes sense.  People often talk about the straw that broke the camel's back meaning one too many things have gone wrong in a short period of time.

      These things usually fall into three categories of concerns: symptoms, interpersonal relationships, and work or school issues.  Certainly, if you are not functioning in all of these areas, get some help.  With psychological and emotional symptoms, ones distress may range from slight to completely debilitating.  It is important to seek help when symptoms impair one's functioning. Functional impairment may be the result of too many sleepless nights.  Other serious symptoms that should cause concern are: thinking of suicide, thinking of homicide and considering harming oneself physically such as cutting or burning. The realm of interpersonal relationships also poses as a matter of degree. Becomming frustrated with other dirvers in a traffic jam is a pretty typical response.   Disliking everyone in your world is not. Because we are imperfect human beings, it is natural to become annoyed with one another from time to time. This becomes noteworthy when a significant relationship becomes damaged.  Another relationship issue is the one we have with ourselves.  If we are so impaired that we no longer shower or put on clean clothes, that is a problem. If we fail to eat properly to nourish our bodies that is a problem. When we engage in negative self-talk and become hyper self-critical, that is also a problem.  Finally,when our ability to function at work, in school, and with familial obligations is impaired, then we have a problem.  Certainly, moderate to severe problems in all of these areas should motivate us to seek help.

     I hope these guidlines are helpful and perhaps the push that some of you need to seek help either from a professional or a trusted confidant.