As the new year is here, have you thought of keeping “taking care of my mental health” and taking at least one therapy session as a part of your new year’s resolutions?
Mental health is slowly and steadily coming to the forefront in health, where it is being realized that an individual’s mental well-being is as important as their physical well-being. As people are increasingly becoming aware of mental health and issues related to it, they are opting for counseling or therapy services.
However, there is still a significant level of stigma associated with mental health in our society, which keeps people from seeking help. Not only that, in many cases, mental health is not even perceived as something real. This often leads to people neglecting their mental health needs and in the end struggling because it starts to take a toll on them. While bringing changes to people’s mindsets and beliefs on a large scale takes a long time, Mankaa Kura wishes to encourage people to prioritize their mental health through awareness and accessible mental health services.
Is mental health actually important?
Human beings are made up of different elements, some that are visible, some that are not. Human being is not limited to their physical appearance, they have thoughts, feelings, emotions, and so on. These things are often not visible or don’t have a physical appearance like that of a person’s hand or head, but they are real nonetheless. Often these lead to various issues that can hinder us in several aspects of our lives, but we tend to ignore them. To keep it simple, think of mental health as the well-being of your brain.
The brain is a vital organ that plays a major part in the smooth running of your physical body, and it is also responsible for your thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
Taking care of your brain means taking care of it from a physical point of view but also considering the other aspects that come with it, which are often categorized as the mind. If the mind is not taken care of, the issues that come with it will start to physically manifest themselves as well. Since various parts of our body are interrelated, taking care of the brain and mind are essential for your overall functioning and well-being. One of the ways in which you can take care of your mental health is counseling.
Do you “need” therapy?
If someone says, “I think I need therapy” or “you should see a therapist”, it is most likely to be taken as something scandalous. However, going to the regimen for your mental well-being is the same as going to the doctor if you have the flu or an ache. It is commonly believed that seeking therapy should be done only in a crisis or a severe situation like suicide attempts.
Contrary to that belief, you do not need to have a severe mental issue, illness, or disorder to go to therapy. In fact, in crisis situations, it is highly recommended to seek emergency services like using a helpline or going to the emergency room for help. Once you are out of the crisis situation then you can seek treatments. Apart from severe mental health issues, counseling or therapy can help you in different aspects of life.
Thoughts, emotions, and experiences are part of our everyday life so if there are any challenges in your life that are contributed by these factors you can seek help. These challenges may include things like needing help with improving your self-esteem, developing better habits, trying to achieve a certain goal or even tackling thoughts and emotions that may develop while pursuing a career, relationship or education.
Not only that, psychiatric help can also help to better understand yourself and your relationships. What this means is that going to therapy is as much of a “need” as going to a physician for a checkup.
Does therapy work for everyone?
According to the American Psychological Association, around 80% of people who go to therapy (psychotherapy or talk therapy, which is the most commonly used mental health treatment approach) and complete their treatment are better off than those who don’t. Even for people who don’t complete the treatment, around 75% tend to benefit in some way, compared to those who don’t go to treatment at all.
The effectiveness of this treatment however depends on a variety of factors like the approach of therapy used, the regularity of therapy sessions, the therapist as well as the clients themselves.
The most important thing to remember is the fact that counseling is a process rather than an instant solution. Multiple and regular sessions are required to figure out and address factors that may be affecting your mental health, depending on what you need support with. Similarly, while therapy works for a diverse group of people in terms of age, gender, sexuality, and so on.
The compatibility between the therapist and the clients as well as the approach used will determine if the therapy will be actually effective. This leads to another essential aspect when it comes to therapy, which is that it is in some way a trial and error process.
There may be situations where, when one has decided to go to therapy, the therapist might not be as one expects them to be. Therapists, while they are trained and licensed, may not be able to meet your expectations. You might have to try out different therapists, counselors, or mental health services before you find the one that you’re compatible with.
Another important thing to know is that efforts have to be made by all the parties involved. The therapist or the client(s) alone can’t work things out, and both parties must have an open mind while going into a therapy session. With that being said, therapy does not work for every single person. However, it is not possible to know whether it works unless you decide to take the big step and try it.
New year, new me
It goes without saying that there are things that need to be taken into consideration before going to therapy like time, cost, and whether you are even prepared for a therapy session. Taking those factors into consideration, you should opt for therapy for your mental well-being.
Along with focusing on career goals, or relationship goals, this year let’s also focus on ourselves and our mental health so that we can learn more about ourselves in order to become the better versions of who we are.
If you are opting for therapy, Mankaa Kura could be a great option for you. Mankaa Kura is an online counseling service that provides both online and in-person counseling. There are different counselors which have specialized in tackling different mental health issues. Sessions can be booked easily through the Mankaa Kura website, where you will be allowed to choose the date, time, and counselor that is the most suitable for you.
References
American Psychological Association. (2020, July 31). Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. http://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/understanding
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). (2017, March 16). Benefits of Good Mental Health. CMHA Toronto.
https://toronto.cmha.ca/documents/benefits-of-good-mental-health/
Jackson, D. (n.d.). Dimensions of health. HSC PDHPE.
https://www.pdhpe.net/better-health-for-individuals/what-does-health-mean-to-individuals/meanings-of-health/dimensions-of-health/
Lindberg, S. (2020, October 23). Benefits and Options for Therapy. Healthline.
https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-therapy
Price, D. (2021, December 17). Therapy Isn’t for Everyone. Medium – Human Parts.
https://humanparts.medium.com/therapy-and-therapists-arent-for-everyone-4019de10b7ce
World Health Organization (WHO). (2018, March 30). Mental health: strengthening our response.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
Written By:
Purnima Banjade