When you aren’t feeling well, maybe you think you sprained your ankle, have a cold or something feels off, often you go to a doctor for a checkup. 

This is pretty common and no one would blink an eye if you tell them you are going to a doctor’s appointment for these reasons. 

But since you get checked up when you aren’t feeling well physically, why is there such a taboo about going to get a checkup when you aren’t feeling well mentally?

Being healthy doesn’t just mean your physical health. There are so many different aspects when it comes to looking at health holistically: physical, mental, spiritual and social health are all important.

Talking about mental health and mental health resources is so important, but so many people just shove it under the rug because it feels uncomfortable to talk about. But because it can be hard to talk about sometimes makes it all the more important to talk about it, as it isn’t talked about enough. 

Over the past year and a half I have seen a few different therapists and once I started talking about it to my friends, I realized how many of my friends at one point or another have seen someone because they needed someone to talk to. I thought I was so “messed up” because I was seeing a therapist biweekly, but it turns out it was way more normal that I thought. 

If I had known how many people in my life see a therapist of some kind, I probably would have reached out for help earlier.

But even when I’m having a good few weeks when it comes to my mental health, I don’t cancel my appointment that I have scheduled. I have found that I just do better in all aspects of my life when I have someone to talk to who will 100 percent listen to me and give me an outside perspective that is often much needed to ground me.

There are many resources on campus and in Ames that provide mental health services. A great place to start is Student Counseling Services on the third floor of the Student Services building. They will work with you to figure out the best plan for you and are here to help us as students.

Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all model. There are many different options such as one-on-one sessions, group sessions and workshops. If you try something and don’t think it’s doing anything for you, make sure you bring it up with your therapist or primary care provider. You’re also also more than entitled to switch therapists if you don’t quite fit with one. You’re working to better yourself, and what works for you is most important.

It’s OK to ask for help, and while it may seem scary, it might have a bigger impact on you than you think. Asking for help is the hardest part, but it is worth it.

Let’s normalize the conversation about therapy and mental health. Support your friends and most importantly support yourself. You’re not “weak” or “weird” if you seek out mental health resources, in fact, you are quite the opposite. It takes strength to reach out, and the stigma is fading around therapy with our generation. 

While this column is quite personal to write and was a bit difficult to put out into the world, I hope I can help start that conversation for someone about therapy or mental health resources.