Is Counseling for Me?

Feeling down is different than just having a bad day. You may find yourself feeling sad, down, or blue most of the time.  You may find that you no longer enjoy things you used to love doing, or assuming the worst in situations. Perhaps you are mentally beating yourself up and putting yourself down, or are coming down with unexplained headaches. You may even be thinking about hurting yourself, or preoccupied with death. This feeling goes beyond being grumpy because your team lost, or annoyed that you slept through your alarm.

Often when you need a little assistance, those closest to you are the first to notice. It may be that your co-workers have noticed and talked to you, or that your friends and family have had conversations with you sharing their concern. Sometimes, worry is not so direct, and you may have gotten complaints at work, or been told, “I’m tired of listening to you.” If others are showing you, lovingly or harshly, that they have noticed a change in you, counseling may be the right next step.

Using substances such as alcohol, drugs (both legal and illegal), and cigarettes excessively, or to alleviate symptoms you are having, is a sure sign you should seek the assistance of a counselor. Overuse, abuse, or using these substances to cope is not healthy and a trained counselor can support you and help you find healthy alternatives to substance abuse. It may feel as though these substances are numbing your emoti

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Stress is inevitable for most of us. If you have significant distress in your life, or worry excessively or feel anxious most of the time, counseling can often help. You may get distracted, and feel your mind won't let you stop thinking about things. If you feel helpless when you are stressed, or have fears which interfere with your life, a counselor does more than letting you 'vent', they can help you find strategies to deal with the stress in your life.

If you find that your relationships are strained, or that relationships in general are difficult for you, a counselor may be able to guide you through this. Maybe you're finding yourself in a relationship where you are arguing without resolution. You may be someone who takes responsibility for other people's problems, or you may just care too much about what
other people think. Counselors are well versed in all types of relationship issues, and are ready and willing to steer you through them.

You’ve run through the usual gamut of coping skills, and what helped before isn’t helping today. If you find yourself having a difficult time coping, or even functioning on a day to day basis, a counselor can help you find new and different coping skills. It isn’t uncommon to find that what helps you when you’re anxious, may not help when you’re grieving or have experienced trauma. A counselor will share different techniques to cope and new strategies for dealing with whatever life is throwing your way

The key word here is 'extreme'. You may feel extreme sadness or anger, or be unable to explain your feelings. It may be that you feel everything very intensely, and your mood and emotions could even be keeping you from living your life. Extreme, obvious, or impulsive mood swings are a part of your daily life. It's possible you've found it hard to control your temper as well. While it's normal to feel a variety of emotions, when your daily activities are interrupted, you may benefit from the support of a professional.

No two traumatic experiences are alike. After experiencing a trauma, you might find you can't stop thinking about what happened. It also can be really hard to 'shake' the impact of the trauma you survived. A counselor is going to help you navigate the overwhelming emotions you may be feeling, and help prepare you for the healing journey ahead of you.

Are you cancelling plans you wouldn’t normally? Avoiding social situations, especially with those who love you is a sign the support of a counselor may benefit you. Avoiding dinner with friends, family gatherings, difficult situations, or being around others in general could be a sign you are avoiding bigger issues, and a counselor can help you understand the root of your avoidance.