Breaking the Myth Around Asking for Help
12/8/2025
Let’s talk about one of the biggest lies you’ve probably been told: that asking for help means you’re weak. Follow that up with the ideas that real adults handle everything on their own and that needing support is something to be embarrassed about.
Here’s the truth: asking for help is one of the strongest, smartest things you can do. It takes self-awareness to know when you’re struggling. It takes courage to reach out. And it takes wisdom to understand that no one succeeds completely alone.
Whether you’re dealing with mental health challenges, struggling in school, having trouble at work, or just feeling overwhelmed by life, asking for help isn’t giving up. It’s actually the first step toward solving the problem.
Where Does the Myth Comes From?
American culture is obsessed with the “self-made” person who pulls themselves up by their bootstraps. But that story is incomplete. Every successful person had help along the way, from people like teachers, mentors, family, friends, therapists, or communities that supported them.
Research from the American Psychological Association shows that people who ask for help when they need it actually have better mental health outcomes, stronger relationships, and more success in reaching their goals. Asking for help works.
The myth that you should do everything alone keeps people stuck, struggling, and isolated. It’s especially harmful for young adults who are still learning how to navigate the world.
When you ask for help, here’s what you’re really demonstrating:
Self-awareness: You recognize you’re struggling and that continuing alone isn’t working. That’s incredibly mature.
Problem-solving skills: You’re actively looking for solutions instead of just suffering through it. That’s smart.
Courage: It’s scary to be vulnerable and admit you don’t have all the answers. That takes guts.
Respect for others: When you ask someone for help, you’re trusting them and valuing their knowledge or support. That’s a compliment.
The Jed Foundation emphasizes that reaching out for support is a critical life skill that makes you more resilient, not less.
The Different Types of Help (And Why All Count)
Asking for help doesn’t always mean dramatic intervention. It can look like:
Emotional support: Talking to a friend when you’re having a hard day, seeing a therapist, or calling a crisis line when you’re struggling. Crisis Text Line is available 24/7 by texting HOME to 741741.
Practical help: Asking a roommate to cover a chore when you’re overwhelmed, getting a tutor for a difficult class, or having someone proofread your resume.
Professional support: Working with a therapist, psychiatrist, academic advisor, career counselor, or financial planner. LevelUp is here to help provide connections for the professional help that is right for you.
Learning from others: Asking questions, admitting you don’t know something, or seeking a mentor. This is how everyone learns and grows.
All of these are valid. All of these are smart. None of them make you weak.
How to Actually Ask for Help
If you’re not used to asking for help, it can feel awkward. Here’s a simple approach:
- Be specific about what you need: Instead of “I’m struggling with everything,” try “I need help understanding this assignment” or “I’m having panic attacks and need to talk to someone about treatment options.”
- Choose the right person: Match the ask to the person. Friends are great for emotional support. Professors are good for academic help. Therapists are trained for mental health support.
- Make it easy to say yes: “Could you review this email before I send it?” is easier to respond to than “Can you help me with my entire job search?”
- Be okay with hearing no: Sometimes people can’t help for their own reasons. That’s not a reflection on you. Ask someone else.
Mind has excellent guides on how to ask for different types of support and what to do if you’re not sure where to start.
Next time you’re struggling, try asking. You might be surprised at how much better things can get when you don’t try to carry everything alone.
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