The Stigma with Seeking Help

Seeking help can be hard for many including myself. Many individuals have thoughts like "I should be able to handle this" … "this is embarrassing why can't I get over it?" … "people will think I am weak." Preventing them from seeking the help they need or waiting until it is so bad they become hospitalized. Being a professional helper adds to the stigma because of the thought that "I should be able to fix myself." While there is a stigma associated with mental illness, seeking help is stigmatized far too much in our society. The fear of being judged is probably the number one factor why people do not seek therapy. The truth is people choose to suffer from psychological problems despite professional help be readily available. 

I am writing this to address public and self-stigma with seeking professional help. I want to assure you that everyone goes through rough times and it is okay! I want to empower the person reading this to look at therapy as a place to release the negative feelings and emotions and receive care, encouragement, understanding, reasoning, and knowledge. Therapy is tailored to you; you are the driver, and the therapist is just helping with the directions. Just think if you take a chance at therapy and you find relief who cares what others think, you feel better. It takes courage to ask for help, so I encourage you to take a chance.

​Author: Alysia St. Clair