Ask Jigsaw: Are my feelings enough to get help?

Friday, 23 October 2020

I have been feeling low and my days seem to mesh together. I have been to a doctor and it wasn’t much help. I feel like my feelings aren’t severe enough for me to get help.

However I’m really struggling and feel like life is extremely difficult to live. I would just like to know if it is normal to feel like I’m over exaggerating what I’m feeling, and if I’m invalidating others that have severe mental health issues

-Hi

Hi,

We hear from a lot of young people who feel their difficulties aren’t significant enough to get support. “It could always be worse” they tell themselves to try and push through.

Linda

Jigsaw clinician

While we may not have the same struggles as someone else, it doesn’t necessarily mean that our lives are any easier.

The reality is that mental health doesn’t work like this. While we may not have the same struggles as someone else, it doesn’t necessarily mean that our lives are any easier.

It can be helpful to gain perspective, by reminding ourselves of what we are grateful for. However, it’s not useful to undermine our problems because others might have worse. This can add guilt to the already heavy feelings of low mood.

Getting Support

All that we know is our own experience. If you’re not feeling yourself, then you are right to get help. Although it’s never too late, the best time to get support is when we first notice a change in our mood, or motivation. That way, we can begin to make changes, so that our mental health gets better, rather than worse.

Linda

Jigsaw clinician

Although it's not always easy to be honest about our feelings, chatting through our experience can make us feel less alone.

Speaking to someone you trust, like a family member or friend, can create solid support to move forward. Although it’s not always easy to be honest about our feelings, chatting through our experience can make us feel less alone. Having the courage to be vulnerable is worth it.

The GP is a good place to start if you choose to look at professional supports available. I’m sorry to hear that your visit wasn’t helpful. There is always the option to choose another GP, and to find the fit that’s right for you. There are some supports that you can access without visiting the GP. Click here for services for over 18’s and here for services for under 18’s.

You might also like to come on to our Jigsaw Live Chat, where you can talk to the Jigsaw Online team via webchat about what is going on for you and different ways to manage it.

You absolutely deserve to get support with feeling better.

Take care,

Linda

Jigsaw clinician