Talk therapy is one of the easiest ways to get help for a wide range of mental health problems. What is talk therapy, though, and how can it help you?
This blog post will take the mystery out of the NHS talking therapy service by showing you how it works and how to get in touch with it.
What does Talk Therapy mean?
In talk therapy, a person works through their thoughts, feelings, and actions with the help of a trained therapist. The goal is to find out what causes emotional or mental problems, come up with ways to deal with them, and promote good mental health.
Talk therapy is different from just telling friends or family about your problems because it is an organized and private space where a therapist can guide the conversation in ways that help you understand better and find long-term answers. Depending on the person’s wants and the type of mental illness they have, the treatment can look different.
What does it give you?
Through the IAPT program, the NHS provides free talking treatments to help people deal with common mental health problems.
The service has made mental health help easier to get since it started in 2008. Its goal is to treat millions of people every year.
The NHS talking therapy service gives different kinds of treatment based on each person’s unique mental health needs. Some examples are:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Counseling for Depression
- Guided Self-Help
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Who can get help from Talking Therapy on the NHS?
The NHS talking therapy service is meant to help people whose mental health is getting in the way of their daily lives.
You can get help from talk therapy if you’re having a hard time with worry or depression, dealing with too much stress at work, or having a hard time handling a big event in your life. On top of that, it can help you use the good things about your neurodiversity, like having ADHD or Autism.
This list shows some of the problems that the NHS talking therapy service can help with:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Trauma
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Panic Disorders
How do I get to Talking Therapy through the NHS?
The NHS’s talking treatment service is free and easy for many people to use. This is how you can get to it:
Self-referral: You can use the service without a recommendation from your doctor. You can refer yourself by going to the NHS website’s IAPT area, choosing a service near you, and filling out a self-referral form over the phone or online.
GP Referral: If you feel more comfortable talking to your doctor first, they can also send you to someone else. During your visit, your doctor will look at your mental health needs and help you decide what to do next.
What you can expect from Talking Therapy on the NHS
You should feel nervous before going to therapy, especially if it’s your first time. But it’s important to remember that therapy is a safe place where you can talk about your problems and feelings with a trained professional who is there to assist you.
Your therapist will help you talk about your feelings and thoughts during therapy meetings. This will help you learn more about your mental health and come up with useful ways to deal with it. Anything you say to your therapist during meetings stays private unless there is a chance that it could hurt you or someone else.
It will depend on your specific needs and goals how many lessons you’ll need. Some people may feel better after just a few meetings, but others may need more time in therapy to really get better.
Why early action is important
It’s important to get help as soon as possible if you’re feeling stressed, nervous, or consistently low. Not getting treatment for mental health problems can make them worse over time, but with the right help, a lot of people feel much better.