Are You Seeking Help to Handle Your Anxiety?

There are plenty of reasons why people seek professional advice when they're having problems. Some of those reasons are long lasting and significant, while others are short-lived and situational. But, the common thread running through all of them is that people don t wish to continue to do what they're doing, when they have better tools, information, and support at their fingertips. This can be paralyzing.

When it does not, when it does, when you make asking for help in this way mean something positive about you, then you get on your way to being the person people want to help. Asking for professional help does not mean you're less capable or less intelligent, it just means that you want assistance with something specific to you for a brief period of time. Instead of watching how the people who are giving others help are benefitting, consider that asking for help has the effect of relieving many people of the burden of doing the same thing themselves. Instead of looking at who are getting the benefits from doing something, consider that they're getting the added benefit of getting help to get it done right the first time.

The common thread is that people get help when they ask in the appropriate way. Rather than answering questions based on the assumption that they know best or are knowledgeable in the area, people who ask for guidance answer questions based on the information available to them at the time. This one study also shows that asking people for assistance does not make them less capable or less intelligent, but rather makes them more efficient and able to handle tasks they might have otherwise been overwhelmed with. But, this one study begs the question as to why it is that people don t just ask for advice when they need it the most.

In addition to this research, another study was conducted which showed the same results for those in a growth mindset. Those in the growth mindset were more willing to give help to others, and they were also willing to take responsibility for their own growth. Surprisingly, the same results were found for those in the control group, yet instead of asking others for advice, those in the control group were more likely to try to steer clear of situations, thus more likely to experience a sense of overwhelm. This one study helps explain why asking others for guidance is so important, but perhaps it's important that people develop a growth mindset before trying to ask others for assistance.

Now that we've looked at the importance of asking for help, how do we determine if it's necessary to seek help? The most important factor is determining what the benefit would be for yourself. If there is no benefit to you, then obviously it isn't necessary to ask someone for assistance. This same rule applies to seeking help from peers and family.

There are times when asking for help can be right, but more often than not, it is the wrong way to go about it. It's easy to put on a happy face when you're volunteering for something, but what you might not realize is that in order to have the most benefit, you're best served by pushing through any hesitations or doubts you may have and letting those feelings go. It's important to remember that it's about letting go, not having to let go. Sometimes all it takes is the push to get past those insecurities and the fear that come with it. So, in order to make the most of your situation, don't delay or try to avoid helping others.