Asking For Help

I’m not going to sugarcoat this for you: asking for help with your mental health is hard. Accepting you might need help from an outside source is scary, but to act on it is a different kind of fear. In this article I’m going to talk about the steps I personally took to feel comfortable enough to ask for help, as well as the steps I took afterwards to give me my best chance.

Before getting started I wanted to mention that I’ve had my share of horror stories when it comes to doctors and I’m sure you’ve had your own. You’re most likely not going to find your perfect process on the first try - the key is to not give up on yourself (I know this is something I’ve personally struggled with).

The first step is, not to be cliché, understanding you need to get help. You have to accept the help you’re getting, and to do that, you have to know you need it. What I did was get a piece of paper and make a list. I love making lists, it makes everything a little more black and white and helps me come up with a decision. I write down the symptoms I’ve noticed in myself and asked a friend to help me with some of the things they’ve noticed.

This part was especially difficult because I couldn’t tell if some of my behaviors needed to be noted down or if they were a part of who I am. I essentially wrote out everything and figured the doctor would know what to do with the information given.

The next step is actually going ahead and making that appointment. It’s at this part where it all becomes very real. When I made the phone call I was terrified, I went in to talk to my family doctor to get my referral. I had my list ready and just read through my list. My family doctor told me he was going to refer me to a psychiatrist.

Something that worked very well for me when going into seeing my doctor was taking a friend with me. It really helped to have the support and she already knew my story so there wasn’t anything I was really hiding from her. That being said ensure that if you are taking someone with you to these appointments that you are okay with telling your psych everything with them there. You don’t want to be in a situation where you feel as if you have to hide certain stories due to someone being there with you. That won’t help you or your doctor give you the best care you need for your recovery.

Just know that if you ever feel as if you’re not ready to continue with the process you are allowed to stop and wait until you are. You are not a quitter if you chose to do so, it takes courage to understand what you want and need. Just make sure that you are still willing to continue when you feel fit, don’t make this break permanent. Just remember you always have someone on your team rooting for you!