Psychotherapy is the act of talking or counseling. No matter what you call it, mental health counseling can benefit anyone struggling with emotional life changes or just difficulties coping with life in general. A psychotherapist can help you through difficult times in your life.
Talking with a licensed professional psychotherapist can help improve your well being and drastically improve your mental health condition. By talking with a trained psychotherapist professional, you will learn to cope with the feelings that make your life difficult to manage. Therapy does not remove these feelings but will help you learn to manage them, so they do not take over your life. Research has shown that therapy with proper medication works far better than medication alone. Medication masks mental health symptoms; therapy, however, teaches the skills to address the symptoms in their own right. These skills help you learn to cope with the systems that are making you feel down.
Did you know that 1 out of every 5 American adults lives with a mental health condition? A recent study by the National Alliance on Mental Health show that only about 40% look for help. If left untreated mental health issues often get worse and may have other negative effects. They could also lead to:
- Unable to work or attend school
- Difficulty maintaining relationships or caring for young children
- Increased risk of health issues
- Hospitalization
- Suicide
The biggest concern is that if left untreated mental issues often lead people to Suicide which was the second leading cause of death for those living in the United States between the ages of 10 and 34 in 2019.
What Do Psychotherapists Do?
As stated earlier, a psychotherapist offers talk therapy. You can attend a therapy session alone, or you can have group therapy, depending on the problem at hand. Psychotherapy services are offered by social workers, psychologists, or counselors.
What Psychotherapy Means
In simple terms, psychotherapy is a therapy that involves talking with a professional psychotherapist (talk therapy). It can help with grief, depression, and anxiety,
Does Psychotherapy Help?
There is no quick resolution to mental health issues; it takes time to learn how to deal with the feelings that make you feel down. As long as you understand that therapy is a process with small gains, you will have the right mindset to get better. Small lifestyle changes and support from family and friends will improve your struggles as you realize you are not alone in the struggle.
The APA recommends therapy when something in your life causes distress, in particular, when:
- Coping with the issue that occupies more than an hour daily
- your issues make you want to avoid contact with others, limiting your movements
- quality of life is decreasing due to your issues
- School, work, and relationships are negatively impacted
- Your issues have caused you to make changes in your life or started new habits to deal with your issues
If any of the things listed above seem familiar to you or you have any of the following emotions or feelings that are harming your life, therapy may help you reduce these feelings. Most importantly, consider getting help if your symptoms start to control your life or limit your actions due to anxiety, especially if you have considered harm to yourself or others.
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- Feelings of being Overwhelmed. This is a common symptom when you feel like you are being overwhelmed by all the things you need to do, causing coping issues. Sometimes these symptoms feel like you can’t breathe; stress can cause many physical symptoms that can affect your overall health.
- Fatigue. This can result from major depression as you do not feel like doing anything; in extreme cases, this can cause someone to pull back from their social life, making them feel even more isolated. Fatigue can even present itself by making you sleep more than usual or have trouble getting out of bed at all.
- Anxiousness and intrusive thoughts. Most of us experience these symptoms from time to time, and it’s normal, but when these beings take over your life, therapy is one way to help deal with these issues.
- Apathy. Losing interest in normal things that you used to do is an indication of mental health that will help alleviate depression or anxiety.
- Uncontrollable rage, anger, and resentment. We all feel angry from time to time, but finding yourself having uncontrollable anger seeking support will help you deal with these symptoms.
- Bleakness. When you experience bleakness and utter lack of motivation, you need a therapist’s help to help you deal with these feelings before it leads to mental health symptoms and thoughts of Suicide.
- Panic attacks. If you get panic attacks, fear being in public places, or are unable to leave your home, getting help to get back to your normal daily life is critical.
Get the help you need from a psychotherapist so you can get your life back on track.
How to Benefit More From Your Psychotherapy Sessions
The first step in healing from a mental health problem is to accept your condition. Living in denial only worsens the condition. The next step is to cooperate with your therapist.
Just like you usually open up for your doctor, you should do the same with your therapist – don’t hide anything, be as honest and open as you can. It is not just a matter of attending the sessions. You must answer the questions you are asked correctly and honestly and practice everything the therapist suggests.
Don’t let the psychotherapy cost bar you from seeking the service.
If you can’t afford psychotherapy and your health insurance company can’t cover you yet you need the services, don’t despair. Some psychotherapists offer their services online. These services are equally effective and are not as costly as in-person therapies.
Some therapists offer a sliding scale mode of payment in which the cost of an appointment is based on the client’s income. So don’t just sit back. Visit different therapists and find out what they offer. You’ll get help.
Online Therapy is Easy and Affordable
Many research results have shown that online therapies are just as effective as in-person therapies for helping people manage their conditions and symptoms resulting from their mental health problems.
Therapy online helps with all common mental problems, including generalized and social anxiety, panic disorder, and depression, among others. Online platforms have proved effective for facilitating cognitive-behavioral therapy and other psychotherapy types by making counseling sessions easily accessible.
Online therapies offered by BetterHelp.com also makes it easy for patients to access video and audio clips, reading materials, and healthy exercises.
Therapy online is advantageous to those on a tight budget, busy schedules, or those who don’t like in-person therapies. BetterHelp has the best platform through which you can access online psychotherapy sessions. You can get help through video chat, text, phone, or email.
Featured Image by Natasha Spenser from Pixabay
