Results found that trouble sleeping, bad focus, short temper, and poor eating habits all made it on the top five ways people’s stress gets the better of them.
Three in 10 admitted that they’re more prone to crying when stressed and there’s definitely some preferred places for letting a few tears leak out.
This includes 53% crying in their car, while two in five have cried at a family event, and 34% have cried at their job.
Walking down the street and the shops rounded out the other most common places people have cried.
Still, for all this stress, three in four Americans feel there’s still a stigma surrounding mental health and therapy — even though 36% would like to attend regular therapy sessions.
The stigma shrouding therapy might be due to some outdated assumptions people have about it.
One in two think therapy is all about discussing one’s childhood. Other respondents admitted they think patients have to lay on a couch or talk to someone who looks like a ‘professor’.
But this is not true – therapy comes in all shapes and sizes and you can find a therapist who suits exactly your needs if you do your research.
This includes a therapist who is cost-effective – another worry of people wanting therapy, with half of the people in the study saying high costs had prevented them from exploring it any further.
Founder and BetterHelp CEO Alon Matas said: ‘A lot of people think that therapy is all about wading through deep-rooted trauma. While it certainly can be, there is a lot of benefit to consulting with a counsellor on a regular basis about daily stressors.
‘It takes a lot of courage for people to reach out and get help. Often people find that traditional therapy can be prohibitively expensive, difficult to access, and hard to schedule.’
Other common reasons people gave for not seeking out a therapist included not having enough time and not knowing how to find a therapist.
One in four didn’t think their troubles were ‘serious enough’ to warrant talking to someone. Heartbreakingly, about a quarter of people struggled with feeling embarrassed and didn’t want anyone else to find out if they went to a therapist.
Despite all of these concerns, 54% of respondents wished they had attended therapy at some point in their life.
The most frequent experiences that people regret not getting professional help for were: grieving the passing of a loved one, feeling depressed, financial struggles, a breakup, and a traumatic experience.
Alon added: ‘Regular counselling can be a gamechanger for a lot of people in improving and maintaining their mental health. Having someone in your corner who is there to help you with life’s challenges can make a world of difference.’
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The Fix
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