You don’t have to feel desperate or depressed in order to seek behavioral health therapy. While you may not need support from a therapist for every struggle you experience, it is important to have a solid support system in place.
Everyone has unique life experiences and different challenges, so there isn’t just one need that therapy can assist you with. Some of the signs that therapy could be useful for you are described below.
Alcohol, Drugs, Food or other unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Sometimes in the face of stress and difficult situations, people turn to alcohol or drugs to cope with these moments. You might not even realize you are turning to these substances as a coping mechanism.
Coping mechanisms have a way of overshadowing the original issue. A good example is the toll alcoholism has on your long-term physical and mental health. While drinking alcohol may give you a feeling of happiness or distraction in the short term, once sober, the symptoms you suffer from are likely to be worse.
Dealing with Grief and Loss
Grief is often labeled as the temporary duration of sadness or pain as a reaction to loss or unforeseen changes. Perhaps you are going through this process. Grieving can last a long time, and the rollercoaster of emotions associated with this process can be very detrimental to your mental health if left unchecked.
The process is often referred to as “normal”, but not all of us experience grief the same way, and some of us need professional help to address the emotions we are feeling.
Healing from Trauma
Trauma can leave you with upsetting memories, anxiety, and struggling emotions that don’t seem to go away. You might feel disconnected from reality, numb, and unable to trust people around you.
Traumatic experiences can leave you feeling isolated and overwhelmed. It is essential to realize that your emotional experience matters more than the objectivity of the circumstances that triggered it. The more you feel helpless and frightened, the likelier you are to feel trapped under a mountain of trauma.
Dealing with Suicidal Thoughts
In 2015 alone, over 825,000 people died from suicide. At some point in our lives, many of us have experienced suicidal thoughts. It is not something to be ashamed of and you are not alone.
Feeling suicidal is not a character flaw. It doesn’t mean you’re weak, or you won’t get through this. It only shows that you’re experiencing more pain than you can deal with at the moment. Right now it may feel like your unhappiness is never-ending. We can assure you that with help, you can gain the ability to overcome suicidal thoughts and tendencies.
The aftershock of suicide is felt for years to come by friends and family of the victims. Anger and guilt are common feelings that the loved ones will deal with – feeling like they could have done more to help. Even though it seems you are alone right now, you don’t have to be. You don’t have to be strong by yourself. There are people whose sole priority is to help you during this challenging period.
One of the tricky parts about dealing with emotional stressors on your own is that the more difficulties you face, the less resilience you have to handle them. When things pile up, it is common to begin to feel hopeless that anything can get any better. That is when it is most important to have a helpful therapist guide and coach you through your challenges.
We want you to know we are here for you. Reach out to us! Our team is led by board-certified physicians, providers, and therapists who are all passionate about your behavioral health. We know choosing the right healthcare provider is important. We are excited and honored to have you as part of our denova family!
