Let’s be clear – we all have issues. 

Whether you’re suffering with generational trauma, financial burdens, addictions, break-ups, family uproar, sexual abuse, you name it. We’re all dealing with something.

We’re human.

There’s often this misconception that if you go to therapy, then you’re probably due a mental breakdown, if you haven’t had one already. 

We are human beings with incredibly complex brains. We go through many different things, like love, loss, grief, jealousy, heartbreak, self-destruction, etc, and we’re never actually taught how to cope.

So we create our own ways of coping. More often than not, it’s a guessing game. Until you’re on the other side, you don’t really know what’s going to work.

Some of us turn to the gym, some of us turn to the substance abuse. No judgement here! Sometimes you’ve gotta do what you think is right. 

But we don’t know the answers, otherwise we’d be “healed” already. You’re probably still suffering, as am I. We need ways to truly learn how to cope, and learn from what we’ve been through. 

For my fellow anxiety sufferers, you may have heard of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This type of therapy allows you to talk about your problems in a way that teaches you how to challenge the way you think. 

My anxiety presents itself in ways like:

  • Panic attacks
  • Unable to go into shops/supermarkets
  • Breathlessness
  • Nausea 
  • Sweating profusely 
  • Trichotillomania (the act of hair-pulling)
  • Irritated and stressed
  • Overthinking

How am I ever supposed to live with those symptoms and responses if I never learn why it happens and positive coping mechanisms to help?

That’s what therapy is for. 

To help you. Because you don’t know everything, and you never will. 

These people are professionals. They work tremendously hard and tirelessly in this profession to help people like me and you. 

Yeah okay, mental health services aren’t the best in the UK (we all know who to blame for that). 

  • People who are struggling aren’t getting assessed quick enough. 
  • Hospitals are under-resourced and under-funded by the government. 

I remember a time when I was told I would have to wait 8 months before speaking to someone. There are places around the UK waiting even longer and it’s really, really crap. 

I turned to the Samaritans, a fantastic 24/7 mental health charity, several times and the volunteers managed to pull me out of some really dark places. 

There’s no shame in starting therapy. It’s a good thing. A marvellous thing, even. 

You might see signs in yourself that are letting you know things aren’t okay. It’s good to talk to a professional before it snowballs into something else. 

The same as you would if you found a lump in your armpit – you’d get it checked out. Whether or not it was serious, you’d want professional help. 

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. 

Let me say that again for some of you that missed it.

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

Once we as a society normalise the need for therapy, and have open conversations about why they’re great – the closer we’ll be to having less stigma around mental health issues. 

If you feel you need to talk to someone – get in touch with your GP. 

You’ll likely have a local NHS psychological therapy centre, (LetsTalk is the Gloucestershire one!) or search online, and you may be able to complete a self-referral. 

Often the hardest step is reaching out. 

Once you do it, you’ll feel a bit more weight lifted from you each time. You might unravel some hard truths, like a cat playing with a ball of string, but it’ll be good for you. 

The same as I know, it’ll be good for me. 

Remember folks, it’s cool to get help. 

Say f*ck you to any stigma, just look after yourself.