There is nothing wrong with me’’
For some people, just the mention of the word therapy scares people. For some, getting any sort of help for mental health problems is seen as weak, as being unable to cope and failing at life. Only those not strong enough to deal with their problems need to resort to therapy.
The number one reason people don’t get help is because they are scared, They are scared of their illness, and of what it would take to change it. Many feel, perhaps unconsciously, that if they ignore it then it will just go away. They may also feel that they are in some way to blame for their problems and they will be judged. Perhaps they don’t understand their problem or have feelings of hopelessness; that there is nothing anyone can do.
But of course it doesn’t ‘just go away’. At best the person is able to carrry on in the status quo, just about holding it together and just about functioning in life. At worst their mental health problems become overwhelming and they are no longer able to cope.
Change can be a frightening thing, even when it is change for good. Someone who is struggling with their mental health isn’t always strong enough to see that they don’t have to be alone, that they are not unusual in what they are going through. Perhaps the idea of reaching out just seems overwhelming.
So often we don’t understand why we think the way we do. We don’t spend much time exploring our thoughts or beliefs, so do not understand why we do the things we do. We bravely carry on, surviving another day.
However, therapy is the opportunity to let go of thoughts and beliefs that are unhelpful or destructive. Instead of bravely soldering on, appearing on the surface to manage, they can find real and lasting relief from their distress and have a better, happier life.