One of the most persistent myths about therapy is that you have to be 'bad enough' to deserve it. You don't. Therapy is a resource for anyone who wants to understand themselves better and live with more clarity.
That said, some signals are worth listening to. Symptoms lasting more than two weeks — low mood, poor sleep, appetite changes, anxiety that doesn't ease — are a reasonable line to reach out.
So is a drop in daily functioning: work slipping, relationships fraying, personal hygiene or basic self-care becoming difficult. These are your body's way of saying the load is too big for the tools you currently have.
Coping strategies that used to work no longer working is another sign. If a walk used to reset you and now barely takes the edge off, the issue may not be effort — it may be that you've outgrown your current toolkit.
Thoughts of self-harm, hopelessness, or 'everyone would be better off without me' are always a reason to talk with a professional — right away, not eventually. If you're in immediate danger, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or your local emergency services.
Big life transitions — grief, divorce, job loss, becoming a parent, immigrating, retiring — are worth support even when you're 'handling it fine.' Change asks a lot of a nervous system.
Reaching out earlier means shorter, gentler work. You don't have to arrive with the right words. You only have to make the appointment.