Getting Help, One Step at a Time

Image by Dan Meyers

This past year has been a rollercoaster for my mental health. There have been many ups and downs as I’ve gone through three semesters at home, continued working throughout the pandemic, and struggled with personal mental health issues that have felt debilitating at times. I know I’m not alone in feeling stuck and confused when it comes to how to best handle these feelings, and I also know I’m not the only one who finds it difficult to make the first step toward getting better. 

The thought of getting help often feels like this terrifying bridge that’s impossible to cross. I want to get to the other side, but there’s so much effort in moving forward and out of the current state my mental health has been in. Many of us can relate to feeling unmotivated, anxious, stuck, or just sad, and when you’re trapped in this state of depression it doesn’t ever feel like things will get better. I understand the fears that come from trying to find helpful resources and actually doing something with them. But as much as I know things can be scary, I also know that with help, things will get so much better. 

Getting a bit personal, recently I’ve been searching for a therapist. So far, I’ve found this process to be quite difficult, as following through and remaining willing to opening up to someone about my thoughts isn’t easy for me. Sometimes it feels like I won’t be understood. Other times getting help feels like a waste of time and I think, “How helpful can just talking to some random person really be?” It’s this strange crossroad of wanting to get better, but not wanting to do anything about it.   

If you’re like me, you may need a push in the right direction. Some therapy programs in the past have told me I struggle with following through. I’ll reach out to therapists and plan to “really get better this time,” and then the second someone gets back to me, I’ve lost the momentum. There’s no energy left to push me toward getting help, and I stay stuck in my current mental state. I’ve opened up about these difficulties with some friends, and I’m so lucky to have a support system who cares about me as much as they do. They’ve given me some helpful resources and ideas on how to get past these mental and emotional barriers that keep me here. I’ve been trying to pick myself up and take advantage of the opportunities they have presented me with.

With that being said, here are a few resources I’ve found along the way that I want to share. 

A good friend of mine introduced me to a mental wellness program called AbleTo. AbleTo is an eight week therapy and life coach program that provides each client with a therapist and behavioral coach. You meet once a week with your counselors, and I consider it a really easy way to ease yourself into therapy. Each meeting is virtual or over the phone, and they work closely with you in a number of areas including depression and anxiety. AbleTo is covered by many insurance plans, and on their website, you can determine if your insurance plan covers the program before applying.

I participated in the program last fall and it felt great to have a short phone call each week with someone who listened and provided me with helpful tips regarding my mental health. Rather than a therapist, I considered my counselors to be friends who gently pushed me in the ways I needed. 

My old counselor recently reached out to me after a few months to see how I’ve been doing, and although I’m no longer eligible for the program, they have been working closely with me on following through and finding a more permanent program and case manager. My counselor has even begun assisting me with “soft connections” during my therapist search, and this added push has forced me to finally take my mental health seriously. 

Another resource I tend to overlook is my school’s counseling services. Most colleges offer mental health resources through counselors and other mental health accommodations if you do try to find them. My counselor mentioned this as an important resource, as they are readily available for college students. While college counseling programs are often used for short-term help, they are a great first step toward finding help and often work with you to take more permanent next steps, like a therapist or a psychiatrist if needed. 

I’ve found that the best way to seek help is to find resources that will ease you into the process and act almost as a guide, like AbleTo or most schools would do. Rather than being thrown into the process alone, it’s important to find guiding resources and a strong support system to be there when things get scary. 

Hopefully these few resources I’ve provided can help you branch out and find what’s best for you on your mental health journey. 

By Maddy Fink

Journalism major and avid baker. Lover of yoga and a very dedicated plant mom.