When to Get Counseling

We, for the most part, know when it’s time to go see the doctor. We tough out the sniffles at home and get to the ER in a hurry after breaking a leg – it’s easy.

We are not so good, however, at knowing when our mental or emotional problems warrant professional treatment, and as a result far too many of us ‘tough out’ psychological problems that don’t go away, that negatively affect our day to day existence and diminish our personal happiness. In many cases, these problems we suffer with in silence are treatable, but only when we get the treatment we need!

There are few absolute rules about when exactly to seek out counseling or psychotherapy for emotional or mental health difficulties, but here is a list of common scenarios and situations for which psychotherapists suggest that treatment could be beneficial.

20 Reasons to Get Counseling

1. You feel as if you are stuck in some part of your life and can’t seem to make progress
2. You’ve just gotten divorced and aren’t sure how to move on in your life
3. You have low self esteem
4. You feel like things are out of control, or you have panic attacks or anxiety
5. Things in life that used to give you pleasure no longer seem to
6. You are often angry, sad or irritable in your life and with those around you
7. You have a sudden loss of interest in sex
8. You have few close friends, have trouble making friends
9. At work you see other people who may not be as skilled as you advance past you on the career ladder
10. You find yourself crying easily
11. You have recently experienced a traumatic event and are having trouble getting past it in some way
12. You have recently experienced a loss (death of someone close to you, job loss, loss of a pet) and you feel like you can’t back on your feet
13. You worry about your use of drugs or alcohol
14. You feel compulsions to engage in behaviors that cause you harm in some way (compulsive gambling, sexual compulsions, etc.)
15. You are having marital, parenting or other family relationship problems
16. You have been diagnosed with a serious illness and are having trouble dealing with it
17. You are having trouble sleeping
18. Your life dissatisfies you in some way – you feel you are not living up to your full potential, but aren’t sure how to change
19. You feel helpless to make changes in your life
20. You repeat the same types of negative relationships over and over agai

There are few of us who do not suffer, at some point in life, from emotional, social or mental health challenges that affect our ability to enjoy life to the fullest. Few of us, however, make use of those counseling professionals who could help. Your emotional health is important - treat it as such and do whatever is needed to find satisfaction at work and in your relationships and joy in your life!