It wasn’t too long ago, and it is still the case among some people, that therapy was looked upon with disdain. Emotional matters were private and that’s how they stayed. But in recent years, more and more people are finding that counseling and therapy services really help individuals, couples, and families recover from many emotional ills.
Depression is a condition that has been receiving more attention in recent years. In 2012, approximately 16 million adults in the United States said that they had experienced a depressive episode that year. That’s roughly 6.9% of all American adults, and women are 70% more likely to have a depressive episode than men. In addition to the personal toll depression can take on a person, there are ramifications beyond just the home and family. Due to the loss of productivity, it has been estimated that upwards of $80 billion is lost annually.
Teenagers are not immune to depression. Far from it. By the age of 18 years, at least 11% of teenagers will have suffered a depressive episode. Individual counseling and sometimes psychotherapy can yield many positive results for young people as well as for adults. Many times young people cannot grasp the words to express how they are feeling or why they are feeling that way. Counseling services can be very effective in helping them channel feelings that seem so mixed up and extreme.
Another area where therapy services are beneficial is couples therapy. When a couple is going through difficult times, the problem can sometimes feel like it is too great for the couple to overcome. Couples therapy or marriage counseling might be exactly what is needed for the couple in trouble to see their situation in a new light. When an outside counselor can bring a fresh perspective to what is going on with a couple, the couple stands a much greater chance of conquering that problem and coming out on the other side stronger than they ever were before.
Perhaps more than anything else, therapy services arm the patient with tools to deal with whatever has been the affliction. For someone dealing with depression, the therapist might help the patient identify certain triggers and give him tools to manage circumstances differently in the future. For married couples, tools related to understanding their partner’s needs, wants, and desires can be very effective in building a stronger relationship going forward into the future.
Therapy services also tend to be significantly less expensive that seeking help from a psychologist or psychiatrist. A licensed marriage and family therapist, for example, could save you anywhere from 20-40% compared to other alternatives.
In today’s America, the idea of therapy is not seen by most as something to be ashamed of. Therapy services are often covered by insurance and your options for practitioners is greater than it ever has been. Don’t let depression or other mental health issues go untreated. You can get the help you need today.