There are a lot of reasons why someone decides to go to therapy. The issues may range from a stressor they are going through to a major issue they have been hospitalized for. No issue is too small to seek help for, so don’t get discouraged if you feel like your current stress isn’t enough of a reason to go to therapy.

Here are some common reasons individuals decide to go to therapy:

They are experiencing a mental health crisis

This may be anything from symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, or personality disorders. Basically anything that is in the DSM-5, the manual on mental health diagnoses. Therapy can be helpful in learning how to decrease and manage the symptoms associated with these issues. It can also provide you a safe space to get support for them. 

There may be physical struggles they’re dealing with

Maybe someone is experiencing physical issues. For example, picking behavior (ex: picking at scabs, or at your nails), sleep issues, health issues (headaches, a health related diagnosis like a disease or cancer), or an eating disorder. Oftentimes, people have difficulty identifying the mental health issues they have, but the physical ones seem more obvious. Someone may seek help with coping with physical issues and then gain a better understanding of why they are feeling the way they do. 

Social issues

Relationships, family problems, difficulty making friends, and difficulty with boundary setting are also reasons why some people decide to go to counseling. Social issues can have a huge effect on quality of life and cause self esteem issues, depression, and anxiety. Counseling can help individuals work through these issues and increase their social skills. 

Identity issues

Another reason people seek therapy is that they are unsure of who they are and what they want to be. Maybe they can feel lost or weighed down by the expectations of others. They can find themselves comparing their life to others that they know on social media. People may be experiencing a quarter life crisis or be experiencing a major change in their life, such as graduation, choosing a career, moving to a new place, a breakup, etc). 

Summary

There are likely a million more reasons why people decide to go to therapy, but the ones listed above are the most popular. If you find yourself experiencing any on the list, know that seeking help is a great way to help you through them. Speaking as a licensed anxiety therapist, I know how difficult it can be to take that first step in seeking therapy. Here is a blog post on how to find a therapist to help get you started: https://thetherapysuitepllc.com/how-to-find-a-therapist/

You’ve got this!