Humans tend to be complicated creatures. There are many ways in which our thoughts and feelings can go astray. Fortunately, a few sessions with a competent therapist can often right the ship. Most of the people who seek the services of a mental health professional are not “mentally ill.” More commonly, they are experiencing issues we all face and have the gumption to do something about their situation.
Below are some of the most common reasons that spur an individual to seek treatment.
Depression
The word depression can be intimidating, so allow me to clarify. Is there anyone who hasn’t gotten down at some point in their life? It’s natural to feel sad when facing loss or disappointment. But when a person becomes preoccupied with negative thoughts, especially to the point that their lives are being negatively affected, it’s time to make a call.
The good news is that depression is likely the most treatable of conditions. However, the longer it goes on and the more ingrained it becomes, the more difficult it is to address. Anyone who allows it to fester to the point that they no longer have the initiative to seek help is likely to remain stuck in their private hell. And here’s a red flag. A person who is severely depressed but still feels energized is at genuine risk for suicide. Anyone who finds themselves in that situation should seek emergency assistance.
Anxiety
As with depression, it’s perfectly natural to feel nervous at times. It’s a survival mechanism. If we sense danger, our bodies become alert so that we can quickly respond. In our modern world, we’re unlikely to face lions or tigers. As it happens, the more primitive part of our brains that alerts us to immediate dangers is easily triggered and can be hard to turn off.
Our bodies become keyed up in situations ranging from public speaking, talking to a stranger, or taking a test. For some people, the anxiety level becomes so high that they are unable to function effectively. As a result, people avoid situations that make them uncomfortable, compromising their ability to succeed in life.
More commonly than you might think, people have been exposed to traumatic situations. They have experienced or witnessed an event so severe that their coping skills have been overwhelmed. In extreme cases, they have trouble regaining their balance. Their sleep becomes troubled, and they have a sense of lurking danger.
Emotional Dysregulation
We all have a breaking point. It occurs when we are facing stressors that completely overwhelm our thinking capacity. There are two primary strategies involved in addressing this issue. The first requires building an emotional reserve, such as developing inner resilience to maintain equilibrium when things go wrong. The second requires skill development. Simply learning basic coping skills can provide effective ways of responding that don’t have detrimental or even disastrous effects.
Relationship Problems
Ever heard of a storybook marriage? The perfect couple? Who hasn’t? As it happens, there’s no such thing. If you take the issues mentioned previously in this blog, which we all have to some extent, and add another person to the mix, the effect can be exponential. Adding children and job pressures further increases the chances that things can go wrong. By addressing areas of conflict and teaching communication and conflict resolution skills, a therapist can often help couples find a way to right their ship.
Psychiatric Symptoms
Though relatively uncommon, some symptoms do require medical intervention. In such cases, issues involving the complex biochemistry and electrical circuity of the brain cannot be adequately addressed through talk therapy. Symptoms may include auditory hallucinations, suspicious ideas, and scrambled thinking. In other cases, people experience moods with an intensity that cannot be addressed solely by talk therapy. But there is good news. The above symptoms can be ameliorated with appropriate medication and the willingness to cooperate with treatment.
It’s quite understandable that most people are reluctant to trust a stranger with their innermost thoughts and feelings. I recommend asking yourself, “Am I satisfied with how I’m thinking and feeling? Am I leading the life I want? Is my quality of life sufficiently important to me to pick up the phone and ask for help?
If you are not ready to call, you can gain insight from Neal Ritter’s book, Truth Beyond Words, in which he explores the human mind through his personal accounts as a psychologist and helps us reconsider our perspectives on honesty, commitment, and the human essence.
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