While mental health awareness is growing, many people still feel ashamed for asking for help. People do not want their friends and family to know that they are struggling. They may be worried about what people will say about them and their struggles. Or they may simply be afraid that people will think they are not strong enough.
The NIH has estimated that at least one in five Americans suffer from some type of mental illness, whether it be anxiety, depression, or more serious problems. This is a large portion of the populace, about 43.8 million people. So, it is clear to see that you are not alone if you are suffering. In fact, you may yet be of the minority, but you are far from alone in your struggles.
Unfortunately, not everyone who suffers from mental illness seeks help, so these numbers are only estimates. There may be many more people struggling with situational depression or anxiety that never seek help, and therefore are not counted among the mentally ill each year. Situational depression and anxiety caused by stress in life is much more common than you might think.
In fact, only 9.8 million people suffer from a severe mental illness. The vast majority of the people who seek mental health assistance each year are those who are dealing with mild bouts of depression, stress, anxiety, or simply needing someone to talk to through a difficult period in their life.
No One Has to Know
One of the ways to overcome your personal objections to yourself about seeking mental health assistance is to recognize that no one has to ever know that you sought such help. Some people live in a small community where everyone knows everyone else, and they don’t want anyone to see them going into the office of a therapist. If you would rather not meet in person, visiting a site like – https://www.health.com/mind-body/best-online-therapy, can help you find a therapist that works in the mental health areas you are struggling with.
There are some simple solutions to this. With the invention of telehealth therapy services like BetterHelp.com, you do not have any need to go to a physical location for therapy. You can actually participate in therapy from the comfort and privacy of your home, your car, your work’s restroom, or literally anywhere. All you need is a smart phone, tablet, laptop, or computer, and you can easily participate in therapy without anyone ever knowing.
While some services work with an app, there are many services that work through a website. With the option in Google to open an incognito tab, you can easily prevent the therapy website from coming up in your browsing history no matter what device you are using. Anyone who gets a hold of your phone or tablet will never know that you contact the therapy service.
With these protections in mind, it is easy to see that confidential help is just a click away. While no one should ever be ashamed of needing mental health assistance, there is now no need for anyone to ever know that you are getting such assistance in the first place.
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