Starting Psychotherapy: Benefits and Breaking Stigma
Introduction
Why start psychotherapy? This is a common question many people ask when encouraged to begin psychotherapy sessions.
Unfortunately, even today, mental health remains a taboo subject. Despite the necessity of good mental health, ignorance, fear of stigma, and social discrimination prevent many from starting this process.
Here are some common responses to the question “Why start psychotherapy?”
1. “Why start psychotherapy? I’m not crazy!”
Someone who starts psychotherapy, or even needs medication from a psychiatrist, is not “crazy.” The notion of a “crazy person” is vague and stems from a mixture of:
- Ignorance or misconceptions about mental health and psychology in general.
- Social beliefs and prejudices in public opinion.
- Portrayals in media. Unfortunately, movies often present protagonists or antagonists with mental illnesses in an exaggerated manner.
On the contrary, starting psychotherapy—whether on one’s own initiative or with encouragement—is an act of courage, strength, and responsibility, both to oneself and those around them.
2. “Why should I start psychotherapy? Isn’t it a waste of time? What’s the benefit of talking about yourself or your problems?”
Most of the time, we’re caught up in our thoughts, operating on autopilot. We rarely pause to reflect or “step outside our heads” to observe ourselves.
Psychotherapy allows us to observe:
- Our thoughts, feelings, bodily reactions, and behaviors.
- The quality of our relationships with ourselves and others.
- Our lives, considering our past, present, and future.
However, this self-reflection isn’t always easy or pleasant. One of the main reasons people avoid psychotherapy is to avoid confronting these aspects of themselves.
3. “Why start psychotherapy if I don’t have a problem?”
Psychotherapy often begins when a person realizes something is troubling them, even if it’s initially unclear. This difficulty typically impacts various areas of life, such as:
- Interpersonal relationships
- Work
- Personal goals
Sometimes, a person may not fully understand the issue, but those around them (family, friends) often comment on their behaviors. This can lead to self-reflection and suspicion that something might be amiss.
Additionally, a person may struggle to manage their thoughts, emotions, or behavior. This can complicate daily life, causing confusion, negative emotions (discomfort, anxiety, anger, sadness, etc.), and a negative self-image.
Finally, a person may feel that something in their life needs to change. Regarding change:
- One needs to be aware of the issue to begin the process of change.
- One must stop avoiding and denying both the existence of the problem and the need for change, and instead accept them.
- Ultimately, one needs to take responsibility for their life and take action.
Goals in Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy provides a space where one can work on oneself and address personal issues, removing obstacles to health, well-being, and overall life satisfaction. During this process, a person:
- Increases self-awareness.
- Learns to express feelings genuinely, without being swayed by others’ criticism, while recognizing their own value.
- Develops self-acceptance.
- Acquires skills to manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- Cultivates self-love and appreciation, boosting self-esteem.
- Takes responsibility for choices and actions.
- Develops empathy.
- Learns to set personal boundaries and respect others’ boundaries, without viewing them as punitive or threatening.
- Adopts a more positive self-image and approach to life.
- Builds self-belief and a resilient self-image, fostering the ability to pursue goals. While mistakes and setbacks may occur, the individual learns to persevere, recognizing the value in continued effort.
Conclusion
Starting something new is often stressful. It’s important to remember that our psychology is an integral part of our overall bodily function—not something to be taken for granted.
We should care for our mental health as diligently as we do our physical health (heart, stomach, immune system, etc.). They’re two sides of the same coin: poor physical health affects us psychologically, and vice versa.
Ultimately, psychotherapy is a personal journey that offers a unique opportunity to focus on ourselves. It’s not something to fear or feel ashamed about. Rather, it demonstrates our strength, courage, and willingness to take control of our lives.
