Therapy is Good

Let’s face it, therapy gets a bad rap.  Therapy is usually viewed as something for crazy people or the therapist is weird and constantly asks “and how does that make you feel?”  I have always had bad anxiety and with it comes depression so you could say I have had my fair share of shrinks in my time.  It has never been something I enjoy doing nor did I actually talk about my feelings because in my mind, I can’t schedule my feelings!  That’s absurd!  My senior year of high school, I got very ill and ended up in the hospital for a month and I missed three quarters of the year.  It was during this time that I really wanted and needed an impartial person to talk to.  While I was in the hospital, they sent in psych to evaluate and talk to me.  The woman I talked to changed my view on therapy forever.  She worked in a children’s hospital and dealt with kids just like me every day.  This is when I realized why I hated therapy; no one could help me because they could not understand what I go through and what I have been through because they don’t live in that world (you know, the medical world where a normal dinner conversation would be if you passed gas that day, the texture of your #2 or the color of your snot.  I am not lying, these conversations really do happen).  Before I left the hospital in January after my reversal (or as I call it, my fix-it) surgery, Boston Children’s gave me a list of therapists in my area that work or used to work in hospitals with kids.

I began seeing *the therapist that shall not be named for confidential reasons* and I have been seeing them for about four years. This experience has changed my outlook on therapy completely.  They have shown me that there are people who are good at their job and actually HELP you. I know, what a concept having a THERAPIST actually HELP you deal with all of your s**t in a healthy way.  This is also the first time I have gone into my appointments without one of my parents coming with me.  To me, that is a real sign that I am comfortable with my therapist and that I am willing to truly open up to about REAL things.

The main point behind this post is to tell you guys that it is okay to need help and it is okay to go to therapy.  It is not something to be ashamed of and frankly I am sick of society telling us that going to see a therapist makes you crazy or weak.  It does not. If anything, it makes you stronger because you want to make things better for yourself and your life.  I’m not saying you should spill your guts and tell them your deepest darkest secrets (although you totally can, it’s up to you), but sometimes having someone to vent to that is not a part of your daily life can be life-changing.

I want to make one thing clear: I am not forcing anyone to go to therapy nor am I putting my opinions or beliefs on you guys.  I know y’all probably don’t think these things, but I feel like I should put a disclaimer here anyway just in case.

 

Take care of yourselves, my lovely readers.