At some point in our lives, we can all feel overwhelmed by the situation we are in and need to ask for help to resolve it. However, many times we delay asking for help because we do not know what criteria to base the decision on. What are the indicators that I need to consult a psychologist? What types of treatment exist? Is psychotherapy really effective? These and other questions answered below.
When is it necessary to consult a psychologist?
Due to ignorance and prejudices related to Psychology, many people still associate the idea of consulting a psychologist with suffering from serious mental illnesses or with a lack of strength to manage their own problems. This is simply one of the many myths associated with this profession.
The most common reasons for psychological consultation are associated with stress, anxiety, depression, difficulties in family and couple relationships.
Currently, the most common reasons for psychological consultation are associated with stress, anxiety, depression, difficulties in family and couple relationships, sleep difficulties and in relation to sexuality. It is very likely that all of us can recognize ourselves to some extent in these themes, since throughout our lives we all go through vital crises that temporarily destructure us and make us more psychologically vulnerable. Sometimes our ability to adapt is enough to cope with a life crisis without problems, but sometimes it overwhelms us and negatively affects various areas of our functioning and our emotional experience.
At these times, a request for specialized help can make a big difference. Waiting too long to request psychological assistance can aggravate a situation that, if it had been attended to at the time, would have been resolved with less difficulty. There are certain signs that you can take into account to know if it is necessary to consult a psychologist. For example:
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- You are experiencing a prolonged feeling of hopelessness, sadness and overwhelm, and your problems do not seem to improve despite your efforts and help from those closest to you;
- You worry excessively, you expect the worst outcome of situations and you constantly feel like you are on the edge;
- You have problems relating and communicating adequately with your family and/or partner, or discomfort in said relationships;
- You find it difficult to cope with daily activities: you cannot concentrate on your work or academic tasks and as a result your performance has been affected;
- Your behavior is harmful to yourself or others. Examples: you drink too much alcohol, abuse other substances, have aggressive behavior towards others, etc.
What is the difference between counseling and psychotherapy?
Consulting a psychologist does not necessarily imply starting a psychotherapeutic process. Depending on the theme and severity of the problem that the consultant brings, the clinical psychologist will evaluate the use of the most appropriate tools for the particularity of the case. Sometimes people have not been able to resolve certain difficulties simply due to lack of knowledge or misinformation and some counseling and psychoeducation sessions may be enough to help the patient find the path that will lead them to resolve their conflict. Other times, the difficulties are based on a more significant imbalance and require longer treatment and a collaborative effort between patient and therapist to resolve.
Let’s look at two examples to illustrate this difference:
Two patients come to the office for the same problem, they are experiencing many. The first tells the psychologist that due to his difficulties sleeping at night, he takes long naps in the afternoon and consumes energy drinks during the day; Finally at night he has a hearty dinner and drinks half a liter of wine because alcohol usually helps him sleep. The second patient does not have any of the behaviors of the first, but he does experience high anxiety throughout the day, he worries excessively about details without “importance” and cannot bear the idea that something does not go as planned, which generates a feeling of anxiety. constant nervousness and sometimes even palpitations; At night he cannot fall asleep because he cannot stop his worried thoughts regarding everything he has to do the next day.
Consulting a psychologist does not necessarily imply starting a psychotherapeutic process.
Even though the problem presented by both is the same, the mechanisms that maintain it are very different. In the first case, the subject is carrying out sleep behaviors that are maladaptive, probably because he has not been sufficiently informed about it and because he has some myths on the subject (for example, that alcohol helps you sleep. If Although this may be true in principle, alcohol alters sleep patterns, making it less restful and causing difficulties in maintaining it. You can see more information about sleep habits). In this sense, some orientation and psychoeducation sessions where more functional behaviors about sleep are taught, certain myths about sleep are dissolved, and doubts are resolved could solve the patient’s problem in a simple way, preventing the situation from getting worse and causing difficulties. begin to appear in other areas of your life. In the second case we see that in addition to insomnia, the patient presents many other typical symptoms of an anxiety disorder. In this case, insomnia is presented as a consequence (added to many others: anxiety, palpitations, worry, irritability, high self-demand) of a central problem with a greater degree of suffering that to be resolved will require a longer-term psychotherapeutic treatment with specific objectives. agreed upon by both parties that will likely include a change in thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
Is seeing a psychologist really going to help me?
There is still some skepticism about the professional help of a Psychologist and it is important to clarify the reason for this. In recent decades, numerous therapeutic approaches have been scientifically supported in the treatment of many mental conditions. However, despite the evidence in favor of these treatments, it is still the case when performing a psychological consultation. This is due to the existence of a gap between research and clinical practice, which, fortunately, is reducing in new generations with greater use of evidence-based treatments.
There is still some skepticism about the professional help of a psychologist
Increasingly, research supports the idea that physical and emotional health are strongly linked, which is why seeing a psychologist can have a positive impact on people’s overall health. In the same sense, there is consistent evidence that people with emotional problems who had several sessions with a psychologist were in better condition than those who were not treated and 75% of them
In summary, the scientific evidence is really strong regarding the effectiveness of various psychological treatments on people’s overall health. However, it is necessary to take these data with caution and not generalize them. The issue of the effectiveness of psychotherapy is a highly discussed topic and although the use of evidence-based health practices provides certain guarantees for the effectiveness of the treatment, it has also been seen that the therapeutic relationship between patient and psychotherapist has a magnitude considerable. Not all psychologists who offer psychotherapy are trained in evidence-based health practices, just as not all psychologists who are trained in these practices are capable of establishing an effective therapeutic relationship. Consequently, it is not easy to give an answer to the question that titles this section and ultimately that will depend on what each person asks.
And you, have you had difficulties making the decision to go to a psychologist? Would you add any other recommendations in addition to the ones we have given? with your comments.