How Do I Know If I Need Therapy? 6 Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

You’ve been tired, but not the kind that sleep fixes.

Maybe you brush it off. Busy season at work, family stuff, not enough daylight. You tell yourself you’ll feel better when the weather changes or when the to-do list shrinks or when life “calms down.”

But it doesn’t. Not really.

What if that low hum of stress, irritability, or numbness isn’t just temporary?

What if it’s a signal that your mental health needs actual care, not just more coffee and willpower?

You don’t need a crisis to need therapy. You just need a moment of honesty with yourself.

Let’s talk about six clear signs that something’s not working, and how therapy can help.

1. You don’t feel like yourself anymore

This one’s subtle. Maybe you can’t quite explain what feels off. You still show up at work. You still get dinner on the table. But there’s a growing space between who you are and how you show up each day.

You might notice:

• You avoid social plans, even the ones you used to look forward to

• You feel numb or flat, even when “good” things happen

• Everything feels heavier than it should

This disconnection often creeps in slowly. It doesn’t always look like tears or panic attacks. Sometimes it’s just waking up and thinking, “I don’t know how to do this again today.”

That’s not laziness or weakness. It’s emotional exhaustion. The kind of exhaustion that mental health therapy can help untangle.

2. You’re snapping at people (or disappearing entirely)

Your patience is thin. You feel irritated more often than not. Small things (a missed text, an offhand comment) light you up. Then comes the guilt. So you pull away. You stop replying. You keep your guard up.

Or maybe you’ve learned to internalize all of it. You look calm, but inside you’re a storm of overthinking, over-explaining, and emotional landmines.

When relationships start to feel harder than usual, when the people you love start to feel like too much or not enough, that’s a sign your nervous system is fried. Therapy isn’t just about you. It’s about helping you re-enter your relationships with more calm and clarity.

3. Your sleep is off and your body is trying to tell you something

This is a big one. Because mental health symptoms often live in the body.

You might notice:

• You’re wired at night, exhausted in the morning

• Your jaw, back,  or shoulders hurt all the time

• You’re getting sick more often

• You rely on screens, food, or substances to unwind

Therapy can help connect the dots between your mind and body. You don’t need to be on edge all the time. You deserve to feel rested: not just physically, but emotionally.

4. You can’t stop overthinking (even when nothing’s technically wrong)

You’ve got a life that “looks fine.” Maybe even great. But you’re caught in mental loops that make it hard to enjoy any of it.

You think:

• Did I say something weird in that conversation?

• What if I mess up this project?

• Why can’t I just be happy?

Your brain runs on what ifs and shoulds. You second-guess yourself constantly. This kind of anxiety can be crushing, especially when it’s invisible to the outside world.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) are two tools we use at HML Wellness Solutions to help break this loop. Not with toxic positivity or vague advice but with clear strategies that you can practice in your real life.

5. You’ve been through something hard (and haven’t processed it)

Maybe it was a motor vehicle accident.

Maybe you lost someone.

Maybe it’s something that shouldn’t have happened, but did.

You might have pushed through it at the time. Kept going. Held it together. And now?

Your body still remembers.

You feel jumpy in crowds.

You avoid certain roads or sounds.

You get emotional for “no reason.”

PTSD doesn’t always look like the movies. Sometimes it looks like constant alertness. Like shutting down when someone raises their voice. Like not being able to rest, ever.

You don’t have to carry trauma alone. Mental health counseling for PTSD in Northern BC is available, and effective. We’ve helped people rebuild trust, in themselves, in the world, one step at a time.

6. You’re surviving, not thriving (and you’re ready for more)

Sometimes, everything is “fine.” Work is manageable. Your home is okay. You’ve got no obvious crisis.

And still... there’s this ache. Like you’re waiting for your real life to start.

You want:

• To feel good in your own skin

• To stop holding your breath all day

• To make decisions without panic or perfectionism

• To enjoy things again

Therapy doesn’t just help people in crisis. It helps people get clearer, calmer, and more grounded. It gives you a space that’s just yours. No interruptions, no judgment, no roles to perform.

At HML Wellness Solutions, we offer affordable therapy services for stress and anxiety in Prince George, both in-person and through online counseling services across BC. We even direct bill to ICBC to make your recovery a little easier.

You don’t need to hit rock bottom.

There’s no quiz score or diagnostic label required to reach out. If you feel off, we take that seriously. If you feel overwhelmed, we don’t judge. If you feel unsure, we start there.

You deserve support before it’s urgent. You deserve tools. You deserve to feel seen.

And most of all? You deserve to feel like yourself again.

Book your session today or take one of our free self-check quizzes.

Let’s figure out what’s next together.