Posted by Sophie Westrope on August 13, 2015 · Leave a Comment
To function as a human being it is essential that we take care of ourselves correctly. And part of all that is making sure that we are of both sound body and mind. To achieve this I believe that, no matter how ‘perfect’ a person you seem to be on the surface or how little you believe it may help you, everybody should sign up for counseling at some point in their lives when they find themselves struggling mentally or even if you’re not.
Growing up surrounded by the idea that psychiatry or any kind of mental health help was ‘taboo’ and that those who sought help were ‘whiny cry-babies’ meant that I didn’t ask for help until I was desperate. Luckily, I attended a university with an excellent student services support system who were willing to provide me with a wonderful counselor when I needed it most. I finished university in May 2013 and graduated the same year in the November with a BA (Hons) in Magazine Journalism. But I still think about John, the kind soul who helped pull me out of my funk in third year, to this very day.
When I’m struggling I, like many others, find it hard to vocalise my feelings and ask for help. Instead I recoil from most social interaction or put on a brave face when needed and tell myself to ‘snap out of it’. Sometimes I even berate myself when I cry so that I’ll stop and ‘get a grip’. But at tough times like this I always find myself recalling things that John told me in that cosy, peaceful little room with the comfy chairs and the clock without the tick.
I liked the way he made me feel while I spent an hour talking his ear off about things that probably seem trivial now. For those sixty minutes I felt as though nobody else mattered. And he didn’t pass judgment. He didn’t offer solutions. He merely asked questions and listened. And that’s all you need sometimes.
When you’re going through an emotionally traumatic breakup with your first love and struggling with dissertation hell and financial messes, the solace of an hour away from the chaos with what is essentially a complete stranger is oddly comforting. I never once felt uncomfortable talking about things I probably wouldn’t even share with friends I’d known for years because with John, that mysterious man with no last name, there was an unspoken agreement that everything said between those four soundproof walls was private confidential and only to be repeated for reference at our next session.
And I will forever be grateful to this kind man who helped me realize how much things could improve if we make small changes and just talk about it.
Asking for help does not make you weak.