How do you know when you need professional help? People often struggle to know when is the right time to reach out for professional help when they’re experiencing a relationship or family challenge. The truth is, there is no clear cut answer, as every situation is unique. However, some signs that might indicate that it would be a good time to reach out for help are as follows:
- You’ve tried to manage the problem on your own, but you haven’t been able to make much progress even after trying for a certain period of time (e.g., one month).
- The problem seems to be getting worse.
- In addition to the original problem, other secondary problems are beginning to arise related to the original problem, such as additional conflict, financial distress, or mental health symptoms.
- You and another person have completely different perspectives on an issue and are unable to reach middle ground, and/or it seems you are unable to understand one another.
- The problem is causing you a lot of distress and/or starting to impact your or another person’s functioning in different areas of life (e.g., school or work).
Even if you’re facing a relationship or family problem that hasn’t reach any of the levels described above, you can still reach out for professional help to guide you through more minor challenges. Professionals are trained to work with people facing all kinds of relationship and family challenges, and they can help you navigate the challenge and more toward building positive solutions to strengthen your relationships.