Why is therapy important and why it should be made accessible to all?
Why is therapy important and why it should be made accessible to all?
There is so much talk about mental health in the last few years, but still it is surrounded by a lot stigma in our society. I am part of a so called educated, well traveled, modern circle of friends, yet so often I will hear " why do you need therapy, you have everything you could ask for" or " what reason do you have to be "anxious".
My biggest revelation in therapy has been that even if you choose to show up and do the work, your environment plays a huge part in how much progress you make.
And a lot of the time , we are in therapy to work through issues that have arisen due to our environment and our interactions with our primary care givers or our spouses. So its no surprise that therapy changes you and the way you deal with your environment.
I started therapy in my late 30s, after several years of "self help" and "self medication" which only resulted in short term results and no long term consistent changes. Sadly, therapy was my last resort. I now understand that it shouldn't be, it should be considered a part of anyone's holistic self care regimen. Just like we go to the dentist for a toothache, we should meet the therapist for our mind.
I am very aware that seeking therapy is the luxury of the rich and entitled, for it is an expensive form of treatment. But why should it be? If physical healthcare can be made available at affordable prices then why shouldn't mental health care be also accessible to all? Doesn't our mental health care affect our physical wellbeing?
In my case, it did. Since I can remember, I always had gut issues, now looking back I understand the level of stress and anxiety I was experiencing as a child. I had what is referred to as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and it wasn't till my mid 20s that I was able to self diagnose. I remember going to a physician and saying I have IBS, and her response was, why don't you improve your diet. There was no medication for it and I used to self medicate with laxatives every few weeks to keep it going. It was hell in its own right. Anyone who has experienced gut issues of this level will understand that it affects everything you do. I would be moody, bloated, irritable and generally unpleasant to myself and to the people around me.
After having tried everything from diet, supplements, colon hydrotherapy, Ayurveda etc. I finally figured out a formula that worked for me. It was a combination of diet, exercise, ayurvedic supplements and stress management. Learning stress management was probably the biggest game changer. I tried, reiki, crystal healing, and meditation at this time. But even though I was able to heal my IBS, my anxiety never really went away. I never really had enough coping skills to manage the stress that life kept throwing at me.
One of the biggest realization that has come out of my journey is that we are all different people with our unique personalities, strengths and weaknesses. What works for me may not work for you. So even though I may be tempted to boast about my "successes", I am hyper aware that it may not be the right answer for you. But with all the podcasts, YouTube videos, clinical researches etc. that I have heard or read, I have come to the conclusion that we need specific targeted assistance especially tailored to our individual needs. And for most of us that assistance cannot be provided by our own selves. It is just like when we need a trainer to hit that major fitness goal, or a coach to help become an effective leader in our organization.
I was in therapy to treat anxiety and after a few months I was diagnosed with ADHD. This was only possible due to my healing plan being tailored specifically to my challenges.
We lack coping skills, our education and social system is so obsessed with imparting knowledge that creates good workers in the economy that it fails to address the necessary skills needed to navigate the challenges of our environment. Men are taught to be driven and successful whilst being "strong" and "manly". Whereas, women who are perceived by society to be " more emotional" and " dramatic" are often dismissed when they come for help. Their common diagnosis is usually either hormones!
There is a need for awareness and acceptance, a need to understand that mental health is important for all. If I am struggling, so is my family. We never struggle alone. A parent with depression or anxiety will have a major impact on the emotional wellbeing of their children and also their partner.
So its time that we see mental health not as an individual need but rather a collective requirement of the family unit and the society as a whole.
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Well said👍
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