When to look for a psychologist? When do you know it's time to visit a professional to help solve your problems and take care of mental health? Are those who need a psychologist “crazy” or “unbalanced”?
These are some common questions among people who do not know what therapy is and how it works. Even in the 21st century and with the increase in demand for psychological counseling in recent years, it is still common to have doubts about the usefulness of the Hannes Wessels Psychologist Cape Town or the psychological state of the person undergoing therapy.
Common sense thinking usually follows the following logic: if mental illness is “crazy stuff”, then people who have them and need to treat them with the help of a professional definitely are too. This mindset propagates the stigmatization of therapy, multiplying doubts about its purpose.
In addition, certain beliefs that are also widespread in society encourage people to refuse to see a psychologist when they need to. For example, the idea that you always have to look good and happy, especially if you don't have to deal with very serious problems in your life. Going to therapy, then, is out of the question because it's a sign that, in fact, you're not happy and you need help.
The psychologist is a professional whose role played is extremely important in our society. Mental health care is just as important as physical health care .
But what exactly is therapy?
Therapy, or psychotherapy, can be defined as the process in which patients constantly dialogue with the psychologist in an attempt to find solutions to their emotional distress.
It can help minimize symptoms of many mental disorders and even physical health conditions. After all, when the body and/or organism is weakened, people tend to get discouraged. If they don't know how to manage their emotions during the recovery period, they can develop depression .
Therapy also provides a safe and inviting space for people to express feelings freely. Thus, they feel comfortable talking about difficult topics, such as a breakup, financial problems, family conflicts, the grieving process and job insecurity.
Some individuals do not seek out a psychologist because they are necessarily interested in finding practical solutions to their dilemmas. The idea of talking to someone without being judged per se is appealing to them. In this way, the relief of emotional suffering is in the background.
In therapy, patients are encouraged to reflect on fears, beliefs, and negative emotions to gain new perspectives on their problems. The decisions to be made from then on are their own responsibility.
Although the psychologist shares pertinent guidelines to help patients in whatever is necessary, he does not decide for them. On the contrary, he patiently waits for the patient to decide to change on his own.
When should we see a psychologist?
The psychologist has trained listening and knowledge of the human psyche, which makes him capable of digesting patients' outbursts and understanding their dilemmas, as well as encouraging reflections so that they learn to deal with them.
By “dilemmas” is meant any elements present in life that cause discomfort. Many people can no longer bear to live the way they are living, but they have no idea what to do to change or what they should change. Then, they start therapy to try to get rid of anguish , anxiety , dissatisfaction, stress and sadness .
As the reasons for going to therapy are multiple and varied, we have separated some common motivations in order to clarify exactly when you should see a psychologist.
physical symptoms
It is often the body that alerts people to the need for therapy. Stress, for example, triggers physical symptoms that interfere with daily life, such as lethargy, muscle pain, skin allergies, tachycardia, sweating and gastritis. Depression, anxiety, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, and other conditions also manifest physical symptoms.
As most are not usually aware that the symptoms are emotionally related, they first seek a doctor and then discover that they need psychological care to get well.
We always recommend seeking medical help to eliminate the possibility of physical causes. From the moment that nothing is found and the discomfort remains, however, it is already possible to look for a psychologist.