I believe I have been depressed for years and during high school, it never really affected my schoolwork other than major procrastination issues but I was always able to get good grades without working hard. Now that I’m in college, hard work is necessary to do well, and I can’t make myself do it. Just the idea of starting to do work is dreadful for me, but for the most part I’m able to put out the minimum amount of effort needed. I have been told and am fully aware of what I need to do and what I should do in order to do well in school (making to-do lists, reward systems, etc.) but when I try something out, I’m unable to finish what I start. I’ve never gone to a therapist before because the idea of talking about my mental condition gives me anxiety to the point of panic attacks, but now I’m starting to think that might be the key to fixing my problems. Even today, I almost made myself go to the free therapy offered at my school but right when I got to the door I bolted. Is there any way I could fix my problems myself or is therapy the only way?
You believe that you have depression and have struggled with it since high school. Because you continue to experience depression, it seems that counseling is the best choice for you.
There’s no reason to fear counseling. The goal of counseling is to improve the quality of your life. It will not hurt you; it can only help you.
People often fear things they don’t understand. There is no preparation necessary to see a therapist. You simply go in and talk about what’s bothering you. Your first session will involve the therapist collecting an extensive psychosocial history. At the end of session, the therapist will give you an impression about what he or she thinks is wrong and their plan for how to fix it. It may seem intimidating but it’s not.
You nearly made it to counseling but fear stopped you. Your fears are irrational. Utilize the free help at your university. If not, you will continue to suffer and that will only make your life more difficult.
You have a choice: utilize the free help offered by your university and improve the quality of your life or continue to remain depressed.
Don’t let your fears stop you from being happy and successful in life. Please take care.
Dr. Kristina Randle
