Do I Need Therapy

How to know if therapy is needed?

Step 1: Determine if there is a normal stress response.

Reflect on all areas of functional impairment, the emotional response, and whether a “Bubble Boy Scenario” exists. Please read the post named: Am I normal? to learn these concepts. Normal function is defined as having a normal emotional reaction, functioning well in all areas, and having a balanced life that is not a “bubble”. It is important to understand that this definition of normal holds true with, or without an identified event occurring recently.

If all are normal and the lifestyle of the teen is average/balanced, then you do not need therapy. Generally this would be a situation in which someone would feel run down, or overworked. Starting self care may be needed to help cope. Go to the Blog Post: How to make a self care routine link to learn more about self care routines.

Step 2: Determine the severity of your dysfunction.

Risk of developing a mood disorder occurs when emotional responses are not normal, and there are 1-2 areas of mild functional impairment. This points to someone who is no longer just “stressed or overwhelmed.” This person actually likely has the onset of a mild mood concern if their emotional response and function is off for longer than a 2 week period. Remember all humans can have some mild upset after 2 weeks, but they should bounce back to normal functioning by the end of 2 weeks in a normal stress response. THAT’S RIGHT ONLY 2 WEEKS. I suggest starting with mandatory self care here because a fair amount of people can pull themselves out of this funk. Mandatory self care should fix the situation slowly over time in about 8-12 weeks. If someone is not showing improvement by 2-3 months of doing self care and lifestyle changes, they will likely not improve. They have a mild mood disorder.

Do Mandatory Self Care if:

1. Emotional responses are not normal, and
2. One to two areas of mild functional impairment.

A mood disorder is highly likely in 2 situations. First scenario occurs when self care failed to improve symptoms in 2-3 months. The second occurs when emotional responses are not normal, and there is functional impairment in 2-3 areas, or one area of severe disfunction. In this case, we gave good effort trying to manage on our own. Now we need an expert to help us learn skills, or help us understand something about ourselves that we are missing. These two scenarios indicate the clear presence of a mood disorder that is closer to the moderate range. Things in general probably have felt off for a while and we are just not ourselves. Some of our normal behaviors have started to change and relationships are impacted by the mood.

Severe functional impairment in an area would be defined by having very few positive interactions or outcomes in that area. For example, there is a loss of stable friendships, grades are now poor, panic attacks developed, the mood is mostly sad/ irritable, or there are frequent arguments with caretakers. Usually mood disorders are felt as a quick sudden change after a series of events that occur “back to back.” Otherwise, there is a slow decline over a few weeks to months that continues to worsen. Therapy is absolutely needed at this point.

Start Therapy if:

1. Mandatory self care did not resolve the concerns by 8-12 weeks, or
2. Emotional responses are not normal, and
3. Two- three areas of mild functional impairment, or one area of severe impairment.

Step 3: Talk to an adult or medical professional

Please remember that this guide is general and should not take the place of medical advice. Instead this information should be used as a step by step thought process to help determine when to get help. Please read the post Am I Normal to make sure you understand the concepts and definitions of normal functioning and normal emotional responses. This information will help you accurately use self reflection as you review this guide. Teens should talk to their caregivers if they feel that therapy is needed. I encourage teens to ask their caregivers to read this information, followed by reviewing the information together. Reviewing this information together may help expose any blind spots or a “Bubble Boy Scenario.”

Caregivers and teens should consider gathering information if they are unsure of impaired functioning in a specific area. This can be done by talking to teachers, reviewing grades, parents asking close friends about their same aged kids, or teens observing how other teens ( not just your friends) spend their time. Next, contact the your primary care physician to discuss needs further. Engaging in self care or therapy, when needed, is the best way to get back to normal. Both will help teens manifest their true potential in the safest and fastest way possible.

Up Next :

Link to Am I normal?

Link Do I Need to Change My Therapist

Do I Need Medications

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