It may be common for you to worry about the minor things in your day-to-day life, putting your mental health on the backburner. As a result, you may have developed the damaging habit of avoiding your mental well-being. You may even be scared to admit that you need help.
It can be challenging to admit you need help, especially when mental health stigma is still prominent. You may worry about having to set boundaries and let your needs be known at work. You may fear what your friends and family will think. You may be scared that you will be shamed and ostracized.
When considering seeking help for your mental health, it is crucial to know that it is okay not to be okay. Seeking help from a mental health professional does not mean you are “crazy” or “insane.” It just means you are struggling and need an extra boost. If you fall physically ill, you see a doctor; the same should go for your mental health.
Accepting That You Need Help
The first and often most challenging step towards facing your fear of needing help is acceptance. You may be in a state of denial of needing help or lack the courage to accept the truth of your struggles. However, the only way you can better your mental health is to believe you need help in the first place.
It is essential to accept that seeking help is okay if you are not feeling mentally or emotionally well. It is okay to struggle with your mental health; nearly one in five adults in the United States struggle with a mental health disorder. Accepting that you are struggling and need to seek help is the best way to overcome and move forward. Remember, you are not alone in your struggles.
Battling Mental Health Stigma
You may fear seeking help due to the stigma surrounding mental health. In order to overcome your fear, you must battle mental health stigma. Many people internalize this stigma, turning it into thoughts of “I’m crazy.” By doing this, you allow yourself to be defined by the stigma.
Mental health stigma is a significant barrier to why many people do not seek help. You may not want to be judged for seeking treatment. You may not want to be defined as weak or incompetent, or even worse, seen as unable to take care of yourself.
Accepting that you are not crazy and you are not alone in this fight is the first step to overcoming mental health stigma. In order to overcome stigma, it will take a community effort that may just start with you.
Awareness starts with educating and informing yourself. From there, you can educate your family, friends, school, and co-workers to spread awareness. By encouraging yourself and others suffering from mental health disorders to speak up, you can create a culture of recovery in your community.
Face the Fear, and Kill It
Once you realize that you need help, the final stage is seeking that help. There is nothing wrong with seeking professional help when it comes to your mental and emotional health. Seeing a mental health professional does not mean that you are crazy; it means that you are taking care of your mental health, just like you take care of your physical health.
Making Your Mental Health a Priority
Seeking help starts with yourself. Self-help is vital to the journey to recovery. Self-help begins with self-awareness and self-discipline. Self-awareness helps you identify specific triggers of your mental health disorder while also being aware of what helps relieve them.
Self-discipline is the cornerstone of recovery. Once you have identified your triggers, self-discipline improves your ability to manage them. Give yourself permission to seek help by taking care of yourself; for many people, this often starts with seeking professional help.
Don’t Be Ashamed
Do not be ashamed of seeking help on your road to recovery. Recovery is remembering who you are and using your strengths to become all that you were meant to be. By seeking help through mental health professionals, you will begin to find yourself again. Mental health is as important as physical health, and both your mind and body will thank you.
Breaking Through the Glass
It is important as a community to break through mental health stigma. Encouraging others to seek mental health help when they need it and not to be ashamed is vital as well.
Normalizing the idea of seeking help from mental health professionals to be at your mental and emotional best is possible. Seeking help simply means that you are no longer fighting alone; there is someone there to help you every step of the way. It is okay to need help.
For many people, it has become normal to put their mental health on the backburner while worrying about other things in their day-to-day life. Often, this stems from a fear of admitting you need help. It is crucial to recognize that many people across the world struggle with mental health disorders, and it is okay to seek help. You can fight through the guilt, shame, and stigma. You can recover and become the person you have always wanted to be. At Achieve Concierge, our collaborative and holistic approach to treatment can help you overcome your mental health struggles. We are here to stand by your side and fight the stigma of mental illness. Our premier members enjoy an array of special conveniences and services, which enhance the treatment experience, including same-day or next-day appointments, direct access to the doctors, and extended appointment times. Find the help you need today and call Achieve Concierge at (619) 393-5871.