How To Know If You Need Therapy
Introduction
Have you ever felt you needed to talk to someone, a therapist when you were going through a low phase in your life? You might have thought about it but were unsure if it is essential to take therapy. I often encounter clients (individuals) who might have decided to wait for some more time, try and deal on their own, or be unsure if that problem will require professional help!
We face challenges or difficult times every now and then in our life. Knowing when you need professional help will benefit you in better dealing with your distress. Remember you can take therapy for any reason or problem you are going through, however, I have focused on the most common signs/ reasons one should take therapy.
Most common signs
1. Changes in mood – You have difficulty dealing with your emotions. If you have been observing yourself to be constantly worried, crying to yourself, or if your mood is affecting your daily functioning and the interpersonal relationship it is essential that you talk to a therapist.
2. Decreased interest – Another sign that suggests you might need therapy is when you observe there is a general decline in your interest. You might have avoided activities/ leisure once you were interested or have been avoiding social situations.
3. Feeling stressed – Stress is inevitable. However, if you find yourself having difficulty in dealing with stressors, it is important to seek professional help. Your therapist will guide you with techniques to combat your stress efficiently.
4. Changes in sleep and appetite – Have you been having difficulty falling asleep or sleeping more than usual? Eating a lot or you don’t feel hungry at all? Poor sleep and appetite can be a symptom of mental health problems and it has to be addressed at the earliest possible.
5. Improve self-awareness – Do you feel unsure about who you are as a person? Understanding yourself better can enable you to change unhelpful behavioral patterns or increase your capacity for self-compassion. A therapist would help in improving your understanding of yourself, identifying self-limiting beliefs, and addressing them.
6. Conflicts in the relationship – Many triggers can strain a relationship. There are multiple factors like adjustment problems, communication, conflict or emotional distress, and difficulty in setting boundaries that could hinder relationships. A therapist can support you in identifying relationship-related issues and provide you with the skills and resources you need to establish and sustain healthy relationships with your loved ones.
7. Life transition – If you are going through a major life transition like moving to college, getting married, a job change, or moving to a different city it can create distress. Therapy can help you in building adaptive coping skills to deal with major life transitions.
8. Traumatic experiences – If you have experienced tragedy/ trauma, it could affect your daily functioning and interpersonal relationships. It can affect your physical health too. It can shake your core as a person. A therapist will help you process your trauma and overcome them effectively.
9. Unhealthy habits – If you observe your unhealthy habits/ rituals are becoming problematic. If your unhealthy habits are affecting your physical/ psychological or social functioning, it is important you seek professional help.
10. Nothing else worked – Despite taking measures to actively address the problem area if you still don’t see an active change, you should consider finding a therapist.
Related Articles
Letting Go With Grace: Emotional Tools for Closure
Letting go is never easy. Whether we are parting ways with a loved one, ending a relationship, leaving a job, or saying goodbye to a cherished chapter of life, the emotional weight can feel overwhelming. Yet, closure is essential for our emotional well-being. Without it, we carry unresolved grief, anger, regret, or longing that can seep into new relationships and experiences, holding us back from healing and growth.
Breakup Blues: How to Cope and Rebuild Your Self-Worth
A breakup often feels like a silent earthquake—unseen by others but devastating within. The pain doesn’t just come from the loss of a relationship, but from the crumbling of the life, identity, and future you built with another person. You may find yourself questioning your worth, doubting your value, and feeling isolated even when surrounded by people. In Indian society, where emotional expression is often discouraged and breakups can be stigmatized, this pain may feel even more overwhelming. But the truth is—while breakups may shake you, they do not define you. You are not broken; you are in a process of emotional reformation. And with the right tools, guidance, and support system, you can rebuild not just your self-worth but also your entire life narrative.
Healing After Heartbreak: A Mental Health Perspective
Heartbreak doesn't just break your heart—it can shatter your sense of identity, peace, and purpose. Whether the end was expected or abrupt, mutual or one-sided, short-lived or long-term, the aftermath often leaves people emotionally disoriented. In Indian culture, where societal expectations and family involvement in romantic relationships are prevalent, the pain is not just personal—it is public. Yet, very few are taught how to heal from emotional loss in a healthy, sustainable way.
Boundaries in Love: Saying ‘No’ Without Guilt
Love, in its truest form, should be a safe space—a space where individuality is not only respected but celebrated. Yet, in many relationships, especially in the Indian cultural context, love is often misunderstood as constant availability, complete sacrifice, and putting the other person first, always. As noble as this may sound, this version of love often leads to emotional exhaustion, suppressed resentment, and the erosion of one’s identity.
Gaslighting in Relationships: What It Is and How to Heal
Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that erodes your ability to trust your own perception. It’s a slow, insidious process that often begins with subtle doubts and ends with complete self-questioning. In romantic relationships—especially in the Indian context where silence, compromise, and duty are often mistaken for love—gaslighting can be even harder to recognize.
How Depression Can Affect Your Relationship—And What You Can Do
Depression is not just an internal struggle—it ripples outward, affecting relationships, routines, and the emotional fabric that holds people together. When someone is dealing with depression, it's not only their world that becomes dim—it can cast a shadow over their most intimate connections too. In a country like India, where open conversations about mental health are still rare and love is often equated with endurance, depression within a relationship can become invisible, misunderstood, or misjudged.