Therapy Isn't Just For Crazy People

There, I said it. I’m very open about my experiences through therapy and my own development throughout the process. Sometimes when I tell people that I’ve been seeing a shrink for almost two years, they seem shocked. As far as I can tell, they immediately start wondering what horrible psychological condition I had suffered from. These are the old fashioned people that still believe in the early 1900s version of the psych asylums. Crazy people walking around in straight jackets, drooling all over themselves.

I guess it’s easier for people to pretend that’s the way it is. The field of psychology has advanced exponentially from this “dark age.” However, there are lingering assumptions among the general population that seeing a psychologist or a counselor is an admittance of weakness or some form of insanity.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. Taking the first step in admitting you need help is difficult. Once you take this step though, you will be glad you did. Whether you’re looking for counseling for a serious condition, or just going through a depressive phase, counseling WILL help. The process of understanding how and why your thoughts and feelings are affecting you can make the difference between being barely functional and reaching your full potential.

Granted, every clinician sees their fair share of paranoid schizophrenics and anti-social personalities, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help you with your more mundane problems. When I began therapy, I had a serious anxiety disorder. Through therapy, I have overcome that problem, but I still see a therapist regularly. It helps to see someone, even if you are past a depressive phase or other traumatic event. Just because you feel better now doesn’t mean you can’t learn ways to avoid similar anxious and depressive feelings in the future.

Anxiety, depression and other psychological disorders all have certain phases that they go through. If you are depressive, you may be depressed for a few weeks at a time, but then you may recover for a month or two. The depression or anxiety phase will likely return. If, in the meantime you seek counseling and learn about the sources of these feelings, you have a very good chance of being able to handle the next phase.

Do not be afraid of seeing a shrink. They are people like you and I, and will be a great help. If you see a therapist during a massive depressive episode, it will help. If you see a therapist after your grandma dies, it will help. If you see a therapist after you fail a test, it will help. Do not be afraid of the stigmas associated with seeing a therapist.