I think it was around my third year of university when I found out about a free counseling service for university students. I decided to talk to them about my social anxiety.
I never went to counseling or a psychiatrist during high school.
I remember considering using these services during my year of studying for university entrance exams, but I didn’t go through with it.
So, the university service was the first counseling I ever received.
At that time, my social anxiety, anxiety, depression, and feelings of inferiority had worsened considerably.
When I researched counseling in books, it was explained that “the counselor passively listens to the client, and the client finds peace of mind, organizes their thoughts, and moves closer to a solution.” However, at the time, even though I talked about my symptoms and problems, it didn’t help at all in reducing or resolving them.
I desperately wanted to be cured of these symptoms, to be told how to cure them, but talking to someone had no effect. Also, at one point, a counselor said something to me like, “Don’t you actually have no interest in other people at all? All you ever talk about is your own anxieties, and you never talk about other people.” My pride was hurt, I was offended, and I stopped receiving counseling after that.
Looking back now, I understand there was some meaning in what the counselor said, but at the time, it wasn’t appropriate for a young person struggling with anxiety (formerly neurosis), where pride and anxiety were clashing.
Years later, after turning 40 and having accumulated various life experiences, I felt the need for counseling again due to anxiety and sadness, and I went for a consultation.
This time, I found counseling to be very effective. Just as I’m now sharing my past experiences on this blog, talking to a counselor greatly helped improve my mental state.
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