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Stressed?  Not finding the time to relax and refill your bucket? Not able to be your “best” self?

In a time where we are all suffering (in our own way) in today’s society, finding our best selves is vitally important.  In my opinion, way too many people ignore the importance of mental health and how it can play such a huge role in our pursuit of greatness and effective living.

Picture your brain as the ultimate RPG. You’re the hero, anxiety is the boss with a million HP, and every failed potion or wrong spell just drains your mana. Too many players slam the controller down and quit the game, convinced the dungeon is unbeatable. Spoiler: the dungeon is beatable—you just haven’t found the right build yet.

May people “give up” for many reasons. Yet, they fail to realize the joy and LIVING LIFE that can happen if they were to just be patient and figure it out.

Let’s look at your mental health journey as a video game (so to speak).

1. The Grind Is Real, But So Is the REWARD

Giving up isn’t “accepting reality”; it’s forfeiting the epic loot drop waiting three more side quests away. The right therapist isn’t a random NPC—they’re the legendary mentor who finally teaches you the combo that one-shots your trauma, panic mode, or finding a solution that works for you.

Therapist #1: “Tell me about your childhood.” (Yawn.)

Therapist #7: “Let’s try EMDR while you listen to binaural beats.” (Critical hit.)

You wouldn’t wear plate armor as a rogue; don’t force Cognitive Behavioral Therapy if your soul screams for somatic experiencing or for watching your brain and mind quiet down at night time when getting into sleep mode. Keep rolling until the gear fits.

2. Treatment Roulette: Spin Until You Win

Talk Therapy? EMDR? Neurofeedback? Reiki Energy? Relaxed Hypnosis? Sound Bathing? Yes, no, maybe—all are valid spins on the wheel. The only losing move is stopping the wheel because the first three slots were duds. Track what actually moves the needle:

Sleep score up 22%?

Panic attacks down from daily to weekly?

Suddenly crying at Pixar movies again? (Healthy tear ducts = progress.)

Laughing and singing along to music once again?

3. The Secret Final Boss: You

Therapists are intended to be co-op partners, not “save files.” The deepest connection—the one that turns “I’m broken” into “I’m mid-transformation”—lives inside your own skull. Journal like a mad scribe. Meditate until your thoughts sound like chill lo-fi instead of death metal. Ask the terrifying question: “What story am I telling myself that keeps me stuck?” Why am I continuing to live the same way I did 10 years ago?

Spoiler: the plot twist is usually “I’m the unreliable narrator, not the villain.”  

I am the one in charge, if I want to be. Otherwise, we are just the reaction and image others want us to be, rather than who we truly are. If you struggle making this transition from “broken” to “boss”, find someone who can help or assist with that.

4. Respawn Rules

Lost the battle with a bad or not effective therapist? Perhaps you just don’t “jive” with them? Respawn (start again), leave that experience as just that…an experience that does not need to define me, and then keep moving.

Meds turned you into a zombie? Look for alternative treatments such as EMDR or Neurofeedback. 

Hit rock bottom? Congratulations—that’s the floor you pole-vault from.

Every “failure” is XP (experience). Version “Level 30 You” will thank version “Level 5 You” for not rage-quitting or giving up on the challenge.

Final Point

Mental health isn’t a single-player speedrun; it’s an open-world experience with as many “start again” moments you need along with infinite patches or “fixes” in life. The patch notes are written by you—one weird therapy, one 3 a.m. epiphany, one perfectly timed meme at a time. Perhaps your brain can finally relax and focus after Neurofeedback training. 

Keep grinding, keep swapping gear, keep talking to that quiet NPC in the corner of your mind who knows the secret ending.

You haven’t lost until you stop loading the save file.

Explore, find new pathways, and never give up. LEVEL UP starting today!

Until next time, 

Aaron Nicolaides, Ph.D., LCSW

Therapeuo Health – “Tackling physical and emotional pain”