Whether you call it counseling, psychotherapy, or just general therapy services, going to see a mental health professional is often unfairly viewed in a negative light. There are several reasons for this, with many of them being cultural, societal, and even personal. Therapy sessions are often seen as a way of “giving up” or are seen as a sign of weakness rather than a sign of bravery, strength, or positivity. Unfortunately, the negative stigmas surrounding therapy are exactly what prevent many people who would greatly benefit from it from getting the mental health help they need and deserve in order to go on living a fulfilling life. Similarly, negative sentiments regarding couples therapy is exactly what prevents many couples from experiencing a more fulfilling relationship.
Are you one of many people that struggle with the idea of going to therapy or doubt that it would actually benefit you? If so, consider this simple comparison — if you were sick with a serious physical ailment that obviously required medical attention, would you hesitate to go to the doctor? Even the most stubborn of people can only tolerate pain and sickness for so long, and will eventually go the doctor. Similarly, it’s important to view counseling or therapy sessions as a form of legitimate medical treatment that is integral to your overall health and well being.
Still not convinced counseling or therapy sessions could benefit you, your relationship, or your outlook on life? Take a look at these reasons why counseling is a lot more beneficial than you think it is!
The effects of counseling sessions are long term
Just as a primary care physician is concerned with your long term health and well being and takes measures to ensure both, a counselor, therapist, or any other mental health professional sees your counseling sessions as a long term investment in regards to your mental health. The positive emotional and mental gains made during therapy sessions compound over time and can last a lifetime. Coping mechanisms become ingrained into your mental muscle memory can be used to handle stressful situations even if you’re not currently in therapy.
Physical symptoms can also be treated
Did you know that anxiety, depression, and stress often manifest as physical symptoms too? Many people don’t realize that the aches and pains they feel, along with tension, poor immunity, and lethargy are actually tied to their mental state of stress or depression. Therapy can help to alleviate these symptoms through prescription medication but also by getting to the root cause of the issue. Once this is identified, it can then be properly addressed and treated accordingly. It’s the same thing as getting to the underlying cause of physical health problem rather than simply treating the symptoms.
No more repressed emotions coming out of the closet to haunt you
People repress their emotions much more than they think or imagine they do, and this can cause problems in their everyday life. You may even be doing this and not realize it! A great example of this is the gender roles assigned to young children, where many boys are made to believe that showing emotion or crying is “wrong” or a sign of “weakness”. This mentality can carry through into a child’s adult life and manifest in many unhealthy ways, such as poor communication skills, anger, or depression. Similarly, many people may carry around emotional baggage that prevents them from living life to their full potential. With therapy, any underlying issues can finally be addressed and put to rest permanently.
You might become more empathetic
Another awesome benefit of going to therapy is that your perspective of other people will begin to shift too. The assumptions you may have made about yourself and other people will begin to fade away as you learn how to process and understand your negative thoughts. For example, judgements you have may have had about a specific group of people and their lifestyle may fade as you begin to better understand your ways of thinking. Therapy often helps people to become more empathetic, understanding, patient, and kind.
