Going to the psychologist may seem like something that only a few do and that does not go with oneself, but really receiving psychological help can be essential at different times in our lives, giving us tools to better deal with problems .
There are signs or symptoms that can indicate that something is wrong and we should seek professional help if we want to avoid the development of conditions or more serious pathologies. Asking for help is not a failure and even though we are independent beings and capable of doing and facing many situations, there are some that can overcome us, it is in these circumstances that it is advisable to go to the psychologist.In this article, we mention some behaviors, feelings or sensations that can indicate that it is time to seek professional help.
When should I go to the psychologist?
There is a stigma in society regarding seeing a psychologist because people tend to think that people who receive psychological help are “ crazy” or that it is necessary to be very ill to require professional intervention. But the reality is that everyone can benefit from going to the psychologist since during the course of life difficult or complicated situations happen to us, where the support of a professional can go very well for us.
In this way we must keep in mind that the psychologist's function is not to cure the problem, by this we mean that normally the role of the professional consists of teaching the pertinent techniques and strategies to each patient so that they can be He himself who faces the conflictive situation and thus, if a similar situation occurs again, he knows how to act.
Referring to subjects with chronic pathology, the purpose will be to improve their condition so that they integrate, as far as possible, into society and have a functional life. We see how the purpose of the psychologist is to intervene in the individual so that he is as independent as possible. Now, although everyone can voluntarily go to a psychologist, there are some symptoms or signs that alert us and indicate that it would be appropriate to seek help. There are some situations where requesting professional intervention is more urgent and it would be more advisable to attend.
Note that the decision to seek help is very personal and in the end it will be yourself who decides whether or not to go to the psychologist. To help you identify possible indicators that may raise the need for intervention, we present a list of the most frequent ones.
one. You have experienced a very stressful situation
It is common to compare life with a roller coaster, this refers to the fact that life is not a straight line, events happen that can change our state and change our moods. In the same way, there are people who experience crisis situations more intensely than others and who have more marked ups and downs in mood.
It may be that you notice that the situation overwhelms you and that you do not feel good emotionally, this not being able to control the situation is an indicator that it would be favorable for you to seek psychological help and thus learn our tools to better manage the situation. situation.
2. You have trouble sleeping or resting
Many sleep disturbances are due to psychological discomfort, concerns or problems that do not disappear from our minds and do not let us have proper functioning in other areas, for example at rest.
Sleep and rest is essential to perform well, be productive, as well as for many brain functions and for proper recovery. Thus, going to the psychologist can help us to reduce the problems hidden by not being able to rest and in case of not having adequate sleep patterns, establish ones that are he althy.
3. You feel physical discomfort for no apparent reason
The physical discomfort, after having done the pertinent tests and ruled out organic causes, may be due to a psychological problem. Sometimes worries, anxiety or depression, affectations that we are not used to relating to bodily problems, generate a physical ailment. If the doctors have ruled out other pathologies and cannot find the cause, it may be helpful to go to the psychologist because maybe you are somatically expressing a mental disorder
4. You have repetitive thoughts that cause you discomfort
There may be different causes behind the appearance of repetitive thoughts and knowing the real reason behind these ideas can help us know how to deal with the situation or propose an intervention to reduce the affectation.
For example, repetitive ideas are observed in patients with obsessions, these are thoughts that arise persistently in the subject, generating great discomfort; They can also be shown by individuals with delusional beliefs, which revolve around a theme and present repetitive ideas about it. Although it is not necessary to have a pathology, overvalued ideas are ideas with a greater affective charge, which stand out in relation to others, and are repeated over time.
5. You feel that no activity gives you satisfaction
Anhedonia, the loss of the ability to feel pleasure or satisfaction, is a typical symptom of major depressive disorder, although it can also be we can observe in other affectations or in population without pathology.Persistently feeling that activities or things that previously gave you pleasure no longer do so may be a sign that something is not right in you and you could benefit from seeking psychological advice.
6. You feel difficulties in your social relationships
We may feel that it is difficult for us to interact with others, that we are unable to establish friendships and that this situation causes us discomfort. The psychologist can help you and provide strategies to improve your social, communication and assertive skills so that your relationships are more favorable and increase both your satisfaction and that of others.
It is just as harmful to have manipulative behavior, to take advantage of others, as to act in a submissive manner and not defend one's own rights and thoughts. Thus, learning strategies to find the balance, the midpoint, can be very useful for you.
7. You feel overwhelmed at work
Burnout is the name given to work stress. It has been observed that this is usually caused by a lack of control over work, feeling that your work is not recognized or working in a profession that involves a high emotional charge. It is important to intervene when we notice the first symptoms and not wait for them to get out of control, since they can lead to more serious effects such as depression.
8. You notice that your life is disorganized
We live in a fast-paced society, where we are continually asked to achieve objectives, goals, achieve achievements and we forget the basic needs that we really need to live, such as sleeping or eating. This feeling of disorganization that causes us discomfort can be solved by establishing routines and he althy habits that give stability to our lives.Sometimes the simplest factors such as sleeping at least seven hours and eating at least three times a day is what helps us to be happier
9. You feel that your life has no meaning
In the same way that when we have a physical ailment we go to the doctor, if we feel bad emotionally we should go to the psychologist. We must not accept the loss of meaning in life as something normal, we have the right to be happy. So if you notice that you live on automatic pilot and that you no longer find meaning in your life, it is time to ask for professional help to identify and solve what causes this feeling.
10. You stopped loving yourself
Self-esteem, loving oneself, is very important to achieve a good self-concept, a good perception of oneself, to feel good, to be happy, that is, it is a fundamental piece that affects different areas of our lives, but at the same time it is difficult to achieve a good level.
This feeling of self-esteem works and does not remain stable throughout life, for this reason if we notice that it is damaged and we are not well with ourselves, psychological intervention can help us train strategies to improve perception, assessment and self-esteem.
eleven. You feel irritable and aggressive
Irritability and aggressiveness can be the expression of internal discomfort. It is possible that worries, depressed mood, anxiety make us more sensitive and that we jump easily without there being an objective reason. Asking a professional for help can be useful for working on the cause of this behavior, as well as learning self-control and relaxation techniques for when we feel irritated or when we lose our cool.
12. Do you feel that substances control your life
Substance use can lead to dependence on them and with it loss of controlDrugs not only change our state or modify our behavior, repeated consumption leads to changes at the brain level, causing our body to become dependent on them and we notice adverse sensations (withdrawal) if we do not take them.
So, it is not easy to leave it since our body is used to it and not only that but we feel that we function badly without it. In this way, the intervention of a professional who has experience in this field and who helps us to quit is essential.