Mental Health & Substance Use
Understanding Mental Health and Myths about Mental Illness
Dec 13, 2023
How counseling can improve your mental health
May 28, 2021
Living Well at Home
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When it comes to counseling—the first step can be the most difficult to take. Sitting down for the very first time to discuss how you feel with someone you don’t know can make anyone nervous.
But your mental health is just as important as your physical health. And mental health conditions are often feared or misunderstood and go untreated for far too long.
First, let’s discuss some important facts you should know.
Mental health conditions and issues:
- Are NOT your fault
- Can impact your physical health and even cause pain that requires medication
- Are just as common as physical illnesses
- Can interfere with your life, including your relationships, work, and sleep
- Are treatable
- Can get worse if ignored
How are mental health conditions treated?
The good news is that mental health conditions and issues are treatable—but it may take time and patience. There is no one-size-fits-all approach—what works for you may not work for someone else.
It’s important for you to find the right ways to cope that fit your personal needs. That means trying different approaches, such as pairing medications with a certain type of counseling.
What is counseling?
Counseling is the process of developing a professional relationship with someone who listens and works with you to develop coping strategies and provides education about your condition. Many people find counseling helpful—but you must remember that there are no shortcuts when it comes to your mental health. It can take time to establish a relationship with a counselor and see progress.
Counseling is commonly used to help people address challenges they face due to:
- Life events, medical issues, and emotional situations (such as childbirth, divorce, or death)
- Sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, and more
- Diagnosed behavioral health conditions, such as depression
Counseling also can be flexible to meet your specific needs. There are several options for how to participate, including:
- In-person or online
- Short-term or long-term
- In individual, couple, or group settings
There are also different approaches to counseling, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): The basis of CBT is that psychological problems are partly based on unhelpful ways of thinking or learned patterns of unhelpful behavior. This type of therapy can focus on ways to change behavioral patterns, including by facing one’s fears instead of avoiding them.
- Psychodynamic and psychoanalysis therapy: These types of therapy focus on changing problematic feelings, behaviors, and thoughts by looking at their unconscious meetings and motivations.
- Humanistic therapy: This approach focuses on a person’s ability to make rational choices to meet their full potential. It also emphasizes concern and respect for others.
There are also creative therapies such as music, art, or dance that encourage expression and communication to promote self-awareness, self-esteem, and emotional well-being.
How can I get help?
The first step is recognizing that emotions or feelings are disrupting your life. For example, you may want to seek counseling if you are:
- Feeling sad, angry, or “not yourself”
- Using drugs, alcohol, food, or sex to cope
- Dealing with grief from losing someone or something important to you
- Experiencing a traumatic event
- No longer interested in doing the things you like to do
The next step is to ask for help.
It takes a lot of strength to ask for help. If you’re a CCA member, talk to your care partner. He or she is trained and available to help you identify the right providers and treatment that meet your personal needs.
What other resources should I check out?
To learn more about your mental health and how counseling can help, you can visit the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.1
1 When you click this link, you will leave the Commonwealth Care Alliance website.
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