Mental illness is finally getting the recognition it deserves, and stigmas are fading. More people are reaching out for help. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports data for the National Health Interview Survey shows over 19% of Americans received some form of mental health treatment in the year before the survey.
Out of that number, 15.8% took medication, and only 9.5% participated in talk therapy, defined as meeting one-on-one with a licensed therapist to work through personal issues. Together, you and your therapist utilize multiple therapeutic techniques to help you overcome obstacles in your life.
Those who chose talk therapy may know something others don’t, including the numerous benefits. Many people know talking to someone like a therapist can make you feel better, helps you set goals, and gives you possible suggestions to follow. They may be surprised to learn about some lesser-known benefits, like the nine listed below.
Talk Therapy Treats Addiction
Some people may think going to detox to stop using alcohol or drugs is what it means to get treatment for addiction. They are correct; only detox is one step of many. Talk therapy plays a significant role in recovery, not only from substances but from behavioral addictions also.
Talk therapy can be the first step in treating addiction. A licensed therapist can assess your needs and determine if you need a higher level of care, like detox or inpatient rehab. You can continue talk therapy at every stage of the recovery process.
In talk therapy, you learn early recovery skills, coping skills, and relapse prevention techniques to implement when you encounter triggers. Talk therapy helps you relearn life skills as a sober person, so you no longer feel the need to self-medicate.
Talk Therapy Improves Marriages
Talk therapy helps you improve your relationship skills individually and as a couple. A licensed marriage and family therapist can meet with you and your spouse for some sessions and individually for others.
You can work on issues like communication, parenting, budgeting, decision-making, and getting along with extended family. Often, therapists will use talk therapy during sessions to discuss outside assignments you completed during the week. You get to implement and practice what you learn in talk therapy immediately.
Talk Therapy Helps You Grieve
Losing someone you love or a family pet, or even a job is hard. Coping with loss takes specific skills that help you progress through the different stages of grief. Talk therapy enables you to process emotions so you do not get stuck in a particular phase or start using harmful coping methods, like alcohol or drugs.
You can learn how to keep moving forward even in times when your grief seems overwhelming.
Talk Therapy Improves Your Career
Every career has advantages and disadvantages. You may love working with customers but get annoyed by coworkers. You may love challenging projects but have a problem with authority. Rather than quit a great job, you can learn to overcome the parts of the job that aren’t so satisfying.
You may benefit from learning to say no to excess work, communicate your needs to your boss, or ask for a promotion. You may need to search for a new career. Talk therapy can help you figure out the best solution for your career.
Talk Therapy Teaches Self-Care
To heal mentally or physically, you must practice self-care. Showing yourself compassion, kindness, and love is essential. Without them, you cannot do your best at work and take care of your family.
Taking care of yourself means visiting a doctor to address those aches and pains you’ve been ignoring, eating right, exercising, and rewarding yourself along the way. Self-care encompasses the mind, body, and spirit. In talk therapy, you can learn multiple positive self-care methods.
Talk Therapy Improves Physical Health
As you learn more about self-care in talk therapy, you will start to see the connection between mental and physical health. As you work to improve one, the other also enhances. For example, depression can cause aches, pains, and fatigue.
In talk therapy, your therapist will help you discover the source of your depression and find ways to overcome it, leading to improved physical symptoms.
Talk Therapy Gives a Huge Return on Investment
The skills you learn in talk therapy can be used for the rest of your life. By investing several hours in weekly visits with a therapist, you get many years of benefits.
Talk therapy can range from a few weeks to a few months. For some, it can last longer. There is no one-size-fits-all talk therapy program. You determine how long you want to participate.
Talk Therapy Rewires Your Brain
Neuroplasticity is the technical term for changing the structure of the brain or rewiring the brain. Talk therapy employs techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy that change your thought processes to change your feelings and behaviors for the better.
You learn to take negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, which leads to positive actions.
Talk Therapy Breaks the Cycle
Mental health disorders have a genetic component passed down from family and on to future generations. Having the genes does not guarantee mental illness, but combined with lifestyle, environmental, biological, and social factors, it can make someone more at risk.
Talk therapy cannot help you with genetics, but it can help you change the other factors now to decrease the risk for your kids and grandkids. For example, talk therapy can help you leave an abusive relationship, overcome addictions, increase self-esteem, learn appropriate discipline, and much more.
Think of the things you want to change or improve in your life, things you want to stop. Talk therapy can help.
There are many more than nine benefits of talk therapy, and you deserve to experience each one. Possibly one of the most incredible benefits is that you can start the process of talk therapy today. You can reach out virtually, on the phone, or in person. Give this gift to yourself.