Many of my clients tell me that they have been depressed or anxious for years, sometimes for their whole lives. We can be hesitant to get help because of stigma, finances, or disapproval from someone close to us. We may avoid getting help out of shame if we see the depression or anxiety as evidence of poor character or insufficient faith. Sometimes it's just fear of the unknown if we have never been to therapy before. Below are 6 signs that you should definitely seek help for depression, anxiety, or anger.
#1 Your symptoms are getting worse—your sleep is getting worse, emotional eating has turned into binging, or you just seem to be having more bad days. If you start to think of hurting yourself GET. HELP. IMMEDIATELY.
#2 You keep waiting for the stress in your life to die down but it never does. Sometimes we think we'll be okay once we get past a particular event-daughter's wedding, your child's soccer season, especially busy time at work, etc., but then getting through that doesn't help. Or there is just another stress to replace that one.
#3 You're on an antidepressant but it's not enough. The recommended treatment for depression or anxiety is a combination of therapy and medication (if medication is needed).
#4 Depression, anxiety, or anger are causing you to do things you're ashamed of. Maybe depression or anxiety is making you do things that you're embarrassed about—sleeping all day or binge eating. Maybe you're not controlling your anger the way you would like. Maybe you are depressed/anxious/angry "for no reason". One of my mottoes is "there's always a reason". Not controlling our anger the way we would like can lead to shame and guilt and is a very troubling symptom for many people, especially women. Getting some help to determine what is causing the anger/anxiety/depression, and how to respond to it, can be a huge relief.
#5 Your symptoms are affecting your relationship with someone important in your life OR are causing a problem at your job. Maybe you're fighting with your partner, or your symptoms are causing you to miss work or not get along with your coworkers. This is a big one-- GET SOME HELP.
#6 You just feel overwhelmed. You're having so many problems you don't know where to start. Some clients are paralyzed because they have so many issues to deal with at the same time-let a therapist help you sort it out and decide how to get started.
Any one of these is a reason to get help. I can help you figure out why you're feeling the way you feel and what to do about it. I can help you improve your relationships, even without dragging the other person into therapy. I can help monitor your symptoms for improvement, and can help you learn how to handle any stress that may come your way.
P.S. Call me at 405.517.4442 to schedule a free consultation-we'll talk a little bit about what the problem is, and determine if we can solve it together.
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