Feeling Psyched Out? Here Are 9 Signs You Need Therapy
Over 40 million adults have a mental health condition in the United States. Yet, over half of that 40 million don’t seek help.
Maybe they’re in denial or maybe they have strong misconceptions about therapy and who can benefit from it. The truth is therapy isn’t just for those with mental health conditions.
There are many reasons why someone would attend therapy, such as trying to fix their marriage or coping with the loss of a loved one. The good news is that there are signs you need therapy – you just have to learn to listen to them.
Do you want to know more? Keep reading to discover 9 signs you need therapy.
1. You Feel Bad for Long Periods of Time
Everyone has bad days here and there – that’s nothing to be overly concerned about. But, if you’re bad day seeps into the next day and the day after that, it may be time to see a therapist.
Not being able to pull yourself out of dark days can be a sign of depression, which could worsen if left untreated. A therapist can help you talk out your problems and give you coping techniques to battle these tough days.
2. You’ve Experienced a Hardship
Have you recently lost a loved one? Or maybe you’ve been through a trauma, such as a bad car accident or being the victim of a crime.
Everyone copes with these situations differently. But if you find yourself thinking about your hardship every day and it’s affecting your personal life, relationships, or work life, you could benefit from therapy.
A therapist will help you talk through your hardship and can help you cope with the difficult emotions your feeling, so you can heal.
3. You Feel in Over Your Head
“Alright, so after work, I need to hit the grocery store, post office, and dry cleaners. But the dry cleaners close at 5:30, so I have to go there right away. Shoot – it’s my turn to pick the kids up from daycare.”
Does this mantra sound familiar? If your head is constantly buzzing with tons of things you have to get done, you’re probably feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
While everyone experiences hectic days like this once in a while, having days like this all the time can be a reason to see a therapist.
Prolonged stress can lead to other mental health issues as well as physical ailments, so it’s best to talk to a professional who can help you vent and set up a better schedule.
4. You’re Always Close to Snapping
You come home from a long day at work to a dirty plate in the sink.
Suddenly, you burst into the living room and start yelling, “I’ve told you a million times to rinse your plate off, and put it in the dishwasher! How hard is that?!”
Your partner looks at you stunned over your overreaction, but you’re so mad you don’t realize that this level of anger isn’t justified.
When you constantly feel stressed and irritable, the slightest inconvenience can send you over the top. If you always feel two seconds away from snapping, consider that a sign you need therapy.
Talking to a therapist can help you let all your frustrations and emotions out in a safe space. They can also help you learn ways to manage your anger and outbursts, so they don’t affect your relationships.
5. You Don’t Have a Support System
What’s the first thing you do when you have a bad day? If you’re like most of us, you probably vent to your partner or a loved one. But, what if you don’t have anyone to vent to?
Support systems are important to maintaining good mental health. It’s good to let your feelings out and have someone to turn to if you experience a hardship. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, you can benefit from seeing a therapist.
6. You Have Unhealthy Coping Techniques
It’s not uncommon to relax with a cold beer or nice glass of wine after a long day of work. But if that one drink turns into 4 or 5, and you don’t stop until your slurring your speech and stumbling into bed drunk, you’re exhibiting unhealthy coping techniques.
Turning to excessive drinking, drug use, and other risky behaviors (such as having unprotected sex with multiple partners or starting fights) to solve your problems is a sign you need therapy. These actions can result in addiction, physical ailments, and a decrease in emotional health.
A therapist can help you learn new coping techniques. You should also seek help for your addiction if you’ve been turning to drugs and excessive drinking to make yourself feel better.
7. You’re Unhappy in Your Relationship
Do you feel like your marriage is crumbling? Maybe you and your partner don’t communicate or only communicate via heated arguments.
If you want to save your marriage, therapy can help. You can join couples counseling to work on your problems together and learn new techniques to express your feelings with each other.
8. You Don’t Feel Like Yourself
Did you use to have an active life full of lunch-dates with friends and afternoons spent on your hobbies? If you haven’t had the motivation to do these things anymore, you may not feel like you’ve been yourself lately.
This can be an early sign of depression. As it worsens you may notice your work performance suffers and you don’t take pride in your appearance as you once did. You may even stop taking care of your personal hygiene.
These are telltale signs you need therapy. With a little help, you can get back to the fun-loving person you once were.
9. You Have Unexplained Medical Symptoms
Do you suffer from physical ailments that doctors can’t explain? Maybe you’ve had multiple tests done by multiple doctors, and they keep telling you the same thing: “there’s no physical reason for your pain.”
Stress and mental health conditions can manifest in physical symptoms. For example, chest pain, digestive issues, and dizziness are all symptoms of anxiety.
Talking to a psychiatrist can help you understand any mental health conditions you’re struggling with and how you can manage your physical symptoms with a combination of therapy and pharmacy meds.
Signs You Need Therapy
Don’t be one of the millions of people who ignore the signs you need therapy. If you exhibit any of the signs listed above, don’t be afraid to call a therapist. They can help you feel better and get back on the road to happiness.
Do you want to get back to who you use to be? Check out our guide to self-discovery for more tips.