Why do I have to go to the psychologist?

Everyone should see a psychologist at least once in their life. Whether you feel well or not, consulting a mental health professional will do 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 a matter of "crazy" but a way to make sure that everything is right 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 who are undecided about whether to go to psychotherapy, below you will find a list of the reasons why we recommend you consult a psychologist.

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Why should I go to the 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 economic reluctance and fear that it will not be profitable for them to go to psychotherapy. It also often happens that you do not go to a psychologist because you do not believe that what is happening is something "deserving" of psychological consultation.

People are not clear why they should go to a psychologist. It is normal because, despite the growing awareness of 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 problem psychological phrases such as "go to the doctor" are used with a very negative connotation and underestimating health mental. There is still a lot of work to do.

It is always advisable to go to the psychologist. Psychotherapy helps many people to 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 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 overwhelm us, such as divorces, work crises, infidelities, fights with friends, the death of a loved one... It may also be that personal situations of great emotional impact have happened to us, such as accidents, mistreatment or disasters.

When we find ourselves in a personal crisis, our emotions overwhelm us and it seems that life is 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 anyone's help. Professional help is highly recommended to regain stability, repair emotional damage and prevent the crisis from escalating.

Although the crisis seems mild and unimportant to us, at least we should consult a professional to see if there is a risk of a mental health problem after a while. By not doing so, we run the risk of suffering sequelae of the crisis, in the form of deep pain and discomfort, as well as increasing the risk of suffering from a mental disorder. Prevention is better than cure.

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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 to or looking for it, and this 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 us feelings of loneliness. Many people who live alone, such as widowers or emancipated youth, 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 that this implies, especially if they feel misunderstood, that no one supports them or 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 unsatisfactory relationships and can't stop obsessively meeting friends, family, or others. This and the other cases are reasons why we should go to the psychologist.

• Related article: "Unwanted loneliness: what it is and how we can combat it"

3. You have thoughts that overwhelm you

Another reason to go to the psychologist is when we find ourselves trapped in all kinds of negative, obsessive, circular and catastrophic thoughts. It's hard to control what you think, and ironically, the harder you try, the harder it gets. Negative dialogues, ideas, criticism and other messages that we tell ourselves can make our existence bitter. It is impossible for us to avoid ideas such as "I'm lazy", "I'm useless", "Why am I worthless?"...

Too it is common that we do not 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, not doing anything to counteract them greatly affects our lives. A psychologist can help us face them, manage them when they appear and prevent them from causing us the negative emotions that usually accompany them.

• You may be interested: "Obsessive thoughts: why they appear and how to fight them"

4. You feel that nothing you propose works out for you

A good reason to go to the psychologist is when we feel that we are not capable of doing what we set out to do. Either because we don't meet the goals we set for ourselves or we can't 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 that 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 it really is not? What if there is a psychological problem behind that explains it? Going to the psychologist we can discover it and intervene appropriately. And if this is not the case, surely the psychologist will give us tools to manage our time, increase our willpower and get down to it.

Beneath these blockages are often more complex causes. that it is necessary to identify with the help of a professional. It may be a lack of motivation, stress, a hidden depression... It also happens that there are decisions to be made that are so important that, far from taking them, paralyze us, cause us a lot of stress and we end up postponing them out of fear, insecurity or indecision.

• Related article: "Personal Development: 5 reasons for self-reflection"

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 of themselves, feeling that they are worthless or that they do not deserve to be loved.. It also happens that there are people so insecure that they are very afraid to say no to others and agree to do things that they do not feel good about or allow others to trample on them.

Perhaps for fear of rejection or conflict, sometimes it happens that we do not trust our own criteria and let the opinion of others take the helm of our lives. Living like this is not living freely. Psychologists can make us regain control of our lives, value ourselves for who 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

Relationship conflicts affect our mental health. Arguing with our partner, friends, coworkers, family members, or anyone important in our lives doesn't do us any good.

These are fundamental issues to work on in psychotherapy. It also happens that there may be relationship problems, such as excessive shyness, shame or a problem such as social anxiety. This makes one isolate himself and not show himself as he is, feeling nervous, fear, paranoia or stress in the presence of other people.

• Related article: "How do you know when to go to couples therapy? 5 compelling reasons"

7. you have problems at work

Problems at work are one of the main reasons for psychological consultation. It is not surprising then employment can become a source of all kinds of psychological problems, especially stress, anxiety and depression. Workplaces are still social environments where you have to deal with your colleagues and bosses that, although there is even friendship with them, there can also be disagreements, power struggles and aggressiveness.

Another related issue is that of workload. It is clear that employment implies 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 you discomfort and dissatisfaction with your job, but it will also make you perform your tasks worse.

Going to the psychologist we can find out to what extent our employment 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 satisfaction in the job.

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 manifest it than others. Even if the source of stress and anxiety is something that seems insignificant to us, going to a psychologist to learn how to manage it is the best favor we can do for ourselves.. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you feel stressed, for whatever reason.

It does not matter if the source of stress is more or less mild, the important thing is what causes us. Too high levels of discomfort will end up affecting our health, with consequences that are not limited to the psychological, but also in the form of physical symptoms (psychosomatization). Stress exhausts us, makes us psychologically and physically tired, disturbs our sleep, hurts our muscles and upsets our stomach, among other problems that justify why we should go to the 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. Too it may happen that you have the suspicion that you suffer from one despite not having 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 it is no use going to psychotherapy now that you know what is happening to you. Knowing what the diagnosis is can help us better understand what is wrong with us, but it will not magically improve our situation. Although the disorder is chronic, there is always the possibility of improving our mental state and for this the help of a professional is needed.