Why Do People Go to Therapy?
It may seem like more people are going to therapy and speaking openly about their experiences with the process. While the stigma around seeking therapy for mental health conditions may persist, treating your mental well-being like your physical well-being has become more socially acceptable for some communities. Many more people feel comfortable reaching out for support from a professional to cope with life’s challenges.
If you have never gone to therapy, you may wonder if it would be beneficial to see a therapist and what mental health conditions are often treated in therapy. You may also wonder, "Why do people go to therapy?" To get started, looking at the reasons people go to therapy and how therapy can make a difference may be helpful.
Why do people go to therapy?
Therapy was developed as a treatment response to address mental health conditions. Over the years, its popularity as a treatment method for many people has grown, and in 2023, over 41.7 million US adults saw a therapist. Research demonstrates that many forms of talk therapy can effectively reduce people's symptoms of conditions like generalized anxiety disorder or major depression.
While you do not need a mental health diagnosis to go to therapy, medical doctors might refer clients experiencing specific symptoms to go to therapy for a follow-up conversation with a therapist. Below are several conditions therapists commonly address:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder
- Social anxiety
- Panic disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Chronic stress
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Personality disorders like borderline personality disorder (BPD)
- Mood disorders
- Phobias
- Prolonged grief disorder (more commonly known as complicated grief)
- Substance use disorders
You can also go to therapy for mental health challenges not related to a mental health condition, such as conflict with friends and family, seeking advice, diagnosis, or work stress. Although depression and anxiety may be some of the most common causes people seek a mental health professional, you’re not alone if you do not have one.
Challenges you can address
You do not need to have received a formal diagnosis of any of the above conditions to seek therapy or benefit from therapy’s potential impacts. Below are a few life challenges that may be benefited from going to a therapist.
While many relationship issues can be solved by both partners learning to recognize and assert their needs while respecting their partner’s needs, some relationships may be doing more harm than good on their own. In the case of abusive relationships, therapy can be a valuable support system for the survivor in identifying and addressing problematic patterns in their relationship.
If you are facing or witnessing abuse of any kind, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 for support. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. You can also use the online chat.
Families can involve complicated social systems. In situations involving family strife or intense family dynamics, family therapy can help family better understand one another and help them learn ways to be more supportive of each other’s needs. Family therapy may be beneficial when attempting to identify unhealthy dynamics before they become ingrained family behavior patterns in the long term.
Life changes
A physical health condition can be another form of stress in one’s life. Some people might go to therapy to discuss the emotional aspects of a new physical diagnosis or terminal diagnosis. Although they may seek primary care from a doctor for additional information and medical advice after a new diagnosis, a therapist can offer skills for healthily coping with the resulting emotional impacts. Some people with a physical illness may also be at risk of depression.
Career therapy and life coaching
Potential benefits of counseling
Below are a few of the benefits of therapy you might encounter:
- Reduced symptoms of mental health conditions, like bipolar disorder or depression, that may be negatively impacting your life
- Leaving your comfort zone
- Recognition of problems you have previously struggled to confront
- Validation and empathy from your therapist
- Identification of coping mechanisms
- A more significant understanding of maladaptive coping techniques
- An understanding of the deeper meaning behind your actions and reactions
- A more profound understanding of yourself
- Perspective from someone outside of your social circle
- An understanding of the value of self-care
- Comfort in being vulnerable with others
- Integration of self-reflection into your daily life
- Improved self-expression and self-advocating skills
- A realization of behaviors and thought patterns that may be holding you back from achieving your goals
- Greater resilience
- A recognition that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness
How to get started
If you’re curious about trying therapy, consider what you hope to get from the experience and the type of therapist you would want to go see. You might ask your friends, family, or physician for a referral to therapists in your area. You may also consider online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp, which can be a convenient option for people with busy schedules or those who prefer to seek therapy from the comfort of their own homes.
Online support options
Takeaway
What are the three most common reasons people enter therapy?
One of the primary reasons people attend psychotherapy is to treat mental health disorders, such as mood and personality disorders. For these individuals, therapy is helpful for breaking negative thought patterns that spiral into self-sabotaging behaviors and adopting new coping skills to manage the symptoms.
People also frequently attend couples counseling or family therapy to work through relationship problems that the individuals are having trouble resolving on their own. Here, therapists can help them address difficult emotions like resentment and build the communication skills necessary to maintain healthy relationships with others.
Additionally, counseling can be beneficial for working through shorter-term mental health concerns, like job loss, feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities, or the grieving process following a loss.
Why do “normal” people go to talk therapy?
People who don’t have a serious mental health condition can still seek mental health services for a variety of other concerns, such as external stressors or interpersonal conflicts.
What is the true purpose of therapy?
The therapeutic relationship is intended to serve as a type of one-on-one social support that is as nonjudgmental and impartial as possible. Most therapists seek to help their clients find improved well-being, whether through tackling a particular situation at home or addressing larger questions of identity and psychiatric health. There also exist a broad variety of therapy options for this purpose, from talk therapies like CBT and DBT to art-, music-, or movement-based therapy.
How do you know if you need a counselor?
Most often, people find therapy or counseling beneficial when they are:
- experiencing symptoms of a mental illness
- struggling to maintain healthy relationships with partners, family members, or friends
- can’t find a satisfactory solution to a problem
If you need someone to prescribe medication or provide medical care related to your mental health, try reaching out to a psychiatrist or physician instead.
Do I need counseling if I feel fine?
It is always your choice to attend therapy—or not to. However, it might be helpful to consider the following, if you feel like you’re doing well but have been recommended therapy:
- Do you feel okay, or are you suppressing difficult emotions?
- Is there anything stressful that has been affecting you?
- Are there any problems in your life that you’re having trouble solving on your own, even with advice and guidance from others in your life?
- Is your mental and physical well-being where you want it to be?
Why do people go to therapy when they're happy?
Yes, many people who are happy overall turn to therapy. Someone may turn to it as a means of developing self-awareness, maintaining progress made during mental health treatment, or seeking healthy ways to manage life stressors when they feel overwhelmed.
Do I have to have trauma-related anxiety or a mental illness in order to go to therapy?
It’s perfectly normal to seek psychological support regardless of whether you are diagnosed with a mental health condition or not. It can be especially beneficial, though, for people who have experienced a traumatic event (such as someone having to perform emergency surgery on them during a serious illness) or mental health disorder such as anxiety. It’s also often recommended for those with nonpsychiatric conditions, such as chronic pain conditions, that can interfere with quality of life.
Does therapy actually help treat mental health conditions?
Therapies such as CBT, DBT, ACT, and many more have much evidence backing their effectiveness for treating a variety of psychiatric conditions. A good psychologist or practitioner who provides high-quality services will have the required professional training, licensing, and experience to help you navigate your illness—and wellness.
Do I need to find a therapist or am I overreacting?
Trust your judgment here. Understanding therapy as a tool for learning to process all that life has to offer in a way that maintains our well-being may be helpful. It’s not an overreaction to seek therapy for something that’s bothering you, even if it seems “small” or to other people.
Why do many people avoid therapy?
The most frequent reasons someone may avoid therapy is that they feel nervous by the prospect of the first session, aren’t sure what it entails, don’t think it’s helpful, or don’t think it would be necessary for them. Stigma surrounding psychiatric services such as therapy can also drive people away from seeking care, as can symptoms related to the very conditions therapy is meant to treat.
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