The Best Thing I Do For My Mental Health

I’ve had a therapist on and off for 4 years now. It’s the best $100 I spend every month. What I love about therapy is the mental space & clarity it provides. Therapists have a 30,000 foot view. They challenge your perspective, test your theories and your stories, and ask the questions no one else will ask you. They make you think. I love my family and friends, but they’re not always the right people for this job. A therapist is able to see and challenge both sides of your problems.

If you told me 5 years ago that I’d have a therapist (and enjoy it), I would’ve laughed. However, my perspective on mental health has changed, and I now prioritize it at the same level as my physical health. There is a stigma about seeking help, and it comes from a story we’ve been told since childhood. That seeking help, for mental health, is only for people who don’t have the capacity to deal with their issues. They’re labeled ‘weak’. I’d argue that NOT seeking that help when you truly need it, just to save your pride, is ‘weak’.

Why wouldn’t we do something that could make us more resilient, more aware, or a higher performer? We tell athletes that a sports psychologist is acceptable to improve their performance, but when it’s a psychologist to help us through our struggles it’s something we shouldn’t talk about. They’re the same thing! Sometimes pride needs to be put aside. Pride cannot get in the way of asking for help, because it’s difficult to live well in this world alone.

People want to help, but we have to let them in.

What’s the best thing you do each month for your mental health?