How do I decide if I need to see a counselor?

There are times in our life when we might need help making sense of issues or problems that make us feel overwhelmed. A trained mental health professional is able to offer a caring, non-judgemental atmosphere where you might be able to explore, process and deal with your situation or issues. People often seek help to deal with a variety of problems like anxiety, panic attacks,depression, hearing voices, difficulty managing anger, academic problems, relationship difficulties including but not limited to domestic violence, eating disorders, job or school related stress, adapting to a new environment, bereavement, sexual, physical or emotional abuse, coping with physical illness etc.

It is time to seek professional help when:

a) your problem is affecting your day to day activities,
b) you are feeling depressed or sad most days,
c) you cannot sleep at night on a regular basis,
d) you are finding it increasingly difficult to get along with people,
e) your school work is suffering because you cannot focus or concentrate,
f) you feel anxious most of the time or have panic attacks
g) you have intrusive thoughts you cannot get rid of,
h) you are hearing voices,
i) you entertain thoughts of hurting yourself or ending your life,
j) you have unexplained medical/physical problems that are bothering you,
k) you have trouble making decisions, etc..