“Think positive!” How many times have you heard this statement? Add in, “and all will be good,” and that’s something we hear all too often in cases that are far too complex for self-reflection/thought. It’s as if the people saying this truly believe that only through thinking positively will we be able to solve all of our problems, particularly when it comes to mental health.
Look, thinking positively is definitely helpful, especially when it comes to your mental health. According to the Mayo Clinic, it helps with stress management and improves your overall health. Being able to overcome negative thought patterns and emotions is a huge step in your process to living in a better state of mind. However, it’s not the only thing that you should practice. In fact, oftentimes problems are too serious to simply think positively.
We live in a world where roughly 20-25% of people live with a mental disorder. Statistics say that millions of people have tried thinking positively. Yet, their problems persisted. This suggests a wrong frame of mind, which is something that could have disastrous consequences if we don’t rectify this ‘way of thought’.
Getting Help is a Necessity
There, we said it. The taboo is broken. The stigma has been eliminated. And yes – it’s as easy as that. We need to continue talking about the importance of seeking out the help of a trained professional mental health psychologist. Thinking positively is for people who are worried about how they fared on their exam. For the millions who are struggling with serious mental issues such as depression or anxiety, drop the positive thinking act and go see a therapist.
The Main Benefit of a Licensed Third Party
Simply put, therapy offers too many benefits to list in one article. We would need several parts to identify and go into all of the benefits of therapy. Moreover, therapy is tailored to each specific individual. As such, the list of benefits becomes endless. However, there is arguably one benefit that stands out above all: therapy has the ability to rewire your thoughts.
For most people, the therapy of choice of your therapist will be CBT. This has considered to be a highly effective form of therapy, helping countless individuals see real success. Therapy, especially CBT, helps you think *differently* not just positively. It essentially rewires your brain to root out all of your negative recurring thoughts and replace them with better ones. This is something that is virtually impossible to do on your own.
Don’t Wait. Seriously.
If you are going through something hazardous to your mental health, such as experiencing serious bouts of depression, go and get help right away. Drop the self-motivated positive thinking act. No excuses either. Taboo and stigma are still prevalent. It’s true. We understand the mental hardships of physically going to talk to a professional. This is something you will need to overcome. Or, the least you can do is look at several substitutes mentioned here (we don’t necessarily believe this should be your first choice, but if you are adamant about not going to an office to see a therapist, online therapy is a start). Either way, therapy isn’t something to delay. Chances are you are part of an increasing number of people who require real, professional help, not just nice thoughts on your own.