Do I Need Therapy? 15 Signs It’s Time to Talk to Someone

You don’t book therapy because life is perfect. You book because something isn’t shifting on its own. If any of the signs below have been present most days for 2+ weeks (or keep cycling back), therapy is a smart next step—not a last resort.

A quick self-check

If you answer “yes” to 3 or more of these, it’s time to talk to someone:

• Is the way you feel or cope starting to affect work, relationships, or health?

• Have you tried the usual fixes (sleep, exercise, “being positive”) with little change?

• Are you repeating the same patterns—even when you know they’re not good for you?

1) A consistently low mood you can’t shake

Not just a bad day—weeks of feeling flat, numb, or down. You’ve lost your “baseline” and can’t find it again.

2) Anxiety that dictates your choices

Worry, restlessness, racing thoughts, tight chest, stomach issues, or avoidance that stops you doing normal things (emails, social plans, flights, meetings).

3) Sleep or appetite changes

Struggling to fall asleep, early waking, oversleeping, or using food/alcohol to cope. When the body changes its rhythms, it’s signaling overload.

4) You keep choosing the same relationship patterns

Attracted to the same type, stuck in push–pull dynamics, scared of intimacy, or tolerating red flags. Therapy helps you see the pattern and rewire it.

5) Irritability, anger, or emotional snap

Snapping at small things, simmering resentment, or explosive arguments. Often a sign of unprocessed stress or boundaries being crossed.

6) Loss of interest or motivation

Things that used to feel rewarding now feel pointless. You’re dragging yourself through tasks and saying “I’ll start tomorrow” on repeat.

7) Burnout or chronic stress

You’re permanently “on.” Even rest feels like work. Headaches, tension, brain fog, and a short fuse are common tells.

8) Grief that isn’t moving

A death, breakup, or major loss that still feels raw months later—like it just happened. Therapy gives grief a path instead of a loop.

9) Trauma echoes: triggers, flashbacks, or hypervigilance

You jump at sounds, scan for danger, or avoid reminders. You’re safe, but the body hasn’t got the memo yet.

10) Panic or frequent physical anxiety

Racing heart, dizziness, tingling, “I’m about to pass out”—especially when medical checks are clear. Therapy teaches the body to stand down.

11) Coping by numbing

Scrolling, workaholism, porn, alcohol, food, gambling, or casual hookups to escape feelings. Numbing works—until it quietly runs your life.

12) Shame, self-criticism, or stuck decision-making

The inner voice is harsh (“I’m not enough”) and choices feel paralyzing. Therapy helps you build a sane inner narrator and momentum.

13) Big life transitions

New country, new job, baby, divorce, illness, or caregiving. Even “good” changes overload the nervous system; support prevents spirals.

14) Boundary problems & people-pleasing

You say yes when you mean no, feel guilty resting, or carry others’ emotions. Boundaries aren’t rudeness—they’re respect.

15) “Functioning” but disconnected

You’re performing well but feel empty, lonely, or like you’re living someone else’s life. Therapy reconnects you to meaning and direction.

What therapy actually does (practically)

• Stabilises the body: Breathwork, grounding, behaviour tweaks so symptoms stop running the day.

• Explains the pattern: You’ll see why this keeps happening (attachment, beliefs, nervous system).

• Builds new habits & scripts: Clear tools for anxiety, boundaries, sleep, conversations, and relapse prevention.

• Heals the original wound (when relevant): Trauma processing (e.g., EMDR/IFS/somatic) so triggers lose their power.

What to expect in Session One at AWKN

• Goals: What needs to change first (sleep by 11pm, stop panic in meetings, stop texting the ex, etc.).

• Fit check: Your therapist’s style, culture/language fit, and method match your goals.

• Plan: Frequency, approach (CBT/IFS/EMDR/somatic), skills to start this week, and how we’ll measure progress.

How long until you feel better?

Many people feel relief after 1–3 sessions (clarity + tools). Deeper change takes longer, but you’ll have a direction and a plan immediately.

When to act now (not later)

• Thoughts of self-harm, harming others, or you feel unsafe—seek urgent help from local emergency services.

• You’re losing work, relationships, or health to coping behaviours.

• You’re waiting for “the perfect time.” It doesn’t exist. Start while it’s manageable.

Bottom line

If you recognised yourself in several of these, you don’t need to “be worse” to earn help. Therapy isn’t a last resort—it’s a smart accelerator.

If you’re interested, we’re offering 50% off your first session at just 375 AED—so you have a low-barrier entry to therapy.