Do you have serious problems managing and maintaining relationships with others? Are you feeling the loss of a family member's job? Does the death of a loved one prevent you from continuing your life with peace and tranquility? Do you think that the stress you are feeling is leading to something worse, such as depression? Do you abuse substances and would like to start a healthier life but don't know how to do it?
These are just some of the situations that a psychologist usually faces on an almost daily basis in his profession.
Humans are not perfect, so it is as logical as it is natural that at times we can feel deeply confused and weakened, so seeking outside help can become the solution we just needed.
Loneliness, fear, sadness or lack of motivation are just some of the most frequent feelings that are sought to disappear when someone visits a psychologist. However, the role of these professionals goes much further and goes from a previous diagnosis, the configuration and execution of the correct therapy for each particular case, to the evaluation and control of the results of each patient.
What does a psychologist really do?
Psychologists are professionals who specialize in psychotherapy, as well as other forms of psychological treatment.
A psychologist can cover different areas, from knowing in depth human behavior or evaluating the state of your mental health, to diagnosing and treating changes in behavior.
Psychologists have tools and protocols that they use to help their patients feel comfortable with their feelings and that they use to develop more effective and healthy patterns of behavior in them.
Contacting a specialist in psychology means generating a collaborative effort where you can speak openly and confidentially about those issues that most concern or destabilize you. In this way, you will be able to obtain a personalized itinerary to improve your feelings, emotions and behaviors.
Today we can find multidisciplinary psychological consultations where they cover a multitude of psychological problems, which generates a 360º vision on psychological issues.
For example, good psychologists make the most of their experience in matters of the mind to offer their patients, in a comprehensive and completely regenerative way, real solutions to such common and harmful problems as:
- Phobias
- Disorders
- Behavior problems
- Sexual problems
- Anxiety
Among many others that hinder a healthy and balanced development of our psyche as humans.
When is it advisable to go to a psychologist or therapist?
Sometimes we need the help of someone professional, specialized and experienced to shed a little light on the long shadow that our problems usually generate.
Each person may have different motivations and reasons for starting to consult the psychologist, either stress problems or just get some extra motivation to achieve our goals. However, there are some situations where visiting a psychology professional becomes an important idea that we should consider:
- A feeling of sadness and hopelessness has invaded you for a while now and everything in your life seems to go from bad to worse regardless of the efforts that you, your friends or family make to help you.
- If you have problems coping with everyday problems, such as difficulty concentrating on work that can translate into a lack of professional effectiveness.
- You worry too much about many things that you constantly fear will get worse.
- Your behavior is harming you and others continuously over time.
Remember that there are many other reasons to visit a psychologist's office and that it is only up to you to ask for help if you find yourself unable to cope with certain adversities in our daily lives that block you. the step to happiness.
How to choose the best psychologist for you
In most cases, to find a psychologist, just ask your doctor or a professional at your health center.
You can also go to a local association of psychologists or consult the psychology department of your city's university.
Another option is to ask family members or friends who have passed or who know someone who has visited a psychotherapist before for a similar question and who can guide you.
Taking into account that the patient and the psychologist are going to work hand in hand, the connection between the two must be correct.
The reality is that most psychologists agree on one thing: once the credentials and skills of your specialist are known, the success of any treatment is achieved when the patient feels that the levels of personal comfort with the professional are appropriate.
However, there are some clues that will help you choose the best psychologist for you without risk of mistake. Before agreeing to be treated by a psychologist, make sure you know at least:
- Qualification and years of experience of the professional.
- Success stories helping people with problems similar to yours.
- Areas of knowledge that he masters.
- Types of treatment used and evidence of their effectiveness.
- What are your fees.
Remember that getting comfortable with the psychologist is the first step in making your sessions effective.
How do I know if my therapy is working?
Once you start a treatment with your psychologist, you should make it clear what are the objectives to be achieved in order to efficiently manage those feelings of helplessness typical of depression or to control the fear that is devastating your daily life.
Be clear that each objective is different, in such a way that some will require more time than others. Your psychologist will help you know from what point you can expect to see results.
An obvious sign that everything is going well is when a feeling of relief and hope returns to your life. However, it is possible to continue to feel a wide range of emotions throughout the treatment.
The reality is quite clear, if you are considering requesting psychological help it is because you may need it. If you are looking feel better about who you are and achieve a greater state of well-being in your life, you should also know that the sooner you put yourself in the hands of a specialist, the sooner you will start to see the results you were looking for.
When you begin to feel more calm and tranquility, it will be the unequivocal sign that all your effort has been worth it. Everything will be the result of your work and effort with your psychologist throughout the treatment.
