After some troubling news about a month ago, my family and I thought it was best if I tried going to therapy to feel better. I had lost complete faith in myself and believed that my world was ultimately over because of an event I let control me. When you are in that state of mind, I feel that it is always best to seek help from a professional to better cope with similar situations in the future. With muscular dystrophy, a lack of dystrophin, steroid consumption, lack of confidence, and different types of medicine may impact your brain. I specifically have tendencies to be OCD and not to be able to function when I am despondent. It is as if my world breaks apart, and while I recover, it is exhausting to recover from something that I viewed as “traumatizing.”
The first few sessions I had with my therapist was me explaining myself, my condition, and how I was dealing with everything. He took extensive notes to understand me as it will help him do his job and work through these difficulties with me. Speaking to someone about my feelings is new to me as I usually keep things to myself, especially since a doctor diagnosed me with muscular dystrophy. I did not know how to speak about my condition and be unable to tell everyone at school due to my constant denial and want to avoid negative emotions. To me, the worst thing would be being pitied by everyone around me, which is the attention I do not want or need. I have made great strides in understanding/dealing with my emotional state due to the help of a therapist.
After the first few introductory sessions, we began to get deep into my emotions. Sometimes the session starts with me explaining what I was feeling throughout the week or an underlying feeling that needs to be discussed. My therapist asks questions about the major themes I discussed in the introductory phase of our sessions when I do not know how to begin. Occasionally, we speak about things that trouble me in society, including the political climate of the United States, climate change, how to view emotions from new perspectives, and my life goals. Speaking with someone who knows how to deal with negative emotions will help you process ones and advise on dealing with these emotions in the future.
A topic I want to highlight as an example of how my therapist has helped me is how to view my emotions differently. As an emotional person, I tend to react to my feelings even if they may negative consequences. When I am sad, I always try to fix the emotions or distract myself from emotions like sadness and regret. The advice he gave was to view the emotions as something that makes sense, given the situation, and accept that you are feeling that way. Instead of reacting instantly, wait until your mind is, and not immersed in chaos due to your emotions. Many people make terrible decisions in that mental state, which is the exact reason why you want to calm yourself before doing anything. By accepting the emotion, I do not need to do something to make myself feel better. Even though I will most likely continue to react to my emotions, I am sure that it will happen in a decreased way. Being enlightened to this new perspective and many other ones show how beneficial the practice of therapy can be.
Before we began our session, my therapist highlighted that sometimes the sessions might lead to discomfort and more sadness than it started. Emotions are never easy to deal with, but the sessions help you deal with emotions in the future as you learn methods that can keep you happy. Understanding that focus is long term and can come around due to effort from the one who is seeking therapy is vital for long term benefits. I would encourage everyone to find a therapist as mental disorders, and methods to keep yourself happy is not widely known. Over time, I hope education facilities utilize techniques to maintain happiness and deal with negative emotions as they curse every student throughout the world.
One problem that I found myself thinking is that seeking therapy shows that you are weak and cannot deal with your emotions—understand that seeking help for your feelings shows your strength of acceptance and wants to grow as an individual. The earlier you learn how to cope with your emotions effectively, the better you will be in the future as you enhance your resilience towards situations throughout your life. Be truthful with yourself, if you need help find help, it is no big deal. Be selfish. Think about yourself, and do not let people judge you for wanting to help yourself. I would encourage people to try therapy if they feel that emotions overpower them or need ways to help boost their happiness. Resilience and well-being are crucial to having a wonderful life, so do not let anybody stop you.
