Mental Health Awareness Tips with Ian Masson

0:06Hello. My name is Ian Masson. I'm a licensed professional counselor and the director of the IPS Center for Psychological Services at Divine Mercy University. Today, I'd like to share some thoughts about how to notice signs in our lives that therapy may be helpful as well as the benefits of therapy. So although most people may be able to benefit from therapy at different points in their life, there are a few signs that can point to a more immediate need to pursue professional help sooner rather than later. So I think the first indication is noticing unhealthy life patterns. If you've noticed maybe a pattern in your life that you've been unable to change, maybe related to your relationships, your personal habits, negative self talk, connecting with a therapist can provide the support that we need to follow through with more healthy behaviors and habits.

1:03Secondly, maybe someone we care about in our life has asked us to consider seeing someone. And it's possible that talking to a friend or family member may help us to feel better, but these confidence are not necessarily equipped to handle every issue, especially if someone is close to us inquires about our openness to seeking mental health care. This may be an indication that the problems we're experiencing require further assistance. Those family members to whom we turn turn are often unable to provide what we need to address our problems because they're too involved and too close to us to be able to offer new insights. Third, maybe we notice impairments in relationships, whether at home or at work or maybe other areas of our life.

1:49If we are having recurrent conflicts, this may be a sign that we need to reflect on areas that we may need to address personally to resolve or to reduce some of those conflicts. Therapy can provide the space to look internally and better understand the source of the conflicts in which we find ourselves. Finally, if we're experiencing thoughts of death or suicide, however fleeting, those are an indication of distress that really require immediate mental health care. If you're experiencing those, not only do I urge you to reach out to a therapist, but if more immediate help is needed, please text talk to 741741 or call 1802738255, which is the national suicide hotline number. Now, lastly, related to all these signs that I just mentioned, I think there's a common misconception that if, quote, nothing bad has happened to us, that we don't need a therapist.

2:59We may think that others have it worse than we do and that we should just be able to deal with our problems ourselves. If those thoughts sound familiar to you, that is a sign that you are potentially overwhelmed. Our suffering doesn't get canceled out by more intense or severe suffering. It's okay for us to acknowledge that we don't feel okay. And it's even okay for us not to know the reason why. What is most important is to acknowledge in those moments that we don't feel okay and that we need help. If we don't know what's going on internally, just know that therapy is a place to figure out what's going on inside of us and where we are getting stuck, whether that's emotionally, behaviorally, or relationally.

3:59If you're experiencing difficulty, please reach out to a mental health provider. Please also know that the IPS Center is available to help you to connect with resources for mental health in your area, and we can be reached at 70341821111 or at ipscenter@divinemercy.edu. Thank you.