Twitter can be a cesspool of terrible trolls, but there are times when it can really give you a pick-me-up. A perfect example? These users’ tweets on the life-altering advice they received from their therapists.
The posts are a welcome reminder that mental health professionals can change your way of thinking, whether with techniques to try when you’re anxious or words of encouragement you need when you’re at a low point. Read them if you’re struggling right now (and repeat as many times as necessary):
My therapist told me that anxious people have tendency to only explore the scary “what ifs” and challenged me to remember that there is also a flip side. What if you excel? What if it is one of the best experiences of your life? What if it changes you in a beautiful way?
— Mrs. Grotke (@__BHB__) October 18, 2018
My therapist told me to stop comparing my “behind the scenes” to everyone’s “perfect life” they post on social media, because more than likely their life isn’t as perfect as they’re making it seem. Just wanted to share incase anyone needed to hear that.
— Nicole Schultz (@NicoleSchultz40) October 21, 2018
My friend’s therapist told her she constantly takes the role as her friends’ counselor as a defense mechanism. It keeps her from being the one that opens up. Whew. That was triggering af
— Yaa Agyeiwaa (@__deeva) October 24, 2018
my therapist sent me this a while ago, so in case anyone needs to hear this tonight: pic.twitter.com/Ok9MfFmg4J
— sara lons 🏳️🌈 (@saralonsberry) October 22, 2018
My therapist told me its okay to BE mad, sad, upset, angry, hurt and that its okay to FEEL those emotions, but you need to look internally and figure out why you're feeling that way, self-reflection is KEY. Its okay to feel your emotions and not hide them, even the negative ones
— Jazmine 🏳️🌈🐢 (@jazzminecerrato) October 21, 2018
Today my therapist shared this with me: it's okay to make your needs known in friendships. operating in fear of showing your true self will leave you miserable and longing for love you could have from the people who love you now. Give people direction and teach people your needs.
— Jasmine The Great (@ImTheReasonWhy) June 14, 2018
My therapist: It's okay to feel good about yourself.
— Ms. Charlotte's Web 🕸 (@charlotteirene8) October 23, 2018
Me: *mind blown*
A lil message from my therapist to anyone who needs it today pic.twitter.com/S5Ke3GXQlf
— Lucy Heather Nicholson 🇬🇧 (@lucyheatheruk) October 24, 2018
My therapist taught me to interrupt my anxious thinking with thoughts like: "What if things work out" and "What if all my hard work pays off?"
— Sinclair P. Ceasar III (@Sinclair_Ceasar) April 11, 2018
So, I'm passing that onto you wherever you are, whatever you're leaving, or whomever you're becoming.
This advice from my therapist changed my life: never do something because you feel like you “should” do it. The only reasons to do something are because you want to or you need to.
— abby palazzo (@AbPalaz) October 21, 2018
Just because you hear/know that people have gone through worse, it doesn't invalidate YOUR feelings. Your experiences/emotions/state of well being is valid, regardless of how minor it seems to others
— M. L (@mametsing) October 21, 2018
Not too long ago my therapist asked me what I thought might happen if I stopped judging myself and just did what works for me. That shit is working.
— Ashley C. Ford (@iSmashFizzle) October 6, 2018
One of the things my therapist asked me the other day was what life would look like if I stopped turning away from the “scary stuff” and turned towards it and lived with it and loved it and asked what it wanted me to learn. Really changes the way I think about everything.
— Ella Vos (@ellavosmusic) October 11, 2018
Reflecting on a thought my therapist told me today: Feeling empathy for others requires vulnerability. Sometimes people aren’t empathetic simply because they aren’t in a position to be vulnerable. There are times when it’s worth having compassion and patience for that.
— Stephanie Hurlburt (@sehurlburt) October 9, 2018
I just got some really cool advice from my therapist that I thought I’d share
— macaubrey casey (@itsonlyaubrey) October 3, 2018
view your relationships as a silent film. when there are no words to fix problems, what do their actions show? do they align with their words? silence their words and watch
My therapist wrote me an email tonight, and if you had a horrible day and anticipate an even worse day tomorrow, I want to share with you what she said: I wish you well and to not be afraid of your passionate feelings. We will get through this.
— Sara Finnerty (@sarafinn) September 28, 2018
My therapist said something so liberating recently, she said “when it starts to feel too hard, then you’re trying too hard, it’s at that point that you need to allow urself the space to feel inadequate, let it be messy,just be, and extend the same allowance to ur children”
— Bonnie Mbuli (@BonnieMbuli) September 25, 2018
Wept to my therapist for years, worried I'd find "the perfect partner" but my crushing anxiety and bouquet of flaws would "drive him away." To which, this foul-mouthed older Jewish woman from Queens I so love responded without skipping a beat, "then he's not perfect, dummy"
— spooky pigeon bitch (@becagrimm) September 18, 2018
My therapist said to work with who u are not against it. As it relates to how u learn. What rest u need. Your most productive hours. Just work with how u are (if it’s not toxic), instead of fighting it.
— Millionaire la flare (@DeeRene_) October 1, 2018
my therapist really gave me some good ass advice when he told me that when we continue to hold on to the people that hurt us & hold resentment & anger in our heart we’re rlly only fighting ourselves. this keeps us from moving on. happiness is found through forgiving & letting go.
— s̸p̸o̸o̸k̸y̸m̸a̸d̸d̸y̸🎃 (@maddyauerbach) September 13, 2018
if your mind won’t stop thinking and moving fast, “dismiss them”.
— brianna✨ (@bhfrodin) October 21, 2018
start by saying or putting a thought to the forefront and after say “dismissed”. continue with whatever rjoufjrncomws next until your mind can’t think of anything else to dismiss.
Acknowledge your feelings, don't bury them. If you bury them, they're still with you. If you acknowledge them and let them be, they'll move through you more quickly. Avoid a therapist who says "you shouldn't feel x" or "just think differently." Thoughts won't change your emotions
— Denise (@denise7306) October 21, 2018
Whenever you start to think negatively about yourself (aka I'm a failure no one loves me etc..) put 5 supporting evidence and 5 opposing and then weigh the thought logically, and depending on which has more evidence accept or deny the thought. We call this bullshit filtering 😂
— F.h. (@Fh05223922) October 21, 2018
Of course, even though the internet is ripe with wisdom, it’s important to note that these tweets (or any other advice, for that matter) shouldn’t take the place of actual therapy. Talking with a mental health professional can be a wonderful way to manage chronic or excessive stress, anxiety or other emotional problems you might be experiencing.
It’s also nothing to be ashamed of. It’s not uncommon to have a bad mental health period: Nearly 1 in 5 American adults will experience a mental health issue in a given year. Sometimes dealing with that means seeing a professional for support and perspective.
Feeling better isn’t just possible with the right help ― it’s probable.
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