Spotting the signs – When to reach out to counselling?

If you feel that you are struggling with emotional difficulties, life challenges, and mental health concerns, then counselling can benefit you. It may take some time to decide whether you are ready for counselling.  Often people will wait and see if time, lifestyle changes, or the support of friends and family improves how they feel.

If you experience any unhelpful emotions or feelings to the extent that they interfere with life, then counselling may help you reduce their impacts. It’s especially important to consider seeing a counsellor if you feel controlled by symptoms, or if they could cause harm to yourself or others.

Here are some signs that indicate you may benefit from seeing a counsellor.

1. Feeling overwhelmed. You might feel like you have too many things to do or too many issues to cope with. You might feel like you can’t rest or even breathe. Stress and being overwhelmed can lead to serious physical health concerns.
2. Increase in rage, anger, or resentment. Everyone feels anger at times. However, when anger or resentment doesn’t pass, or leads to violent or harmful action, then it may be time to seek counselling to manage these feelings.
3. Anxious or intrusive thoughts. It’s normal to worry about things from time to time, but when worry takes up a large part of your day or causes physical symptoms, counselling can help you deal with it.
4. When you have an absence of feeling or emotion (apathy). If you are losing interest in usual activities, or life in general, then this can be a sign that your mental health is controlling you.
5. Feeling hopeless. Losing hope or motivation, or feeling as if you have no future, can indicate depression or another mental health condition. Feeling hopeless from time to time, especially after a period of difficulty, isn’t uncommon. But when it persists, it can lead to severe mental health conditions and thoughts of suicide.
6. Social withdrawal. Many people feel better when they’re able to spend some time alone. But if you feel distressed around others or develop a fear when around other people, then counselling can help you understand and deal with these feelings.

For more information on our counselling services or to make a referral please contact connectinghealth@abilityoptions.org.au or call 1300 422 454.