re: At what point do you go and see a therapist/ Do they really help?

Don't approach it like it's something only for people going through big things. If you think you should see a therapist, start looking for one.

Try and get out of your box if you can and change some things up, make an effort to meet like minded people and expand your social structure. We all go through ruts, don't think you don't deserve some help just because you are you. You owe it to yourself to be happy.

Good luck.

If Tony Soprano saw a therapist, anyone can! Get yourself some help, there’s no shame in that.

I've went to a grief therapist before that I found extremely helpful. I knew I needed to do something but couldn't commit to actually going to see someone in their office. So I used better help and did it all virtual. Saw the lady for a few months, until I realized I didn't need to any more.

She offered good insight, let me know it is ok to be upset and have bad days. Just go in another room and allow yourself time to let our your emotion and compose myself again. Talked about ways to celebrate those I've lost on anniversaries/birthdays. Like make a cake when its their birthday or their favorite meal. It all seemed kind of cheesy at first but it worked.

So I say go try it out, and remember if you don't like the person it doesn't mean therapy isn't for you, you might just need to find someone else.

Short answer is yes, therapists can work, if you find the right one. It's most likely a combination of something both physical and mental. That is, the synapses in your brain that guide your emotions might not fire in a normal range, and medication could help with that. It could also be low testosterone, or maybe you aren't getting enough sleep, or you have a poor diet. But how you think about things plays an equal if not more important part. A good therapist can help you sort through that.

I know - there are a lot of people who embrace victimhood, or expect someone else to fix them because they aren't happy, or just feel sorry for themselves --- and they do need to suck it up and put in more effort. But there are also plenty of people who try really hard but there's a sadness or anger they just can't shake. Those people could benefit greatly by seeing a therapist.

I’m probably going to parrot everyone in here but if you are at the point asking if you should go to one, then you should.

I went through a very tough breakup and found myself having almost all bad days. The only good days were when I was doing dumb things like drinking or spending too much money on things. I was angry and depressed and couldn’t shake it. I talked about it but never pulled the trigger. One night I sat in my truck and thought that this would be the last night I would be here. I called a suicide hotline and they told me someone would call me back. LOL. Luckily someone answered the phone and let me vent for hours before I finally dried up and went home.

I finally went to therapy and within a couple visits I felt like I understood what my triggers were and how I wasn’t addressing and solving them properly. She would call me out on my bullshite. My only regret is that I didn’t go sooner and let the darkness continue to creep in.

And to the people in your life who don’t understand, they probably will never. Until you’ve been in that position you’ll never get it. Therapy can be helpful for anyone.

Set you an appointment and go. Commit to learning about yourself and giving it an honest effort and I think you’ll find that you can be happy and healthy again.

I’d say if longer than a week or two goes by without some balance of condition, e.g., some good days or if it gets bad enough to really affect you physically but also doing your best to manage triggers on your end first.

For example if you’re feeling really bad mentally but are also drinking excessively and not exercising I’d definitely work on that first. It’s hard because feeling like shite mentally makes you want to drink a lot but try to break or minimize the cycle.

Tap your employee assistance program of you have one.

More use it than you know of.