Therapy is for only ‘crazy people’

When someone tells you that you need therapy. Don’t you get offended? Why is that? Are they saying it for your benefit or trying to say that something is wrong with you? 

As soon as you hear that someone is going for counselling your first thought is, ‘are they crazy? Did something happen? I should stay away from them!’ Are the people who go to therapy completely out of their mind? And we are great?

Society has some kind of stigma related to the term ‘counseling’.

If someone seeks help for their emotional health, why is it wrong? Why do they get funny looks?  Why do they say, “Oh no, what did he/she do now that they have to see a therapist”. 

I personally think therapy can do good for everyone. Sometimes you just need a person to listen and not bombard you with advice and opinions. It’s not a place where you get put in a room with bright white light and you get forced to speak. It’s a safe environment where you can open up without feeling harmed or judged. 

If you go to therapy you don’t need to be ashamed of it and need to hide the fact that you are accepting help.

Psychologists are undermined since their profession isn’t as great as a doctor or an engineer. Psychologists should be respected for trying to help people face their emotions.

Psychology is something we should all be studying to learn about ourselves.

Every month I have a health test in school. This checks my sight, my dental problems etc. But no one is hired to check up on a child’s mental health every month. A school has a counselor, someone you can go talk to, but do you really think a high schooler will stand up and say, “miss, can i talk to the school counselor”. In a perfect world, people will encourage this but unfortunately you are given smirks and laughs.

My friend asked me, “why would you talk to a stranger”. Sometimes you need a stranger to listen because no one else is. 

When you talk to your parents or friends you always get their opinion or advice. There is no one who would just listen and make time for hearing you out.

 So, do only ‘crazy’ people do therapy?

No, me, you, your family, can do therapy. 

When I say I want to do psychology when I grow up, the majority of my responses are: What if you go mad? Psychology.. Hmm that’s very easy, good choice; Why don’t you become a doctor, that is better if you want to help people.

Psychology is an esteemed profession, a doctor deals with the same body parts and diseases. But a psychologist has a new chapter everyday.

When you finally gather up the courage to knock on the counselor’s door, remember everybody could use a little help. Everyone can use a person to vent. The people giving you those looks are secretly wishing they had the guts to do that. They also are fighting their own battles and crying in secret. You never know what’s going on in their head and what they have to deal with everyday. The happiest person you know, may be covering up something that’s eating his/her. A simple how are you? or a compliment may mean nothing to you, but it can change a person’s day. One smile can make the room light up. It can stop another suicide.

So, when someone tells you that they are going to therapy, don’t laugh, don’t make them feel worse. Instead encourage them, don’t call them crazy. One word hurts more than you know, but at the same time one word can light up a person’s day.

 Therapy isn’t for crazy people, it’s for everyone.