The simple answer is yes, you need therapy. But so do I, as well as everyone else. Everyone needs therapy. Asking yourself the question, ‘Do I need therapy?’ is one of the first steps towards a life of peace, purpose, and meaning. It is also one of the first steps towards acknowledging and accepting how fucked up the world is and in turn how such a world is impacting us.

When you look closely at most religions, philosophical traditions, styles of psychological therapies, and even healthy friendship groups, you see that they all share the common feature of talking as a form of healing. The confessional, the therapist’s couch, the shared introspections, and the long phone calls all seem to serve the same core function: they act as an outlet, a way to let go of our troubles, a springboard for our ideas, or just an opportunity to process the complexities of life. There are of course differences in the beliefs, practices, and surrounding doctrine, but the practical reality is that healing comes when we talk.

I am not in a good way right now. My social anxiety is through the roof, I am struggling to look people in the eye, and I am having panic attacks while shopping. I find myself staring at a blank wall, for minutes on end, attempting to decompress from even the most mundane interactions or setbacks.

Why writing a web comic is harder than writing about trauma

I write down what was discussed, and any advice given. I do not want to leave the session and forget what was covered. I am paying for it after all, with my time, money, and mental state…

During therapy, I take notes.

I write down what was discussed, and any advice given. I do not want to leave the session and forget what was covered. I am paying for it after all, with my time, money, and mental state.

I moved out of home young in an attempt to escape the neglect and the perpetual fear that comes from having a drug dealer for a father. To survive, I lived off charity, government handouts, and part time work to get me through high school.