You Matter As Much As Everyone Else
At Gupta Psychiatry we want you to know that you matter as much as everyone else. That’s why we’re committed to delivering care that’s compassionate, respectful, and attuned to your unique needs. It’s our philosophy that the best possible treatment begins with a strong therapeutic relationship -- one in which the patient feels heard and understood.
Why do you matter?
You matter as much as everyone else. It's easy to see why we put ourselves last sometimes—especially if you're a caregiver for other people. But reaching your full potential is important, so you can be at 100% when you are there for the ones you love.
The more time we spend with others, the more we recognize how similar they are to us. We discover that we all want to be happy and healthy. As a result, a sense of empathy emerges. It fosters the desire to support others in reaching their full potential, including achieving optimal health and wellness. After all, if an individual is healthy and happy, he or she will better be able to care for those around him or her.
You do matter. You are not a burden. Your feelings, opinions, and actions have an effect on others. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the situation and how you choose to respond to it.
You may think that what you do doesn’t matter. You may think that your life is meaningless and that if it ended now, no one would care. You may think that your presence is unwelcome and that you are only tolerated because you are someone’s family member or friend, not because of who you are as a person.
Or perhaps you realize that your loved ones want to see you succeed in life and they would be deeply saddened by your passing. They might even feel guilty themselves because they haven’t done enough to help you over the years (or months or days).
If this is true for you, then congratulations! You have people in your life who care about your well-being and want to see you thrive!
Now the work begins—the work of believing that what happens to you matters and that people do (or will) care about it. If it helps, just keep reminding yourself: “I matter,” “I am needed,” “I am loved
Why are you needed?
You are needed, and you are loved, even if it doesn’t always seem that way to you. When you believe this, you may start seeing that doing your best to manage your life—your education, career, family obligations, and so on—is all that is required of you. You may also start seeing that your current attitudes and behaviors regarding substances may have to change in order to do what’s required to the best of your ability.
You are capable of changing your substance use-related attitudes and behaviors. You can learn how many of the things you believe about yourself and about substances aren’t true and how they prevent you from achieving what you want in life. We can help you understand these beliefs and how they work, as well as help you learn more accurate beliefs. These new beliefs will be based on scientific evidence we will share with you.
Most people who come to us for help don’t think they can change their attitudes or behaviors much at all. This is understandable because these attitudes and behaviors have been ingrained over a lifetime of trying to manage feelings like boredom, anxiety, depression, anger, loneliness, grief, guilt, shame, and other painful emotions that are part of being human.
You are not alone.
You are not alone. Sometimes you might feel like no one really understands you or your struggles, especially when it comes to managing your substance use. But the truth is that many people question their use of tobacco, alcohol, depression, and other drugs. (It’s part of the human condition.) And many people are right now considering ways to make changes to their current substance use pattern.
In fact, according to recent national surveys:
More than 45% of Americans aged 12 and older report they have used illicit drugs at some point in their lives.
More than 66 million Americans aged 12 and older report they have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons at some point in their lives.
More than 15 million Americans aged 12 and older report they have used methamphetamines at some point in their lives.
In short, substance use and depression is a common experience among Americans. And most people who use substances also experience challenges related to their use from time to time — challenges that can significantly impact their quality of life as well as the quality of life for those around them.
We want you to know that you’re not alone in this.
You may be thinking that you could benefit from speaking with someone who really understands your unique situation. Someone who can help you think through your concerns and questions, and consider all of your options, including different treatment approaches.
If so, please reach out. We’re here to help.
Whether or not you’re ready to enter a formal treatment program, we want you to know that we’re available to answer any questions you have, and help you find the resources that can best meet your needs.