5 Life-Changing Benefits of Talking Therapy | Foxholes Care Home
Have you been feeling stressed or anxious lately?
Most of us feel stress in our lifetime – whether that’s stress in anticipation of an important exam or a huge life event. It’s completely normal to experience this feeling, and there are a number of coping mechanisms we can use to tackle it head-on – including the life-changing benefits of talking therapy.
For many, talking therapy is an incredibly effective way of addressing repressed emotions and bringing them to the surface, before looking at them rationally – rather than under a state of panic.
Whilst some people like to open up to their friends and family, others feel more comfortable talking to someone they don’t know – such as a therapist. It doesn’t really matter which option you choose – as long as it’s right for you.
At Foxholes, we’re passionate about maximising socialising opportunities for our staff and residents. From the launch of our Gentleman’s lunch club to weekly interactive activities, such as arts & crafts and exercise classes, we love seeing the smiles that appear on our residents’ faces after a bit of like-minded chatter.
Keep reading to discover 5 life-changing benefits of talking therapy:
You’ll Be Better Prepared For Life’s Unexpected Events
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that life really can throw unexpected curveballs our way – no matter how prepared, or unprepared, we may feel.
Talking to and connecting with others during this time will help you realise that you’re not alone. Often, when we experience a traumatic life event, our perception can be distorted by panic. Speaking with others, however, will help you gain a fresh outlook and – in turn – allow you to return to more rational ways of thinking, putting you in a better position to make important decisions.
Learning to adopt the perspective of others, when needed, is a great way to avoid intense panic, stress and anxiety – particularly when an unexpected life event comes your way.
The Life-Changing Benefits of Talking Therapy: You’ll Learn More About Yourself and Others Around You
Verbally expressing our thoughts and feelings can often serve to teach us more about ourselves. It’s an effective way to consciously recognise what’s going on beneath the surface and may help you understand your personal triggers when it comes to stressful situations.
Addressing and acknowledging these triggers is an important first step to positive change. Once you’re aware of how your body reacts to certain situations, you can put the necessary coping mechanisms in place to help you better handle it. For example, if you know that high-energy environments are a particular trigger for you, and you suddenly find yourself in this situation, you can separate yourself from your initial response and remind yourself to engage in some deep, conscious breathing.
Confiding in someone else, and listening to their advice, can help you to see life through their eyes. When you’ve experienced this a few times, you can start to better understand and empathise with those around you. Everybody experiences stress in different ways – and the more we can come to appreciate this, the more comfortable we’ll feel when speaking with others.
Eliminate Self Doubt
Self doubt is one of the most common defence mechanisms that many of us adopt, and often comes into full force when we approach an activity that falls outside of our comfort zone.
It’s one of the largest obstacles that can stop us from reaching where we want to be – but unfortunately, for many of us, we fail to acknowledge the real reasons behind our hesitation – and this can often prevent us from achieving our goals.
For many of us, self-doubt disguises itself as a voice that tells us we can’t achieve something. So, the first step is to realise when that voice is stopping you from doing something you really want to do. Is it that you physically can’t do it, or is that just something you’re telling yourself?
You’ll Learn Techniques For Self Reflection
Since we naturally take a first-person view of the world, it can be hard to remember that every now and then, it’s important to take some time for self-reflection.
Take a few minutes to think about whether you feel happy and fulfilled in your life. If not, what can you change? Is your perspective on life affecting your experiences, or do you need to allow yourself more opportunities to open your mind to more possibilities?
Talking to someone about your true feelings, whether that’s a friend or a professional, encourages you to verbalise – and thus consciously acknowledge – your deep-rooted thoughts, which you may not have otherwise done.
Develop Strategies For Helping Others
As previously mentioned, talking to those closest to you – particularly people you trust – will help you to see your life from other perspectives. Not only that, you’ll learn more about their personal viewpoints – and if the tables ever turn, you’ll be in a better position to return the favour.
Similarly, talking to a professional will, over time, subconsciously equip you with the tools you need to cope with your own struggles – and eventually those of others.
No matter how you’re feeling; whether you’re sad, confused, overwhelmed or even joyful, bringing your emotions to the surface will help your body to acknowledge and cope with them in a more rational way.
Since the onset of lockdown, many people have struggled with a variety of mental health issues. If that sounds familiar to you, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and speak to someone who can help you. See the NHS website for an A-Z list of mental health helplines if you think it could help you, or someone you know.
At Foxholes, we’re passionate about making sure our staff, residents, relatives and community always feel that they can have someone friendly and compassionate to talk to. If you’d like to find out more about our care, don’t hesitate to browse our website or contact a member of our team.
Alternatively, if you’d like some top tips on how you can better take care of your health and wellbeing, take a look at our previous blog post.