What Therapists Wish You Knew About Therapy

There's no reason to be ashamed of mental illness. Society has not been kind to the concept of mental health and its associated illnesses. People tend to forget the brain is an organ, and just like other important ones, such as the lungs, liver, and skin, it can get sick, too, and require “medicine” to heal properly. This has led to the collective, wholly unfair stigmatization of mental illness, and consequently, affected individuals often avoid getting treatment because they are embarrassed about their condition and don’t want to face external judgement.

An estimated one in four people will experience a mental health issue at least once in their lives, and, according to the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum, mental illness is the greatest economic burden of any health issue faced today. As such, there are a multitude of avenues for people to get help, including support groups, medication, and therapy. Although some people may still brush off mental health, global perspectives on the subject are changing for the better, so no one should be afraid or ashamed.

Think of your mental health the same way you would think about health in any other part of your body, and overall health in general. Mental and emotional health should factor into your overall wellbeing! Never mind the fact that mental health has a huge impact on chronic illness treatment.

If you'd go to the doctor for a lingering cough, or a pain that doesn't seem to go away, why not do the same when it comes to staying mentally healthy?