Do I need counselling? | iAmEars: Safe place to speak your heart and get community support
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Debamita Banerjee

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Do I need counselling?

Counseling or mental therapy can be extremely beneficial for people going through a mental disorder or just under intense mental and emotional turmoil. Counseling can improve the symptoms of a mental health condition and help the patient learn and practice coping strategies to deal with their disease in daily life. It can help you identify the root cause for all your behavioral adversities and psychological reactions.    

Contrary to popular belief, anyone can seek counseling if they feel like they could use some help in understanding and managing their mental health. But, there indeed can be some situations where reaching out to a professional counselor becomes a must to ensure your well-being.    

Reasons to Get Counseling

The knowledge and awareness regarding counseling are still limited amongst the general populace so you might have some inhibitions regarding it. Openly talking about one's feelings and personal life is often daunting for most people, but counseling can be very rewarding if done correctly.  

Here are a few reasons why you should get counseling.   

Heightened Self-Awareness  

Counseling essentially teaches you to critically assess your emotions and reactions. When you start thinking about the meaning behind the things you do, you learn a lot about the inner workings of your mind. Greater self-awareness helps you to tackle any obstacles that come your way and retain your composure at all times.  

Healthier Coping Mechanisms  

We all have ways to make ourselves feel better when things aren't on the right track. For some people, it's as simple as reading a book or playing a video game, whereas for others it can be meaningless sexual gratification and alcoholism. Through counseling, you can develop healthier methods to deal with distress and manage it.  

More Courage and Self-Confidence 

If you're in a bad place mentally, then the world can seem like a scary and antagonizing place. As counseling makes you increasingly capable of handling your negative emotions and fear, your daily anxiety will start dipping lower. You'll be much more confident about taking risks and facing unexpected circumstances because you'd have all the tools in your kit to handle anything that comes your way.  

Better Relationships  

When you have a healthy self-image, you're able to love others better. You do not project your own issues and insecurities on them. A lot of people display obsessive and possessive tendencies. Proper counseling can help you get rid of your toxic traits and solve any underlying issues that you might have with your loved ones by yourself. It'll persuade you to be more open with your family, friends, and partner.

Signs that You Need Counseling

There is a lot of stigma surrounding counseling and therapy. As a result of lack of awareness, a person can be termed as "crazy" if they seek professional help for their mental issues. In reality, the simplest of reactions in our daily life could display a need for counseling.    

Here are a few signs that you need to get counseling.  

Anti-Social Behaviour  

All of us have a different disposition. We can be introverts, extroverts, or ambiverts. There's nothing wrong with enjoying solitude more than socializing, but it's important to strike a healthy balance between the two.  

If you've been avoiding seeing friends, family, or even new people lately, it can be a sign that something's wrong deep within you. It's especially concerning if meeting other people causes fear in you. This could be a sign of social anxiety and it may wreck your ability to form interpersonal relationships.  

Extreme Rage  

Life constantly throws challenges at everyone. You're bound to experience rage over your shortfalls and misfortunes once in a while, but if you're stuck in a constant cycle of such emotions, then you might need to learn anger management techniques from a professional source. Your reactions need to be in accordance with the situation at hand and anything over the top is unnecessary and harmful.  

In case you use violent measures or inflict pain on yourself and others to express your anger, it's about time you get help to break free from such destructive habits.  

Alcohol or Drug Abuse  

This is one of the most obvious signs that you need counseling. Being an occasional or social drinker isn't harmful till you've got it under control, but if you find yourself slipping into addictive habits, reach out to a doctor or counselor at once. On the other hand, you shouldn't be consuming drugs without a prescription at all.       

An immediate action over the matter is preferable because alcohol and drug addiction issues only get worse as time passes and can have life-threatening impacts in the long run.  

Overwhelmed by Challenges in Life  

Family struggles, breakups, career failures, and betrayal can destabilize a person mentally and emotionally. Everybody faces hardships in life but if you feel too drained because of all that you're having to fight against, it could be an indication that you need to talk to a professional about it. People can have depressive episodes that turn their lives upside-down because of such incidents and you need a proper diagnosis of your condition to systematically approach the issue.  

Degrading Physical Health  

Our physical health is closely intertwined with our mental health. Somebody with poor mental health has difficulty sleeping and consuming nutritious food at regular intervals. These are the fundamental pillars that fuel all our bodily functions and provide us the energy to perform daily activities. As a result, our physical health starts deteriorating automatically. If you feel low on energy, have aches in different muscle groups, and your head without any specific cause, there's a possibility that you are under acute mental stress.  

Persistent Grief and Sadness  

Life might subject you to events that cause immense grief such as the death of a loved one or a divorce. Allow yourself to go through the motions and feel remorse when you need to, but if you can't shake off your sadness by yourself even after a significant period, consider talking to a counselor. If there are no specific triggers to your sadness, it could also be a sign of mental disorders that are yet to be diagnosed.  

Struggling with Trauma  

People with a history of sexual, physical, or verbal abuse sometimes seem to have direct consequences in their behavior whereas others suppress their reactions and have unforeseeable outbursts later in life. It heavily impacts how they view the world and themselves. Issues related to vulnerability, self-worth, and intimacy are quite common amongst abuse victims. Talk therapy and counseling can help individuals constructively understand what they've been through and how to move past it.  

Ways to Find the Right Counselor

Most professional counselors are capable and great at what they do, but when you're opening up about your deepest feelings and thoughts to somebody, a considerate expert with whom you can build a connection adds an extra edge. Additionally, there are also concerns such as location, proximity, niche, and accessibility while looking for a counselor.  

Here are some ways you can find the right counselor for yourself.  

Get Recommendations  

Recommendations can come from both personal and professional sources. If you've consulted a psychiatrist before in light of any mental health problems, asking them for references can be very helpful. Your psychiatrist would be aware of your medical history and needs, the knowledge of which they can apply while picking a counselor for you.    

If you know family or friends who have tried counseling before, then discuss their experience with the professionals they've interacted with so far. Even if you don't discover a counselor you'd want to refer to through this conversation, it'll definitely give you a perspective over what is to come.  

Know what you Want 

You can only narrow down your options when you know what filters to use. Although your counselor can guide you towards what you truly need based on your current condition, having a general sense of what you're dealing with can be convenient. You must at least know the broad categories you'd want to deal with such as substance abuse, sexual incompatibility, parental stress, panic attacks, depressive cycles, etc.  

Look Online  

The internet has made our lives so much easier. Use the resource to ensure your mental well-being. You can research any counselors you're considering going to in-person on the internet beforehand. Patient reviews can give you an insight into the individual's work ethic. On the other hand, if you're apprehensive about starting counseling in person due to societal pressure, attend counseling sessions online.  

 

If you are somebody who'd take time to open up and wants to avoid being overwhelmed by an in-person encounter, visit iAmEars to find highly skilled counselors and medical professionals readily providing online counseling sessions. The counselors on our panel possess expertise over a wide range of issues. They will patiently listen to your problems and facilitate you with solutions accordingly. iAmEars also provides you a platform to vent out all your inexpressible thoughts and feelings by writing them down on our forums. You can become a part of a community of like-minded individuals who are dealing with the same issues as you. You can interact within these groups to learn from their journey and provide mutual support.  

CONCLUSION

Counseling is a boon for people dealing with severe mental health issues, but above all, it provides each individual the opportunity to talk about their problems in a safe and non-judgemental environment. Learning coping strategies from a trained professional can serve us all well. Counseling is still a luxury for many around the world, so if you find an accessible source that provides you the service and your instincts tell you that you need assistance, then do not miss out.