Thanks for posting this. It's one of those things that needs to be said.

What if you all think I'm a drug addict? Or an alcoholic? Or bipolar? Or suffered child abuse?

So what?

If you were any of these things and seeking help who would we be to look down on you?
Even if you were not seeking help, who would we be to look down on you?
You are still a human with problems. You are still a human who fights sin daily just like the rest of society. Why is it that when Christ sat and ate, and made deciples out of these types of people... we should look at them as something awful?
My father had a drinking problem. My mother was a drug addict. I am by polar and have suffered abuse. I spent half of my life in counseling for issues that were around as a kid. It wasn't until I stuck with one therapist  for 3 years that I even got anywhere. We are called as believers to carry one anthers burdens and that is what that person helped me do. For three years they demonstrated the love of the messiah by being there for me, teaching me, helping me mend wounds and grow into a responsible moral adult.

I have been in counseling for a year now and have found it to be very helpful.  I did not have deep seated problems or depression.  I felt that I needed help with my own personal acceptance of who I am.  In this year, I have grown strong in the knowledge that I am loved and all those little secret insecurities that I had were normal and I needed to learn that it was OK not to be perfect.  Something  that I learned was there are things  in our lives lthat we have no control over, traffic for example.  But what do we have control over is our reaction to those items.   Am I going to get angry, steamed-up, frustrated or relax and allow God control of the situation.  I am still working on realizing which things I have control of and which things I don't.  I have seen growth in many areas of my life because I allowed God to walk with me into the counseling office as part of the healing process. 

I am a counselor, and I have also received counseling. It was tremendously helpful to me. I think that there is a stigma with counseling, that the only people that have counselors are "crazy". The job of a counselor is not to fix people (contrary to popular belief), but to help people work through their issues. Something my mother taught me that I will never forget: Everyone has issues. Some are just better at hiding it than others. You have to think of it this way: If you don't get help, you uphold your not crazy status with people that don't understand the mental health profession. You still have the same problems and issues. You and your mental health are more important than someone's perception of who you are. It's only a perception, and if they truly knew you and cared, they would understand and encourage you to get help. I applaud your boldness to admit your fears and concerns about counseling. It can be intimidating to trust someone with your issues, but sometimes that is the only way things can be resolved.

I sought counselling to help me sort out some issues I had with my parents. I think it's great that you're looking for help and admitting that you can't do it alone. Sometimes it just needs someone else with clearer vision who can speak into your situation and help you see it from a different angle. 

@CLErical1@xanga - My father told me a story. There was an old woman, who had a faith that was unshakable. One day, a horrible flood came. The water was a foot deep and a man in a well equipped SUV drives to her door 'You need to get out of here, it's not safe! I'll give you a ride to higher ground!' she refused, saying 'No need! God will protect me. I will be fine.' and away the SUV went. Some time later, the flood was through her first floor, and it was high enough that you couldn't stand on the ground any longer. A man in a boat came to her second story window. 'This area is no longer safe! Come with me to safety!' Again, the woman told the man no, 'God will protect me, I am fine'. Finally, the house was almost completely underwater, and she was sitting on the roof of the house. A helicopter came by and dropped its ladder. The co-pilot shouted down 'YOU MUST GRAB THE LADDER! YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MORE TIME BEFORE YOU WILL BE SWEPT AWAY!' and she still refused, 'I am fine, God is protecting me. The helicopter flew away and in deed, in little time she was swept away and died.
Once she got to heaven, she met with God. She asked God 'I was so faithful God, why didn't you rescue me from the storm' and God responded confused 'What do you mean? I sent a car, a boat and a helicopter!'

Well I'm fourteen and some events in my life had made my mother want to put me in counseling and at first I reall didn't want to go because I felt that it was fo people who were nuts, but then when I got there and started going a couple times I started to loosen up an I actually realized that it ishelping m I mean not in some life changing noticeable to the world change but I can actually feel myself calming down and just being more okay with myself, so yes it has helped me.