Why You Shouldn't Be Embarrassed About Going To Therapy

Let's cut right through the poetic language here and nail down the point. Having a mental illness sucks. The symptoms you get can be frightening. What's worse, they can impact your life in profound ways. When you find yourself in the position of having compromised mental health, you have a choice. You can try to do something about it or you can let it get worse. However, doing something about it means admitting there is something wrong and allowing other people in on your problem–including a therapist. Is there anything wrong with doing that? No. In fact, it is commendable.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly one out of every five adult Americans suffers from mental illness. That means that one-fifth of adults in the United States could benefit from seeing a mental health counselor. It is not as if mental health issues are strange, rare occurrences that make you some kind of outcast. They are serious and legitimate health concerns that can seriously impact your life. Therapy can also impact your life, in a very good way. Therefore, there is no reason to be embarrassed. No one with any compassion at all would see seeking mental health counseling as something to be mocked. It is something to be applauded.

It is hard to live a successful, happy life when you are mentally and emotionally unbalanced. A therapist can help you cope with that and bring balance to your life. There is never a time when bettering your life without detriment to others is shameful. Would you be embarrassed to go to the doctor if you had pneumonia? Probably not. The same principal applies. Something is wrong with your health and you are seeking to fix it.

Sadly, the stigma surrounding mental illness causes people to feel like they should hide it. Hiding mental health problems lessens your chances of getting help. It is very likely that you only get one life to live. You do not want to live it under the pressure of hiding a mental health problem. Furthermore, you do not want to allow your mental health issues to get worse by avoiding seeing a counselor out of embarrassment. Try to eschew shame in favor of empowerment and live a better life.

See the resources section of this blog for help finding a therapist in your area.