Are we too dependent on therapy?
Dr. Caroline Leaf
Neuroscientist, Mental Health Advocate, Public Speaker, Neurocycle? Creator, Author of Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess
In a recent podcast (episode #548), I talked about what happens when we develop an over-reliance on therapy, and how this can potentially affect our ability to work on our coping skills and self-reliance.?
I am not saying to stop therapy. It can be an incredibly helpful mental health resource, as I have mentioned multiple times in my podcasts and blogs. However, like all things in life, it is important to stress the need for balance, especially when we come to rely on therapy as our only coping mechanism instead of using therapy to develop self-regulation and self-reliance, or what many refer to as an “internal locus of control”. In other words, therapy is a great source of external support to help us increase our self-reliance as we learn, grow and heal; it is not something that replaces this need for an internal locus of control.?
One of the best books I have read on this topic is called One Nation Under Therapy by Christina Hoff Sommers and Sally Satel. They do a great job outlining what happens when we use therapy to replace our need to develop our own coping skills and mechanisms. They also highlight the fact that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and discuss in detail what happens when we develop an overreliance on therapy and experts. ??
When it comes to therapy, there are some important factors we all need to consider, as Satel and Sommers also talk about in their book:?
Here are some signs that you may be over-relying on therapy:?
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If you feel this is you, don’t panic! Therapy and experts can be valuable resources for addressing mental health issues, but they should be considered as part of a broader strategy for wellbeing. The great news is that it is never too late to start learning and developing your self-reliance. The key thing to remember is that it's essential to strike a balance between seeking professional help when needed and developing your personal resilience, self-awareness, and self-care strategies.
Of course, each person's journey to mental wellbeing is incredibly unique, and yours may involve a combination of approaches tailored to your individual circumstances and needs. Be open to exploring different mental health approaches, and try to be adaptable. Sometimes, what you needed yesterday is not the same as what you may need today. This is what I did in my own practice in South Africa, and why I have dedicated the past 38 years to understanding how we as humans can understand our mind and develop our self-reliance and self-regulation and deal with the challenges of life (from the minor day-to-day struggles to the bad habits we develop and the traumas we experience).?This is the foundation of my 5-step Neurocycle mind management method I discuss in my blogs and podcasts , and current research .?
And remember, the more we learn how to manage our minds, the more insight we will have into when and what supportive help we need, so trust yourself and what you need—you are amazing!?