Breaking the Stigma: The Importance of Seeking Counselling for Mental Health
As human beings, we are constantly looking to develop strategies to keep our mental and physical health in check. Mental health problems may worsen if we don’t seek help in the appropriate places. Counselling sessions can help guide us towards balance, a deeper understanding of ourselves, better coping skills, and improved therapeutic relationships.
Why is Counselling Good for Mental Health?
Counselling is therapy that helps you deal with issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, or adjustment disorder, by talking to a therapist about your feelings and strategising ways to cope with symptoms of mental illness. Whether as a person, couple, or family, therapy can prove useful in helping individuals attain a better state of well-being and a healthier state of mind.
While significant strides have been made in reducing the stigma around seeking mental health support, there are still some preconceptions about people who see a psychologist. This may be for a variety of different reasons including general ignorance, cultural beliefs and differences, and lack of family support. Understanding the benefits of counselling in treating mental health disorders can remove this barrier around accessing support.
According to WHO, people with mental health challenges are more likely to die prematurely. If you, or someone you know, is feeling depressed, having suicidal or distressing thoughts, or facing a tough time, it is time to reach out and get support. Keep reading to understand why seeing a counsellor may be in your best interest.
Benefits of Counselling for Mental Health
Dealing with mental health issues is a struggle many people face, but very few talk about. In 2021 alone, about 41.7 billion people in the US received counselling for mental health related concerns.
Being diagnosed with symptoms of a mental disorder and choosing to undergo therapy to improve your life takes courage and commitment. While talking to friends and family members may help, it is important to seek help through professional avenues, where you have access to evidence based approaches and expert advice.
Safe Space to Share
One immediate benefit of counselling when dealing with mental health disorders is having a safe space to talk about your feelings and issues. The symptoms of mental illnesses can be subtle and you may not be able to track when they begin or how they present. Having a professional to share your experiences with might give you a framework to better understand what you’re going through. Counselling sessions with trained professionals provide a space where your experiences are validated and you are heard.
Promote Self Esteem and General Well Being
When therapy is taken seriously, individuals may experience an improvement in their self-esteem and general wellbeing. Dealing with mental health disorders like depression, eating disorders, stress, and substance abuse, impacts the way we view ourselves and our quality of life.
By applying the practical strategies your psychologist suggests during therapy sessions and reflecting on your behaviours and patterns, you will see concrete progress towards becoming a healthier version of yourself.
Relief from Anxiety, Depression and Improved Mental Health
Talking with a counsellor is one way to sort out jumbled emotions for better and improved mental health. These sessions may help you to observe and manage your feelings as a way to better understand yourself and the effects on your day-to-day life. This is often done with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It can help with situations like identifying triggers in order to avoid them, understanding relationship problems, and increasing general self-awareness.
Learning Transferrable Healthy Habits
Counselling is not a material solution to maintaining a healthy lifestyle; it is knowledge gained and mastered over time. This means you have the tools available to go back and reflect on events that perhaps made you uncomfortable or distressed and see them through a different perspective.
Whatever techniques, thought processes, or coping mechanisms counselling teaches you, you can apply them on your own. The process is targeted at helping you to independently work through any present issues you have and be prepared for any future ones that arise.
Improved Interpersonal Relationships
Being able to sort out your mental health challenges and improve yourself through counselling benefits not only you but everyone around you. It helps you understand your emotions, as well as the dynamics of the different relationships you have with others. It improves your communication skills and helps you better handle your emotions, so you don't let it all out unprocessed.
Conclusion
Counselling may be beneficial in improving the mental health or yourself or somebody you know. Hopefully, we are moving towards treating those who seek support for their mental health with empathy instead of judgement. We all deserve a safe space to better understand ourselves so we can better understand others.