No Harm In Help: People should go to therapy even if they don’t have a mental illness

Growing up with two psychologists for grandparents and a mom with a masters in social work, I’ve always known therapy as a science.

Sunday night family dinners spill into conversations about the steps of diagnosing ADHD, stress relief tactics and the Enneagram system. Five-year-old me thought I had to have a panic attack every-other week to be able to see a therapist.

But after realizing how many of my peers are in therapy, I’ve realized that anyone can and should visit a professional for emotional counseling. Therapy is a beneficial mental health buffer for everyone, whether you’re prescribed antidepressants or just needing to vent. 

It’s more common than we often chat about in the hallways. In an Instagram poll of 256 students, 62% have been to therapy — if over half of students have sought guidance, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Rude remarks like “She’s gonna end up in therapy when she’s older” and “I’d hate to be their therapist” stigmatize counseling. The second I entered my therapist’s office — a small gray couch with cute pastel throw pillows and self-help and therapy books lining the shelves — that embarrassment lifted off my shoulders. Instead of a moping session on an oversized couch like it’s often portrayed on TV, therapy was a conversation between me and a thoughtful adult that energized and motivated me to improve my day-to-day life.

Instead of digging into childhood trauma or labeling me with a diagnosis, my therapist surprisingly focused on current habits that could improve my well being. Without my therapist, I wouldn’t have been able to organize weekly priorities like chores and homework or learning how to prioritize and change my wonky sleep schedule on my own — changes that improved my life by reducing stress instead of chaining my mind to some disorder.

Going to therapy isn’t something to be ashamed of and it isn’t a “last resort” or “giving up” — it’s choosing to better yourself.

Therapy is designed to help with every aspect of life, whether it’s something as benign as feeling down after failing a test or deeper issues like the death of a family member. Therapists are an unbiased outlet that can piece together handling mean girls and generic high school drama.

Having someone to assist with setting goals and help with motivation has been very beneficial for me. My grades, mood and stress levels have improved. It’s like having your own personal cheerleader or coach, helping you get better and cheering you on along the way.

Organizing my week with my therapist, setting priorities and planning my week has made my C’s turned into A’s and I can finish a homework assignment without needing to take 15 TikTok breaks.

I’ve always thought, “There’s people that need it more than I do” and “My issues aren’t bad enough to need someone to talk to” — all of which is untrue. The embarrassment of telling people I go to therapy used to weigh down on me. Everyone’s problems are valid and you can’t compare yours to other people.

Therapists also ease the stress of high school. The United States ranks first as the most stressed country in the world, with 75% of high school students experiencing stress over school alone, according to Cross River Therapy. Pile on pressures from family, friends and extracurriculars, and every teen could probably benefit from a session to vent and plan a productive response.