Self diagnosing when to see a therapist without over diagnosing. ​

What makes me the authority? Just a psychology enthusiast who has been a psychology student, read
 some papers on the subject and has experienced distress very recently (and am not embarrassed
about it anymore)

The most common mental health issue is depression. A major mood disorder characterised by loss of
interest, repetitive thoughts, feeling of guilt and embarrassment, excessive crying, crying without reason
 and undermining one’s self worth. It is worth mentioning that if you feel you’re depressed due to an
external circumstance it is just situational depression.

But if you feel that you’ve been in a state of permanent melancholy for a long period and find it difficult
 to open up to even your near and dear ones, you probably might want to see a therapist.

Now it is not easy to be decisive since you’re apprehensive of opening up because you feel that these
thoughts are stupid and embarrassing. There’s also a lack of resolve to get out of the stage, but hey,
you need to make the decision before problems escalate.

My experience was pretty much that. I became over cautious thinking that what I’m feeling is actually
 self pity and therefore it mustn’t be revealed to anybody including my near and dear ones because I
was apprehensive that they might lose interest in me and I’d be reduced to someone who is sad. I was
guilty of being sad even though I possessed skills and things that other people would aspire for their
happiness. So I went harsh on myself, I pretended to be happy in front of others and forced myself to
be happy. On other days, conversely, I would conversely reinforce my sadness to bring out desired result
s which was even more dangerous (it’s also my theory about the band imagine dragons, think about it).
 I wasn’t decisive about seeing a therapist. I’d cancel appointments, not turn up for my appointment. It
took me about 2 months to make this decision. Also, I had this theory that the idea of a paid confidant
(a therapist) is what reinforces capitalism and is therefore is brutal. But little did I realise that they are
the people when those in distress believe that the world wants to avoid sad people.

But here’s a caveat when you approach a therapist, your problems will not disappear in a jiffy, it’s no
magic. It takes time. It requires efforts from both sides. The therapist is no one to make decisions for
you. Rather, the aim is to make you self sufficient. And to make you realise that this too shall pass.
At the end of the day, sad is what you were and not who you are.

​