Is It Normal To Feel Bad After Therapy?

For many people living with mental illness, starting therapy can be an important step to navigating daily challenges and developing healthy coping mechanisms. The benefits of therapy are wide-ranging and well-documented. Many patients see significant improvements in their mental health, physical health, and overall well-being as a result of treatment. 

Despite its advantages, therapy is not always easy. Some people may even start their journey only to wonder, “Why do I feel bad after therapy?” These individuals might question whether it’s normal to experience feeling worse after therapy than before, and if so, what can be done about it.  

Why do I feel bad after therapy?

Therapy can have a broad range of applications, from helping couples navigate their relationships to giving clients the tools to manage depression and anxiety. As beneficial as therapy can be, however, it can also come with some discomfort. You may leave a session feeling uncomfortable, sad, frustrated, or on edge. This can be concerning, and it may even lead you to perceive you're not making progress. After all, feeling worse is rarely a goal anyone sets for their therapeutic journey. 

While they may cause discomfort, negative feelings can be a normal part of therapy. With that in mind, there are valid reasons you may feel worse after therapy:

• Therapy can leave you feeling vulnerable. When you speak to a therapist, you are opening yourself up in a way that you may have never done before. Entrusting a stranger with your emotions, struggles, and desires can be challenging and even scary. Some people may experience feelings of embarrassment or shame during therapy sessions.

• Therapy can become uncomfortable. Therapy may not always be a comfortable experience. To help you improve your relationship with your thoughts, your therapist may challenge your ideas and preconceptions or ask you questions designed to get to the heart of certain beliefs and behaviors. This can lead to feelings of frustration or discomfort. 

• Therapy can unearth painful memories. Depending on the type of therapy you’re receiving, you may find yourself discussing memories that can cause emotional pain. Clients receiving treatment for PTSD, for example, may experience distress when discussing the source of their trauma.

• Therapy can affect your relationships. For some, realizations and conclusions reached during therapy can have a lasting impact on their life beyond the therapist’s office. Your therapist may help you realize the benefits of setting boundaries with loved ones or otherwise changing a relationship to improve your mental health and wellness, for instance. These kinds of changes, while sometimes necessary, can also be frightening or unsettling. 

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

How do I manage negative feelings from therapy?

Negative feelings can be a normal part of the therapeutic process. Still, there may be a variety of ways you can cope with the challenges of therapy and take care of yourself during your journey. These include: 

• Practicing self-care: According to the National Institute of Mental Health, self-care can help you manage stress, increase your energy, and lower your risk of illness. Implementing self-care during your therapy journey can be a useful way to offset some of the negative feelings you may be experiencing. Self-care options include getting regular exercise, practicing good hygiene, making sure you’re getting enough sleep, and maintaining social relationships with family or friends. 

• Finding time for relaxation: You might consider constructive leisure activities such as meditation, a good book, a hot bath, or another relaxing diversion. 

• Talk about your experiences: Sometimes, it can help to discuss what you're experiencing with your therapist. If you find yourself navigating negative emotions after a therapy session, your therapist may have suggestions for managing what you’re feeling while continuing to make progress. They might also recommend an alternative mode of treatment or other supplementary mental health services that can support you beyond your therapy sessions. 

• Consider changing providers: Whether your therapist’s preferred mode of treatment doesn’t meet your needs, or you simply don’t feel you’re connecting with them the way you wanted, the situation may call for a change of therapist. Still, it could be important to remember that just because therapy can get uncomfortable, that doesn’t mean it isn’t working. The benefits of therapy aren’t always noticeable right away. But if you’ve talked to your therapist and you still believe that your needs aren’t being met, it may be time to explore other options that may be a good fit. 

Consider that therapy can be a long road, and although it may sometimes lead to negative emotions, its purpose is to help you grow and improve your mental health. 

Online therapy as an alternative option

Some people may find that traditional therapy consistently leaves them feeling worse, even after working with their current therapist and practicing coping skills. In these cases, individuals may wonder if there are other options available. Online therapy might be the solution in these circumstances. For those concerned about finding a compatible therapist, a platform like BetterHelp may be beneficial since it offers clients the option of changing therapists at any time. The ability to receive therapy from the comfort of home may also help counteract some of the discomfort associated with therapy sessions, making online therapy an attractive alternative to in-person sessions. 

Various studies have fund online therapy to be an effective alternative to in-person therapy. A recent review found that internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was effective at treating a wide range of mental health conditions, including phobias, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, bipolar disorder, and more. A previous study found that online CBT showed greater efficacy than in-person therapy when used to treat depression. 

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.