Why aren’t we going to therapy?
What is really keeping us from getting treatment?
We know better, and its time for us to do better
Millennials are blamed for killing all the industries. Applebees, bar soap, cereal, diamonds. We’ve killed them all. One thing that we’re giving life to is mental health and therapy. We are prioritizing ourselves way more compared to previous generations, and that shows in how we spend our money. That means personal development courses, gym memberships, and of course, therapy. Even though more people want to go therapy, there are still things in the way that keep people from getting the help they want and need.
1.Stigma- It may not seem like it when you see the scope of mental health content on the internet, stigma is still VERY real. People don’t want to be seen as ‘crazy’ or ‘weak’ or ‘dramatic’ which people have unfortunately experienced when discussing issues regarding their mental health. Good thing going to therapy does not make you any of the above and instead can help you solve everyday problems that many people have. Procrastination? Can’t sleep? Don’t know who you are or what you want to do with your life? Therapy is for those situations just as much as it is for traditional ones like depression and anxiety.
2.It’s expensive- Totally valid and most common reason. Insurance is a nightmare and who realistically has an extra couple hundred dollars to spend? Most don’t. But if your insurance plan does not cover mental health treatment, there are other options for treatment that people may not know about. There are therapists have sliding scales that calculates the cost of care based on your salary. For people who are still in college, there are often free counseling centers for students. There are even employers who have employee assistance program or EAPs that offers free and confidential care. Did you know that there are therapists that build pro-bono slots into their practice to give free care to a patient who wants but cant afford therapy? Therapists go into the mental health field to help people, and they will do what they can to help people get better. There are also other options like group therapy and mental health apps that offer support and lower costs. And if you do have the space in your budget to dedicate to therapy but you don’t think your problems warrant it just yet, you’re not alone. A lot of people wait until it gets ‘that bad’.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
3.It’s ‘not that bad’- Many people don’t go to therapy because they don’t think their own problems are severe enough to warrant professional treatment and that’s totally understandable, especially considering how expensive it can be. That’s called low perceived need, and its really common. If we mainly hear about the most depressed or anxious or addicted getting therapy we may think that that’s the level needed to start therapy. But therapy is best when it is preventative. And there are way more ‘average’ people in therapy than you’d think. Because just like there’s a cost to go to therapy, there are costs associated with not going to therapy as well. If you are waiting for a problem to resolve itself-How long can you make it without getting more than a couple hours of sleep a night? How long will your relationship survive if you can’t keep your anger in check? How long until boss sees how your debilitating anxiety attacks effect your work? How long until you see the real physical effects of drinking a bottle of wine every night? In the same way you get vaccinations so you don’t get the disease in the first place, therapy can give you the tools to work through your current challenges as well as the ones you may face in the future. Not only do you not need to wait until it gets that bad, you can go to make a good life even better. And it’s okay to want for yourself even if it feels selfish at first. The healthier and happier you are, the more you get to pour into the people and things that you love.
While therapy can seem like a daunting undertaking for lil ol’ you, don’t forget that no one else will take that responsibility for you. You deserve to feel happy, you deserve to live your best life, to take whatever time you need to make your body, mind, and heart stronger and more resilient for whatever life throws your way. There are so many people in your life that you would go the extra mile for and the day you put yourself at the top of that list will be the first day of a new life.
