To go to Therapy or not go to Therapy, this is the question


Creativegirl91's avatar
Hello All,

Just last week, I completely spilled my guts about some things I had been feeling lately, to one of my close friends and co-worker while at work. It is a long story but at the end of my talking my co-worker she has suggested that I try to go to a therapist through work which will be free and I can have the help I need without any problems. My aunt has also told me that it would benefit me to go to a therapist. I've been teetering on the matter for quite some time now. I have been thinking about it ever since I had been diagnosed with anxiety last year. I do not take any anxiety medication and do not plan too until it is absolutely necessary. I really need to make a decision but it's so hard for me.

If my anxiety wasn't so bad then I wouldn't have to ponder this decision at all but unfortunately this is not the case. If anyone would like to help me or just talk to me about this I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,

Creativegirl91
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YSLiao's avatar
Seeing a therapist doesn't equal taking meds. You can always decide to do that later. I'd try out the FREE professional help. I mean, it's free, so why not! They're trained for this stuff!
Creativegirl91's avatar
Thank you for your response
signsofortune's avatar
Dear Creativegirl91,

Here is my answer to your question. A counselor can be helpful, but do not expect a counselor to be a be-all end-all solution to your problems. About half the counselors I have gone to have been helpful. About half of them have not. So, try to find a good counselor and try it out. If they are super crappy, try another counselor. My advice would be, 3 strikes you're out. try at least three counselors if the others don't work. If none of them are any good, try to find someone else who can be a mentor-type person to you.

A good therapist will only hold up one corner of your mind. for the other four, you need regular activities, friends whom you talk to, and family who love you. Hope it goes well.

SoF
Creativegirl91's avatar
Great thank you for your comments. :D
Kaida-22's avatar
I was very apprehensive about going as well, but it turned out to be the best thing I could have done. It was really beneficial for me to open up to someone who didn't have a personal gain from the decision I was struggling with, as everyone else I had talked to about it gave me their opinion based on how it would effect them, not me.

She was very calm and asked me a lot of questions to help me ascertain my true feelings and it was a relief not to have to feel like I would disappoint her if I told her the total truth (something I had major issues with). She also gave me some "homework" (journal entries & such) to track how I process things & react to people, which is helping me even now. (medication was never mentioned in our sessions)

I was always told that I was weak if I sought help for my issues from a therapist, but it turned out to me the opposite as I am now stronger and more confidant in decisions that I make. It's also comforting to know that if I have any problems I cant deal with in the future that I have someone ready and willing to listen to me.

I don't think you have anything to loose with going to talk to someone. If it helps then you've gained a lot...and if it doesn't, you haven't lost anything!

Best of luck to you and Happy Holidays!
Creativegirl91's avatar
Thank you for your comments.

Have a wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year
kitvor's avatar
if you can find a good therapist, it's worth it. there's no more shame in talking to someone because you're feeling down then there is in seeing a doctor for a cold.

I say do it! there's certainly no harm, and perhaps it will help C:
KUHwin's avatar
My vote is to talk to someone. There's no shame in it, and talking out your problems is not only going to make you feel better but help you through whatever feelings you have. I have numerous friends who suffer through anxiety and depression, and I promise you getting help and taking baby steps is never a bad thing. (:
Creativegirl91's avatar
Thank you for your kind words :D
djdanilly's avatar
I am a counselor and am here for free. Dealing with feelings is hard. You can only decide to make moves until you are ready. Don't push yourself. Thank you. Contact me with any questions.
Creativegirl91's avatar
Hello,

How long have you been a counselor? Do you specialize in any one area or anything? I definitely have anxiety (diagnosed this year) and am on occasion depressed (not diagnosed just a feeling). I don't mind calling the therapist that would be free for me here in my home state, but that would be wasting more gas because the therapist is an hour away from my home.
lightning-13's avatar
I think you should go, you make it sound like you need it, and I understand that some think there is something wrong with them when they need to go to therapy, but honestly, we are human beings and after a couple of years or so, we've experienced a lot, and we are wondering if we should go? hell, everybody needs to talk to someone who is objective and I'm sure we all have experienced one thing or another at some stage of our lives that was horrible or made us feel uncomfortable or somehow made an impact in our lives. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, this is our nature, we work this way, so why is it abnormal? You will get the chance to speak to a professional who knows how to behave and understands what you have gone through, he/she will be impartial and not judge you, you will see things from other perspectives, and in the end you try to help yourself, is that bad? who else will, if not you?
Creativegirl91's avatar
Thank you for your insight I really appreciate it. :D
CustardAndPie's avatar
Yes. If you find a caring, good therapist, it'll really help your anxiety. They don't always prescribe you medications (That's the psychiatrist's job, people. REMEMBER THAT.), so you really have nothing to worry about. Just check with current and former patients of local therapists and see who would be best for you. It doesn't hurt to do some research :)
Creativegirl91's avatar
MangekyoMarie's avatar
Personally I never liked therapy, just don't let em put you on all these medications to "fix" your problems. They don't fix your problems, they only cover them up when really problems are still in your heart. You need to talk to someone, please feel free to come to me. I know where you're coming from. I don't know exactly what's going on but I have struggled with anxiety, it sucks, so please... If therapy doesn't work out for you (which I hope it does and you feel better) IF it doesn't... Feel free to note me anytime.
Creativegirl91's avatar
Thank you for your kind offer and I will keep you in mind if in fact therapy does not work out for me. :hug:
MangekyoMarie's avatar
It's my pleasure to help, I wish you the best of luck. :hug:
Creativegirl91's avatar
I thank everyone for your kind and helpful responses. I think I will go ahead and at least try one session. I will let you all know how it goes. Again thank you everyone, you have been a big help. :hug: to all
leighfall's avatar
I've been to therapy before and it was probably one of the better decisions I made. It's nice to talk to someone who really knows nothing about you to get an unbiased opinion about things and suggestions on how to improve your life. They help you work through your feelings when you are confused about why you are feeling them to begin with.

There are also healthy ways to deal with anxiety that do not include medication and that are therapeutic. I do yoga and meditate, and play video games if I'm super anxious about something or my nerves are bad that day.
SimplyLemie's avatar
Well, you get it through work and it's free - so give it one try, if you don't like it, then you can stop. I think most people would need someone like a therapist or just someone "outside" their life to talk to... but of course especially if they got problems.

Give it a try, you got nothing to lose but maybe something to gain.
LILI-exec's avatar
If people are suggesting a visit to a therapist, by all means, go!
siantjudas's avatar
Well I can't really tell you whether you should or shouldn't. Maybe your anxiety is really bad maybe it isn't. I don't know. I don't know what issues you're having. It's all pretty vague up there in your OP, so should you go?
:iconidklolplz: