Help

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: Help as in… “Psychiatric Help – 5¢. The Doctor Is In.”

So said Lucy Van Pelt.

It’s always good to have someone to talk to.

A friend of mine recently told me about another friend who has a friend who has another friend going through difficult things. My friend expressed worry about that. At that moment, I was aware of five people who were struggling. Two hours later, another friend said his emotional life resembled a jigsaw puzzle. Several pieces were out of place. He was desperately trying to put some pieces back together.

Is it just me, or does it seem like the wheels are especially wobbly these days? No, it’s not just me. And, yes, a lot of things are wobbly. There are random acts of weirdness everywhere. People often say, “I feel like the wheels are coming off, and I just don’t know where to turn.” Not surprisingly, turning when the wheels are coming off is difficult.

That’s when it’s time to do something different. So, get out of that vehicle and ask for some help.

I’m not surprised at our hesitation to ask for help. Talking with a friend, making an appointment with a counselor, and keeping an appointment with a therapist is part of our culture’s mistaken belief that asking for help is a sign of weakness. It is not. On the contrary, it’s a sign of health. Seeking help has many benefits, like providing opportunities for self-exploration and self-discovery, developing our emotional, spiritual, psychological, and physical health, and fostering hope, motivation, and encouragement. Asking for help also inspires other people to get help.

That’s what I’m doing here. I walked away from an accident in 2016 that totaled my truck. I was physically unhurt. However, emotionally and psychologically was a different story. Therapy was a gigantic step forward. When the wheels come off, it’s good to talk to someone about that.

Lucy reminds us that “The doctor is in.” You can find help here: https://nami.org/Home.

It’s always good to have someone to talk to. Let me encourage you to do that.

#100days50words

Paul Gauche is the Pastor of Life Transitions at Prince of Peace. His posts are part of his #100days50words project, where he blogs about a different word each week. You can follow his project on Instagram (@pgauche) or his blog, Thriving Rhythms.