Therapy Still Helps Even When You're No Longer Mentally Ill | Olivia J

"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you," - Ray Bradbury

I go to therapy, counseling, whatever you want to call it. I have been going for around four years. And there's no good reason to be ashamed of it. 

The original reason I went was because of anxiety and depression, and I can proudly report that I no longer struggle with anxiety and depression on the scale that I did in 2014. In fact, it has decreased to such a degree that I can function healthily and manage my stress levels. 

But then why do I keep going to therapy?

I suppose because it continues to help me - we can always get better. If you're not growing, then you're receding, as my pastor always says. 

But really, I think it's because my therapist always helps me put life into perspective. We can get so emotional and wrapped up and even deluded about the situations in our life, that having an outside source is essential in keeping a level head and making rational decisions. 

So even though I probably don't need to see a therapist anymore, continuing to see one helps me in making rational decisions, chipping away at the negative habits I've formed, and ultimately working toward being a better and healthier person. 

So just because your depression has lifted or your panic attacks are manageable, doesn't mean you should break off with your therapist. What it means is that you should deepen your relationship even more with them to explore other, more subtle or complex issues. 

And if you don't go to therapy, I highly recommend it. It's changed my life, and it will change yours, even if you don't struggle with apparent or debilitating mental illness. 


Lots of love, 

~The WordShaker