Any opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the values of Her Campus
Therapy is a practice that has been around for hundreds of years, and yet there is still so much stigma around it. Many people avoid speaking about mental health, often considering it to be a shameful topic. This lack of conversation has led to many misconceptions surrounding therapy. Anyone can benefit from therapy; you do not have to be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder to attend. It is not something to be ashamed or scared of, instead, it is meant to be a safe space to process and communicate emotions.
For many years, therapy was a taboo topic. There was a lot of fear surrounding therapy and the discussion of mental health. If someone went to therapy, they were often considered “crazy” or “weak”, and many internalized their issues to appear strong. In many ways, this is still present in society. The conversation surrounding therapy and mental health continues to be widely stigmatized. Having gone to therapy for quite a few years at this point, I’ve experienced my fair share of ridiculous reactions when people find out that I’m actively seeing a therapist. Some blatantly ask why I am going, but others have gone as far as asking if I was trying to scare them away or if I was crazy. This perception that people who go to therapy are automatically unstable is extremely harmful. In most cases, those in therapy are there because they are trying to improve themselves and their lives in a healthy way. Therapy is known to improve mental health and people’s lives in general. It is believed to be a long-term solution because it often provides people with useful skills. One of the more common forms, talk therapy, has been found to help with reasoning and rational thinking. Essentially, therapy is a place where people can learn more about themselves and gain skills that they can apply to future challenges.
One does not need to be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder to go to therapy. Throughout life, almost everyone will encounter conflict and situations that could benefit from an outside perspective. In my opinion, therapy is an outlet for people to speak about their lives and then receive advice from an unbiased perspective. Furthermore, it is a great place to learn about oneself and why one may act and react the way that they do. Therapy is also a place to learn coping skills, communication skills, and how to process emotions in a healthy way. Most people will encounter at least one difficult situation in their life and having a safe space to work through it is helpful.
Stigma surrounding mental health can be very harmful. “More than half of people with mental illness don’t receive help for their disorders. Often […] due to concerns about being treated different or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood.” Media representation also plays a large role in the collective perception of people with mental illness, often with “negative, inaccurate or violent representations.” These portrayals often villainize people who need to seek help for their mental health, which discourages people from getting aid due to the fear of being labeled “unstable” or “ill”. Stigma surrounding mental health and therapy often leads to people being discriminated against and being poorly perceived by society as a whole.
As a community, we can help to stop the stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health and therapy. There have already been significant improvements in the number of people attending therapy every year, but there are still many who do not understand it. The most impactful things one can do to end the stigma are speaking freely about mental health, educating oneself as well as other people, and never judging those who are struggling with their mental health.
Therapy can be useful to anyone, no matter what their situation is, because it provides people with a safe space to work through their emotions and to learn skills that can aid them in the future. There are many great resources available that make therapy more accessible to people since it can be expensive. The Counseling Center is a mental health resource that is available to USF students. More information about the Counseling Center can be found here. Societal stigma should not be a barrier to receiving proper aid toward one’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for mental health concerns, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website, or call 1-800-950-NAMI(6264). For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357). In an emergency, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or call 911.