"Do I need to talk to someone?" Signs you may be ready to reach out to a mental health professional.

If you've had this question pop up in your mind, you are not alone. In fact, 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness at some point in their lifetime. While that number may sound like it is pretty common, in 2019, only 19.2% of adults received any mental health treatment. If you are a part of the remaining 80% of the population, there can be a variety of valid reasons of why there are barriers to seeking treatment. One barrier can be to avoid the label of "mental illness". Another can be knowing when you should reach out. If you've never taken steps towards mental health support, here are some things to look for to encourage you take that first step:

1. You've recently experienced a (or more than one) major stressor or crisis. Any experience that threatens or results in the loss of safety and security can be perceived as a stressor. Losing a job, relationship, friendship, experiencing illness or the death of a loved one, even transitioning to remote anything is tough. If you have experienced more than one of those things in a short amount of time, it can feel traumatic and begin to affect your thoughts and feelings on a daily basis. Therapy can help you navigate the loss or pain you've experienced and embark on a healing journey to equip you to not just survive but hopefully flourish in your life.

2. You've been thinking about making an appointment with a therapist or counselor for more than 6 months. You've had this thought before, and it keeps revisiting your mind every so often. It takes most people about a year to go from thought to therapist's office. For many, the hardest part is making the first call, if you've had this thought (ever, or for more than a couple of months) the time to listen is now. It could mean that there's even just a small part of yourself that is ready to make a change.

3. You've hit a wall with finding ways to cope or you've noticed your normal ways of managing stress and coping now consumes much of your time. You're exercising and trying to eat and sleep well but you're still emotionally exhausted or distressed and wake up filled with dread. Perhaps weekly or occasional consumption of alcohol (and other substances) has increased to a daily habit; or you are devoting more time to these behaviors hoping that it will do the trick. Maybe you're just feeling generally disconnected, shut down, or numb and you can't remember what kind of things help you feel good. A mental health professional's guidance can help you find insight and implement action into managing difficult thoughts, feelings, and stress.

4. You want everyone to leave you alone. Maybe you're telling yourself you're avoiding drama or maybe you're beginning to self-isolate. Avoiding any commitments or frequently cancelling plans becomes the norm and even casual work interactions are draining. Well-meaning friends have asked "Are you doing okay?" and it triggers irritability rather than opening a door for helpful self-disclosure. Isolation and avoiding important relationships (like significant others, family, and even work) can indicate you're experiencing some psychological distress. We all need recharge time, but understanding your unique needs for restoration can be difficult alone. Therapists work to help support your understanding of you-- how you're wired, and what gets you recharged in life-enhancing ways.

5. You feel like you are always "unloading" on your significant other, friends, family members or you don't know who you can talk to. While many caring relationships in your life may seek to provide support, sometimes the role or relationship they have with you can complicate things. You could feel like you're always talking about the same thing, or you don't know how to start processing what you're experiencing. A dedicated, judgement-free zone to speak freely, unpack intricate relationships, and the safety of confidentiality can help. Mental health professionals are equipped with special training on how to create and hold that space for you and help guide you in processing complex things at the right pace.

6. You're feeling or thinking things excessively. Excessive is defined as more than is "necessary, normal, or desirable". While identifying "normal" can be more complicated, identifying "necessary and desirable" may help simplify things. If you're feeling something (despair, stress, anxiety, anger, etc) more than you want or to a point that is disrupting your daily life, it could be a clue that you may benefit from speaking with a mental health professional. The same goes for thoughts. If you're experiencing thoughts that are suicidal, paranoid, confused, etc. you should not hesitate in speaking with a mental health professional. If you are feeling suicidal, or are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). If you are in crisis call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

While this list isn't exhaustive, and doesn't identify specific barriers to seeking treatment it will hopefully increase your own self-awareness and help point you on a path towards reaching out for help. If you've identified with any of the above statements, you are in good company. In 2020, a year of significant challenges, 1 out of 6 Americans entered therapy for the very first time! Therapy won't make everything magically better, but it is usually a beneficial process. The most difficult part can be to make that first step of making contact. Once you do, a mental health professional will facilitate the process and know how to effectively help you discuss your experiences and identify goals of treatment.

The information and resources contained on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to assess, diagnose, or treat any medical and/or mental health disease or condition. The use of this website does not imply nor establish any type of therapist-client relationship. Furthermore, the information obtained from this site should not be considered a substitute for a thorough medical and/or mental health evaluation by an appropriately credentialed and licensed professional.