Walking Into A Therapist's Office Feels Like Admitting Defeat | It Isn't | Episode 520

Walking into therapy can feel like you’re admitting defeat. Taking medication can feel like you’re “not strong enough.” We reject that story and tell the truth: getting mental health help has real emotions attached to it, and those emotions change over time. Justin Alan Hayes shares a raw, personal look at what it feels like to go from avoiding support to relying on it, including the early shame, the fear of the unknown, and the relief that comes when you finally stop carrying everything alone.We also dig into sobriety and the kind of temptation nobody applauds. Justin describes going years without alcohol after a past of weekend binge drinking, then facing the alcohol aisle again and again at the grocery store. It’s a simple moment that can still be a battle, and we talk about why that quiet restraint is courage. If you care about addiction recovery, staying sober, relapse prevention, and reducing mental health stigma, this conversation keeps it real without turning it into a lecture.We close with the practical emotional arc of support: how therapy can feel before, during, and after a session, how psychiatry and diagnosis updates fit in, and why medication changes often don’t feel good at first even when they’re necessary. The big takeaway is learning to give yourself credit for showing up, for staying clear-headed, and for stacking small wins into a life that feels steadier.Subscribe for more honest conversations on mental health, trauma, and recovery, and if this helped you, share it with a friend and leave a review so more people can find it.*Donate Today: LoveVoices.org, CashApp and Venmo**Find our book here:Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AWPublisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgbInstagram: @voicesforvoicesTikTok: @voices_for_voices_22Facebook: Voices for Voices*Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible.Chapter Markers0:00 Welcome And Quick Support Request2:20 Naming The Feelings Behind Help6:40 Shame, Fear, And Starting Therapy8:05 Sobriety And Temptation In Plain Sight14:40 What Therapy And Psychiatry Feel Like20:27 When Help Doesn’t Feel Good22:05 Giving Yourself Credit For Restraint27:24 Closing Thanks And Final Ask#WellnessJourney #TherapyTalk #HelpAndSupport #MentalWellness #FeelingsMatter #AskForHelp #OvercomingStruggles #CopingStrategies #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode520Support the show