Do I Need Therapy? 7 Signs of Poor Mental Well-being That Is Too Risky To Ignore
‘Do I even need therapy?’
“A lot of clients have often asked me this question. The initial conversation has mostly been about clearing the confusion about what is therapy and does the person even require it” says Clinical Psychologist, Ms. Meghna
Therapy is an interesting topic. A certain section of society is embracing it more openly, especially the Millennials and Gen Zs. It is encouraging to see young people breaking the stereotypes about therapy and seeking professional help when needed.
Of course, on the other hand, there is still a lot of work to do. Therapy is still viewed as something that is needed only when a person has turned completely crazy or mental.
This is an unfortunate truth and it has prevented many individuals from reaching out for support and improving their mental well-being until it is often too late.
Imagine you are driving a car and you begin to notice that the brakes are failing, or the petrol is leaking. Would you wait to do something about it until the car crashes or will you attempt to make prompt decisions to ensure that you make it out alive?
When it comes to physical health, we are willing to notice any warning signs and take the required action to ensure that it gets resolved quickly. We understand the importance of a healthy body but we fail to extend the same importance and urgency to mental health.
An unhealthy mind is equally dangerous and needs to be paid attention to.
Taking therapy is never the last resort to your problems. In fact, when you reach out for support on time you are actually saving many precious days and even years of your life.
One of the ways you can understand whether or not you need therapy is by increasing your self-awareness and not staying in denial about how you are feeling.
These are 9 signs of declining mental well-being that you should not ignore. If you notice any of these signs then taking therapy can be an effective way to understand your circumstances better and find ways to resolve them.
1. Life, in general, feels pointless
When you feel that there is nothing much to look forward to in life, a sense of hopelessness creeps into your mind and affects your mental well-being.
If you are constantly feeling that your life is lacking meaning or a purpose then you can choose to go to therapy and explore this feeling a little bit more. Therapy can help you to understand the reasons and even push you closer to your life purpose.
2. You don’t feel like doing anything new
Another sign of poor mental well-being could be a deep lethargy or exhaustion within you. You feel that you no longer have the physical or mental capacity to go out of your comfort zone and try anything new.
This type of comfort is dangerous to your growth and success. It can get you stuck in your life and even push you further into depression.
Therapy can act as a precautionary measure against developing any serious mental health condition and help you to free your mind from constant fatigue or mental exhaustion.
3. Your room is messier than usual
A messy mind can sometimes manifest in your physical environment as well. When you are not feeling at peace mentally you are left with very little or no energy to do anything physically.
Hence your chair transforms into a mountain of unwashed clothes and your wardrobe represents a dumping ground.
“Every time I would feel mentally low my room would be in a complete mess because I did not really feel like taking the effort to even pick a chocolate wrapper. When I notice these signs, I take a step back and give myself time to feel what I feel and take better care of myself” says Arushi who shares her personal experience.
4. You are not sleeping well
Sleep is one of the biggest indicators of healthy or unhealthy mental well-being.
If you are having difficulty falling asleep, you keep waking up in the middle of the night or you are having disturbed sleep patterns then therapy could help you to get to the roots of your sleep difficulties and guide you to develop better sleep hygiene.
5. Eating feels forced
With sleep, even your appetite gets affected when your mental well-being is taking a toll. You will notice that you seldom feel hungry or eating feels more like a chore that you need to complete.
However, binge eating or stress eating is also something that can indicate poor mental health and may require you to take therapy to resolve it before it turns into something too serious.
6. You are losing your focus
Do you notice a lack of focus or difficulty in doing things that you usually were able to do?
A sense of brain fog or clouded judgments could be a sign that your mind is disturbed or more prone to overthinking than usual.
In such a scenario, your therapist can suggest different techniques to regain your lost focus and work on resolving the reasons behind your lack of focus.
7. Relationships feel distant
Mental health has a huge impact on the relationship you share with others whether it is on a professional level or a personal level.
When you are in a relaxed and happy state of mind it will reflect on the quality of interactions you share with your close ones. On the other hand, when your mental health is feeling low then the same can affect your relationships as well.
If you feel out of touch or distant with your close ones or your interactions are feeling forced then it is recommended to talk to a therapist instead of ignoring your feelings.
Your Major Takeaways
When you feel..
- Hopeless about life
- Too comfortable with your present situation
- Not taking proper care of yourself and your environment
- Having sleep difficulties
- Losing interest in pleasurable activities
- Having difficulty focusing on things
- Getting distant from your loved ones
It is the right time to take therapy and understand your feelings better. Therapy can help you to figure out your life and take charge of your situation before it turns into anything too serious that negatively impacts your life.
