You can find the initial question, and my original answer here. The following is more detailed and personal.
Maybe you don’t want to admit that you need help?
We are rugged individuals, we don’t need help. Admitting you have a mental health issue goes against this. Suddenly you are reliant on doctors, therapists, pharmacists, the faceless goons in your insurance or socialized medical care.
Maybe you don’t want the stigma of having a mental health issue?
Oh boy, informing anyone about your mental health issue is such a roulette spin. Even people who have the same will sometimes react negatively- a former supervisor of mine asked what I had to be depressed about. Get used to shocked, awkward looks, slow shuffling steps away and excuses to leave your presence, as if you are about to pull out a knife and carve them up. Hopefully the more people who admit to having issues this will change, and the statistics back up how having mental health issues is probably more common than any particular religion. This is what drives me to casually mention my depression and medication. Plus its fun to watch people’s reaction once you are self aware and objective enough.
Maybe you don’t want to be confronted by therapy?
Therapy doesn’t work without a solid dialog of honesty, otherwise your therapist would just be an over=qualified life-couch. Its not a pleasant experience, ripping apart aspects of your personality, having it poked it with a stick and then finishing your session, and trying to walk around like a normal person. It’s why I tended to go to the beach or a long walk after my sessions. I can only say that it is worth it, especially when, like me, you spend most of your waking hours trying to suppress your neurosis.
Maybe because after diagnosis, meds and therapy are only the starting point in your recovery?
At least subconsciously, I thought taking Prozac and attending a few therapy sessions would magically solve all my problems. Frustratingly, this is not the case, three years later I am still working on trying to exercise more, socializing more, and generally acting like a functional member of society. The therapy helps me pay attention to some of those issues so I can work on them in a constructive way. Prozac takes the edge off the worse of the depression and anxiety, which allows me to make some better choices. It also helps not being on the verge of a panic attack every time I reverse a ute between two other vehicles.
Maybe you don’t want an anti-depressant dependency?
Don’t get me wrong, you will take my Prozac and Axit out of my cold dead hands, but im not comfortable with the idea that realizing that I am out of them makes me feel rather nervous, long before any withdrawal symptoms become manifest. This makes me wonder how much I have in common with the junkie looking for the next fix.
Adrian's Got The Moose 