Not too long ago, The Huffington Post published an article titled “8 Signs You Should See a Therapist.”  According to the article, “While one in five American adults suffer from some form of mental illness, only about 46-65 percent with moderate-to-severe impairment are in treatment”.

Now about those “8 Signs”.  What are they?

Everything you feel is intense.

You’ve suffered a trauma and you can’t stop thinking about it.

You have unexplained and recurrent headaches, stomach-aches, or a rundown immune system.

You’re using a substance to cope.

You’re getting bad feedback at work.

You feel disconnected from previously beloved activities.

Your relationships are strained.

Your friends have told you they’re concerned.

The article also noted that while some problems don’t qualify as a mental health illness, seeing a therapist can still provide benefits for people dealing with these issues.

Often, this low rate of treatment is attached to the perceived stigma of seeing a therapist. That accepting help is a sign of weakness, or that the treatment options will be time-consuming and expensive. These worries don’t have to be the case, says psychologist Mary Alvord, Ph.D.

“Your treatment doesn’t have to be analysis four times a week.  I have some patients who come for just two session consultations or for a cognitive behavioral therapy for a year,” she says. “People feel like they’ll get stuck and that’s just not true.”

And more good news later in the article when it comes to treatment, from psychologist Daniel J. Reidenberg, who added, “The earlier someone gets help, the easier it is to get through the problem.  There will be less time and less strain and stress involved in that.”

And beyond the “8 Signs”, you can make a decision for therapy for whatever reason you choose because a therapist works for you.  It is okay to tell them what it is you want to work on.  There is no problem too small, or too big, for the right therapist.