Thinking about going to therapy is a task involving mental aerobics. Should I? Shouldn’t I? What about the cost? What about feeling better? What if no one can help me? Who can I trust? All these questions swirling about seem to become louder and louder the greater unhappiness is. Yet the moment we get any kind of reprieve we immediately procrastinate saying to ourselves that we’ll look it up tomorrow, or ask the doctor ‘next time’, whenever that may be…
There is also the kind of therapy procrastination that waits until it’s ‘really bad’! There is a guilt that comes with observing everyone else’s troubles because we feel we are somehow luckier than another. We tend to say to ourselves that we should be grateful, stop complaining, because things can always be worse. And so we wait. And wait. We wait until things are so unbearable that the procrastination leads to action but fear holds us back. The fear is that one session will never be enough to cover everything, and all you want is one chance to get it all out.
Here are the facts: You are a unique and complex person and the longer you wait to begin therapy the more difficult it can be. This is because unhappiness can paralyze you into a state of inaction. Procrastinating on your mental health has an effect on other areas such as work, relationships and even your physical health and so one session is likely not enough. But that doesn’t mean you are required to commit long term. Find someone who seems approachable and qualified and reach out to them. Reach out with email, a phone call, or even a web search as a start. Procrastination ends here.
Talia Singer, RN, RP, MSc is a psychiatric nurse, art therapist and registered psychotherapist working at Acutoronto Wellness Clinic. She is an approved Blue Cross mental health care provider. Contact Acutoronto to book an appointment today at (416) 486-5222.
