How do you know when you need counselling?

SparkySpitfire

I'm not asking for medical advice so I'm not gonna post my problems or anything...

Is it a case that you just know you need it? Or do you have to do research to see if your feelings/actions warrant it? Or do you literally keep going until its the only option left?

I want to seek counselling. I think it would help but I'm terrified of going and being a time-waster. No big disaster happened to me, I have family, friends and a boyfriend, I just think I'm losing the plot and none of them can help me.

So, what do you think? Is intuition enough?

This doesn't qualify as looking for medical advice right? Also this forum doesn't have a search option, does it?

LegacyUser

i wouldn't keep going till it was your only option left, no. you shouldn't over-think or over-research things either. if you feel you have an issue that merely talking with friends/family/BF isn't enough, then i'd seek out a councellor.

there's a kind of a stigma in this country, even still, that if you're seeing a councellor there's something ''wrong'' or ''broken'' but really, people go to councelling for all sorts of issues. no one issue is any more important than another one, the fact is, if it's an issue for YOU and it's impacting your life then you should do whatever you can to sort it and move on from it. trust your intuition!

hope that helps! x

Ando's Saggy Bottom

Hard to tell from the vagueness of the post tbh. But if you feel strongly enough to ask the question in the first place then chances are there is something you need to get off your chest. I don't think making an initial appointment to talk to someone could hurt and you could decide if you'd like to pursue it from there.

Good luck.

realgirl

I used to think counseling was only for people who just couldn't cope with life at all anymore. I was roughly at that point when I started going myself but since then I've realised how much it can help anyone. It can feel like there's a lot of stigma attached to going, and that you have to have a "reason" for going but I would say that if you feel like it will help you, forget all that stigma nonsense and just go. If it helps, keep going, if not, try something else. I truly believe that seeing my counsellor is the best long term solution for any stress/anxiety/unhappiness/other difficulties I experience. Hope the insight has helped, good luck.

tiny timy

you know!a hard thing to do but you will feel the better of it.

December2012

My opinion is that if you feel like you do then it's time to go and have a talk with somebody.

SparkySpitfire

Thanks for all the replies everyone, this has kinda reconfirmed my decision to go.

sherbett32

you cn go to counselling for only a few sessions. It isn't necessarily a "big deal". It can be just venting with an impartial person. So if you want to go - go!

Scruffles

unless have got accute challenging problems there will be a small fixed number of sessions given by the pysch,so it isnt that theyre only there for people with complex issues.

people go to a gp if they have been having to many migraines for example- they may be functioning normaly in society and have family whatever...a pysch [or any similar specialist] can be thought of in the same way,people see them for many different circumstances so they can be taugt coping skills and get better.

not having friends and/or a boyfriend isnt any indicator of need for counciling,some of us in society are purely non/asexual and see humans as objects in the background rather than things we choose to interact with.
many introverts do not need friends also,it depends on the individual whether not having friends and/or a boyfriend/girlfriend whether it woud be considered abnormal for them or not.

woud recomend seeing a pysch,they dont bite they have heard everything and they wont be thinking judgementaly about whether are considered in need of their service or not.

amtc

If you feel like this try Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - counselling can simply just be talking to get over a trauma - but CBT is very goal oriented. I did 6 sessions and it was great.

LegacyUser

SparkySpitfire wrote: »

I'm not asking for medical advice so I'm not gonna post my problems or anything...

Is it a case that you just know you need it? Or do you have to do research to see if your feelings/actions warrant it? Or do you literally keep going until its the only option left?

I want to seek counselling. I think it would help but I'm terrified of going and being a time-waster. No big disaster happened to me, I have family, friends and a boyfriend, I just think I'm losing the plot and none of them can help me.

So, what do you think? Is intuition enough?

This doesn't qualify as looking for medical advice right? Also this forum doesn't have a search option, does it?

Hi,

If you feel you need to talk to someone then go right ahead. You don't have to go through some huge life trauma to speak to a counsellor. Unfortunately like a lot of mental health issues in this country counselling is seen as this huge deal and some what taboo, where as in the states its just part of life for most people. Absolutely go, and discuss whats niggling at you. It's a much healthier way of dealing with problems than bottling it in or self medicating with alcohol or other substances as some people do. I get that you are feeling you might be wasting their time, it's the old Irish "sure your grand","get on with it" thing. Its important to find a counsellor your happy and comfortable with. It might be a bit uncomfortable at first but definitely go and see how you get on. All the best OP x

smash

SparkySpitfire wrote: »

I want to seek counselling.

I think you answered your own question there. Don't be afraid of a counsellor thinking you're a time waster. They're not there to judge.