Everyone should see a psychologist at least once in their life. Whether you feel well or not, consulting a mental health professional will do us more good than harm.
In the same way that we go to the dentist to check how our oral health is, going to the psychologist should not be seen as something “crazy” but rather a way to make sure that everything is fine in our mind, and if we have a problem, see how we can solve it.
There are many reasons why everyone should go to a psychologist. As motivation for those people who are undecided about whether to go to psychotherapy, below you will find a list of the reasons why we recommend consulting a psychologist.
Deciding to go to a psychologist and start psychotherapy is a difficult decision for most people. Despite being suffering, many people do not dare to go to psychological therapy for various reasons.. It may be due to fear, shame or not knowing very well what therapy consists of, apart from their financial reluctance and fear that it will not be beneficial for them to go to psychotherapy. It also often happens that people do not go to a psychologist because they do not believe that what is happening is something “deserving” of psychological consultation.
People are not sure why they should go to a psychologist. It is normal because, despite the increasing awareness about the importance of mental health, there is still a stigma about going to one. There is still the idea that going to psychotherapy is “going to the shrink,” or that when you have a psychological problem, phrases like “go to the doctor” are used with a very negative connotation and belittling mental health. There is still a lot of work to do.
It is always advisable to go to a psychologist. Psychotherapy helps many people resolve their discomfort and also prevents future problems.. Psychological treatments are engines of personal change, a tool through which we acquire strategies to face adversity. Psychotherapy is not only aimed at people who suffer from disorders, but it also serves to grow as people or solve problems that, no matter how minor they may seem, hurt us.
Here we explain the main reasons why you should go to the psychologist.
1. You are going through a personal crisis
Life is not a bed of roses. We all experience a personal crisis at some point in our lives, difficult situations that overcome us such as, for example, divorces, work crises, infidelities, fights with friends, the death of a loved one… It may also be that personal situations of crisis have happened to us. great emotional impact, such as accidents, abuse or disasters.
When we find ourselves in a personal crisis, emotions overwhelm us and life seems to get out of control.. It is true that these crises are part of our lives, but this does not mean that we should face them without help from anyone. Professional help is highly recommended to regain stability, repair emotional damage and prevent the crisis from escalating.
Even if the crisis seems mild and unimportant, at least we should consult with a professional. so you can see if there is a risk of it causing a mental health problem over time. By not doing so, we run the risk of suffering consequences of the crisis, in the form of deep pain and discomfort, and it may also increase the risk of suffering from a mental disorder. Prevention is better than cure.
2. You feel alone
There are people who like solitude, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, there are others who are alone without wanting it or seeking it, and that situation is a source of much suffering. Interpersonal relationships are a determining factor in our mental health because, after all, human beings are social animals, we need the company and support of others to feel good.
The absence of contact with others can cause feelings of loneliness. Many people who live alone, such as widows or emancipated young people, They may feel deep feelings of sadness and insecurity because of feeling cut off from the world..
It also happens that there are people who, despite interacting with other individuals, have a deep feeling of loneliness with all the bad things that this implies, especially if they feel misunderstood, that no one supports them or they feel isolated.
There is also the case of people who are very afraid of loneliness. They fear being alone so much that they are willing to stay in unsatisfying relationships and cannot stop obsessively meeting friends, family, or other people.. This and the other cases are reasons why we should go to the psychologist.
3. You have thoughts that overwhelm you
Another reason to go to a psychologist is when we find ourselves trapped in all kinds of negative, obsessive, circular and catastrophic thoughts. It is difficult to control what you think and, ironically, the more you try, the harder it becomes. The negative dialogues, ideas, criticisms and other messages we tell ourselves can make our existence bitter. It is impossible for us to prevent ideas from coming to mind like “I’m lazy”, “I’m useless”, “why am I worthless?”…
Also It is common that we cannot stop thinking about a specific issue and that it causes us a lot of anxiety.. Or that we have negative and irrational beliefs about how we are and that limit us when facing certain situations. Obsessions are very common thoughts, but also very limiting.
Although everyone has these thoughts from time to time, doing nothing to counteract them greatly affects our lives. A psychologist can help us cope with them, manage them when they appear and prevent them from causing the negative emotions that usually accompany them.
4. You feel that nothing you propose turns out well
A good reason to go to a psychologist is when we feel that we are not capable of doing what we set out to do. Either because we do not meet the goals we set or we cannot get rid of bad habits (for example, addictions) There are situations that overwhelm us because we feel that we are not capable of doing anything we want to achieve..
It is normal that, when we fail at something, we think that we do not have enough willpower, that we are lazy, but what if that is really not the case? What if there is a psychological problem behind it that explains it? By going to the psychologist we can discover it and intervene appropriately. And if this is not the case, the psychologist will surely give us tools to manage our time, increase our willpower and get to it.
Underneath these blockages there are usually more complex causes. which is necessary to identify with the help of a professional. It could be a lack of motivation, stress, hidden depression… It also happens that there are decisions to be made that are so important that, far from making them, they paralyze us, cause us a lot of stress and we end up postponing them out of fear, insecurity or indecision.
5. You feel low self-esteem
Self-esteem problems are very common and one of the main reasons for psychological consultation. Many people have a very low self-concept, feeling that they are worthless or that they do not deserve to be loved.. It also happens that there are people who are so insecure that they are very afraid of saying no to others and agree to do things that they do not feel good about or allow others to walk all over them.
Perhaps out of fear of rejection or conflict, sometimes we do not trust our own judgment and let the opinions of others take the helm of our lives. Living like this is not living freely. Psychologists can help us regain control of our lives, value ourselves for how we are and understand that the only opinion that matters in our lives is our own.
You may be interested: “Do you really know what self-esteem is?”
6. Your relationships are not going well
Relational conflicts affect our mental health. Arguments with our partner, friends, co-workers, family or any important person in our lives do us no good.
They are fundamental topics to work on in psychotherapy. It also happens that there may be relatability problems, such as excessive shyness, embarrassment or a problem such as social anxiety. This causes one to isolate oneself and not show oneself as one is, feeling nervous, fear, paranoia or stress in the presence of other people.
Related article: “How to know when to go to couples therapy? 5 compelling reasons”
Problems at work are one of the main reasons for psychological consultation. It is not surprising then Employment can be a source of all kinds of psychological problems, especially stress, anxiety and depression. Workplaces are still social environments in which one has to deal with colleagues and bosses who, although there may even be friendship with them, there can also be disagreements, power struggles and aggression.
Another related issue is workload. It is clear that employment involves a certain degree of sacrifice and effort, but sometimes this can become so excessive that the worker burns out (the famous “burnout” syndrome). This will not only cause discomfort and dissatisfaction with your job, but will also make you perform your tasks worse.
By going to the psychologist we can find out to what extent our job is harming our mental health. If the problem is not the type of work, but how we manage stress and anxiety while working, psychotherapy can help us take work tasks more calmly and efficiently, increasing our productivity and job satisfaction.
8. You are stressed and your body speaks
Many experiences can cause us stress. Added to this, there are people who are more likely to express it than others. Even if the source of stress and anxiety is something that seems trivial to us, going to a psychologist to learn how to manage it is the best favor we can do ourselves.. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you feel stressed, for whatever reason.
It doesn’t matter if the source of stress is more or less mild, the important thing is what it causes us. Too high levels of discomfort will end up having an impact on our health, with consequences that are not limited to psychological, but also in the form of physical symptoms (psychosomatization). Stress exhausts us, makes us psychologically and physically tired, disrupts our sleep, hurts our muscles and upsets our stomach, among other problems that justify why we should go to a psychologist.
You may be interested: “Types of stress and their triggers”
9. You suffer from a mental disorder
If you know that you have a mental disorder, it is most likely because you went to a psychologist at the time. Also It may happen that you suspect that you have one even though you have not yet consulted a mental health professional.. Whatever your case, this is the most compelling reason to go to a psychologist.
You may tell yourself that you have it under control or that there is no point in going to psychotherapy now that you know what is happening to you. Knowing what the diagnosis is can help us better understand what is happening to us, but it will not magically improve our situation. Even if the disorder is chronic, there is always the possibility of improving our mental state and to do so we need the help of a professional.
