The miracles of therapy are not something all people believe in. Yet, it’s gaining popularity, and its effectiveness shouldn’t be underestimated. In general, working with a professional therapist is the way to get rid of the bad habits of our emotional lives. Sometimes, even ordinary bad habits like smoking can be overcome with its help.
Today, we’ll talk about a more specific area: going to therapy for the sake of getting through your college period. This one can be the toughest since it has more influence on our future. Therefore, many people struggle through these years. So, here are the five study-related challenges therapy can help you withstand.
Set priorities
Perfectionism and the desire to manage numerous things at a time is a side-effect of modern times. The truth is, very few people end up succeeding in these. Sooner or later, both physical and emotional resources get drained out, and you have no other options but to prioritise.
The trick is to do this before burnout comes in. Therapy is one of those unique experiences that help you stop caring about minor things. It’ll help you recognize they don’t really decide your whole fate even when it seems like they do. That’s exactly what enables you to focus on the most important areas of your life. In fact, there is a certain magic in figuring out your priorities. As soon as you do it, you put your mind at ease, and all the secondary issues and chores get solved just like that.
For instance, you may pull all-nighters to keep up with all the written assignments and get lost in them eventually. In turn, you’re never filled with energy. You’re half-awake, tired, and not really cheerful or ready to face even some minor problems. Or, you may choose the most important subjects you need to take care of, hire an essay writing helper, and concentrate on what matters. The choice is yours anyway, but therapy will help you make peace with your decision and not regret it in the end.
Separate reasonable worries from overblown ones
All the problems surrounding us will never disappear for good. It’s a rule of being a human: to grapple with challenges regularly. Yet, due to various factors, some people tend to overreact and exaggerate the seriousness of some situations.
For instance, being late to a class taught by a strict teacher shouldn’t make you as anxious as when you’re late for a plane that could take you away from someone who wants to kill you. In this life, you’ll meet all kinds of people, and the truth is, most of them are approachable. Even if they snap at you or anyone else, it doesn’t mean you need to internalize.
Concentrating on important things will become easier as soon as you learn how to ‘duck’ attacks and stay cool even if you fail at something. Instead of panicking because the teacher looked at you angrily, you will be focused on the lesson material.
Remind you about your initial goal
Many of us are highly motivated when it comes to starting a new hobby, going to a new place, creating something from scratch, and so on. The sad fact is that demotivating forces are not asleep and always try to take us down. The inspiring fact is that you can exercise your mind, just like the body in a gym.
Working with a therapist helps put aside all those doubts and fears and clear the path towards your initial goal you may even forget about at some point. Yet, putting it at the forefront again is crucial. That is the strongest motivating force that will help you move forward.
Solve personal issues
Too often, problems with studies result not from lack of knowledge but from the inability to concentrate because of private matters. Whether it’s a quarrel with somebody or a long-lasting strenuous relationship, it can’t but bother anybody and, thus, influence their attention.
Also, personal issues are capable of distracting one from their true aspirations. The involved emotions can cast aside your desire to learn, make achievements, and develop. Therefore, the motivation to do any of those things may simply disappear and be replaced with depression.
That’s why it’s important to discuss your worries with a professional on time. Otherwise, they will inflate and develop into neuroses, lack of confidence, extreme restraint, and even uncontrolled aggression.
Just as in the point above, therapy may help you with improving your sociability. Of course, no one will try to convert you to extroverts by force. However, it can ‘unlock’ your fears and teach you to approach people when you feel alone. It’s an important skill that helps one get through challenges.
It’s even more important to communicate with your classmates who are in the same boat as you. Whenever you feel tired or demotivated to make an effort in a subject or an assignment, even a small conversation will do. You will know or remember that you’re not alone in this. Sometimes, even knowing it helps a lot to move on.
Takeaway
The points listed above are not even nearly exhaustive. Yet, they touch upon the most important aspects and issues one has to face during studies:
- Lack of motivation
- Lack of emotional and physical resources
- Poor social skills
- Personal troubles that can distract one from anything
All of these therapy can help with! We hope that this article was quite reassuring and will nudge you to take the first step towards changes.
David Tobin did his degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. He is interested in mental health and well-being.
