Many people tend to have a skeptical outlook on therapy. The thought of sitting down and revealing feelings, deep rooted emotional issues and the deepest of secrets to a stranger you just met, and that too on a weekly basis, can seem daunting. Being forced to be vulnerable and look deep within yourself isn’t exactly a walk in the park. We get it, It’s perfectly normal to be nervous before heading to a therapy session, especially if it’s your first one. Numerous people don’t know what to expect when starting their first session and tend to feel some type of apprehension. It’s fine to be scared and go to therapy anyway! But you know what isn’t fine? Using this fear as a way to completely avoid going to therapy! Neither should any of the following excuses be used to avoid going to therapy, along with reasons why:
- “I don’t need therapy;I can handle my problems on my own” – It is 100% possible to acquire knowledge on psychology through researching, reading books, and Googling. It’s also possible to learn how to think more positively, start working out, start eating right, etc. to help improve your mental health and we highly recommend doing all of these things. However, regardless of how intelligent or independent you are, you may come across moments where you struggle with implementing strategies on your own. Admitting you need help doesn’t make you weak or a failure, everyone needs someone who can help figure out how to best navigate towards healing themselves, and who better than a professional in a safe environment?
- “Therapy costs too much” – Going to therapy often comes with a high price tag, we can’t argue with that. However, if you are able to afford it, you shouldn’t be using this as an excuse to avoid therapy simply because you think it’s a waste. Therapy is an investment in yourself, one that will provide you with many tools such as coping skills and healing approaches that you can utilize your entire life. Making this investment today can even prevent you from going through much more costly, life-affecting problems later on. For example, a therapist can help you quit smoking and save you the money you’d spend on cigarettes. On the other hand, if going to therapy is currently not feasible for you, don’t worry, there are other alternatives that cost less. One of these is Talkspace, which offers therapy services online, you can check them out here.
- “I can just ask my friends for advice” – While it’s great to have a great support system including friends you can openly talk to, your friends are not professional mental health experts. Advice and psychotherapy are two completely different things. Therapy will challenge you, provide you support, allow you to find valuable insights about yourself, all while remaining objective, unbiased, and legally obligated to keep your secrets safe. While your friends mean well and want what’s best for you, they probably don’t know how to help you better manage emotions, challenge negative beliefs, understand how your past is affecting you currently, prevent the development of mental illness or reduce symptoms of those present the way a trained therapist can.
- “I don’t have time” – Do you have enough time to watch a show on Netflix, read a book, go hangout with a friend, go on a dinner date, or scroll on Instagram? Well, if you have time for any of these activities, you can definitely spare an hour to go to therapy once a week. You need to make your emotional well-being a priority and carve out some time to take care of yourself. Also, dealing with issues now may actually end up saving you time in the long run.
- “I don’t want to air out my dirty laundry to a stranger” – Therapy is totally confidential, what you talk about in therapy sessions is protected by the law, so your therapists can’t disclose anything you share with them. Additionally, a therapist’s job is to make you feel like you’re in a safe, friendly environment. They’re trained to make you feel comfortable opening up and make your session welcoming for you. Mental health experts are there to help you overcome whatever it is you’re dealing with and won’t judge 🙂
