500 Words a Week - Seeking Help

I have kept this blog short as I didn’t want to dilute the message.

I recently finished a block of counselling sessions that helped me hugely. This is something I wouldn’t have done without the help and support of some people very close to me. One of whom shared their experience about how they had also been to a counsellor and got help from it. In my last session I reflected on how without my friend describing their experiences I don’t think I would have considered seeing a counsellor. To which my counsellor recommended I should try to speak openly about seeking help, especially as within the cohort of young adult males we aren’t really known for sharing any issues we are experiencing. I thought it best to put this message out on a more open platform rather than just through conversations with my friends and people who are close to me.

I got help in the first place as I was beginning to feel increasingly not like my normal self. During work I’d be fine and could get through the day but once home I would be feeling down, and have no energy or enthusiasm, aspects that I would have deeply associated with who I am as a person. The best thing counselling did for me, was remind me its ok to feel like this. Everyone has had an incredibly tough year, we’ve been going through (still are) a pandemic (!!). It’s only natural to feel a little different, given that normality was so abruptly changed.

This is meant for anyone who feels they are struggling but doesn’t want to talk about it, I would encourage you to confide in the people close to you and seek help. You wouldn’t think twice about going to the doctor if you were feeling a sick, or seeing a physio for an injury, so why the stigma associated for seeing someone about your mental health?