It is often said that the first step towards recovery is admitting that you have a problem. I knew I needed help, so I sought it and thus began my journey of self-rediscovery.
Over the course of the next year, with the right mix of medication and therapy, I slowly found parts of me I had lost over the years. While seeking out the missing connections within myself, I started finding joys in the little things in life.
I had lost so much during all the years of struggling with depression and anxiety. I had been robbed of so much. Mental peace and well-being were the biggest casualties of my war against depression. My fight was far from over, but at least I was on the right track. I was among the lucky ones.
Many of us are not so lucky though. Mental health is severely neglected and lack of awareness and reluctance of seeking help, as well as, a shortage of capable mental health professionals makes it extremely difficult to get the required help.
Then there is also an issue of acceptance. Patients and those around them do not react well to the suggestion of therapy, thinking of it as a forbidden word.
This is often followed by an expression of displeasure and looking for religious or spiritual advice to cure mental health issues. After all this, if you still find yourself seeking medical help for psychological issues, you are labeled as a ‘psycho’ or a nut case.
These are only some of the issues faced by someone who is already going through psychological trauma and has to navigate through the dark web of societal taboos to reach wellness. However, if one is able to conquer all that and get the required help, the effects are no less than amazing.
Here, I must stress upon the fact that no miracle cure or short cuts exists, and no doctor will hand you a magic pill that will take away all your suffering and replace it with unicorns and rainbows.
Realistic goals and a holistic approach is the key towards recovery. You will struggle at first, because it is never easy to lay bare your deepest feelings in front of someone or to open up to a stranger.
But verbalising your emotions without the fear of being judged can have an extremely therapeutic effect on you. It can greatly help you in not only identifying your stressors but also in effectively managing and coping with anxiety and stress.
Over the years, psychologists and social scientists have come up with various forms of therapy which include CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), psychotherapy, coaching and mindfulness-based therapies to name a few. Each of these is designed to focus on an individual’s personal requirements and your therapist may combine many of them to custom-design the help you need.
The primary focus should be on catering to each patient’s individual requirement and mental capabilities as well as their psychological state.
The most important responsibility on the part of the patient is to keep an open mind by allowing the therapist complete access to their inner self and working towards developing a bond that leads towards wellness.
It is also difficult to address your triggers and hidden worries which normally don’t surface, but all this is imperative to achieve a comfortable state of mind and body. Consistency and perseverance is the key. Bear in mind that only you know who you actually are and no one understands your tangled emotions better than you. Take your therapist as a guiding light, a mentor even. Listen to them and make them listen to you while you try to work closely towards attaining complete mental peace.
It takes time, patience and tears but it is so worth it.