Psychology

12 Signs That Indicate It’s Time to See a Psychologist

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12 Signs That Tell You It’s Time to Consult a Psychologist

How to Know When It’s Time to Consult a Psychologist

Going to the psychologist may seem like something that only a few do and that does not go with oneself, but receiving psychological help can be fundamental at different times in our lives, giving us tools to better face problems.

Some signs or symptoms may indicate that something is wrong and we must seek professional help if we want to avoid the development of more serious conditions or pathologies. Asking for help is not a failure and even though we are independent beings and capable of doing and facing many situations some 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 may indicate that it is time to seek professional help.

 

When Should I go to the Psychologist?

There is a stigma in society regarding attending a psychologist since 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 a psychologist since during life complicated situations happen to us to face, where the support of a professional can go very well.

In this way, we must bear in mind that the function of the psychologist is not to cure the problem, with this mean, that normally the role of the professional consists of teaching the pertinent techniques and strategies to each patient so that he is the one who faces the conflictive situation and Thus, if a similar situation occurs again, know what to do.

For 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 will be more advisable to attend.

Note that the decision to seek help is very personal and in the end, it will decide whether to go to the psychologist or not. To help you identify possible indicators that may give rise to the need for intervention, we present a list of the most frequent.

Many times we have doubts determining whether or not we need to go to a psychologist. Thus, we enlist the 12 Signs That Indicate It’s Time to See a Psychologist.

 

12 Signs That Indicate It’s Time to See a Psychologist

 

  1. You have experienced a very stressful situation

The comparison of life with a roller coaster is common, 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, some people experience crises more intensely than others and have the most marked ups and downs of mood.

It may be that you notice that the situation overwhelms you and that you do not feel good emotionally, 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 handle the situation.

 

  1. You have trouble sleeping or resting

Many of the affectations of sleep are due to psychological discomfort, worries, or problems that do not disappear from our minds and do not allow us to function properly in other areas, for example at rest.

Sleeping and resting are essential to perform well and be productive, as well as for many brain functions and their correct recovery. Thus, going to the psychologist can help us reduce the problems that lie behind not being able to rest and, if we do not have adequate sleep patterns, establish healthy ones.

 

  1. You feel physical discomfort for no apparent reason

The physical discomfort, after having done the pertinent tests and ruling out organic causes, maybe due to a psychological problem. Sometimes worries, anxiety or depression, and 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 a psychologist because perhaps you are expressing a mental disorder in a somatic way.

 

  1. 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 plan 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 effective charge, which stand out from others, and are repeated over time.

 

  1. 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 we can also observe it in other affectations or the population without pathology. Persistently feeling that activities, or things, that used to give you pleasure no longer do so can be a sign that something is not right in you and you could benefit from asking for psychological advice.

 

  1. You notice difficulties in your social relationships

We may feel that it is difficult for us to interact with others, that we cannot 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 it is to act submissively and not defend one’s rights and thoughts. Thus, learning strategies to find the balance, the midpoint, can be very useful.

 

  1. 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 implies a high emotional load. It is important to intervene when we notice the first symptoms and not wait for them to get out of control, as they can lead to more serious conditions such as depression.

 

  1. You notice that your life is disorganized

We live in a fast-paced society, where we are continually asked to achieve objectives, and goals, achieve achievements and we forget the basic needs that we require to be able to live, such as sleeping or eating. This feeling of disorganization that causes us discomfort can be solved by establishing healthy routines and habits that give stability to our lives. Sometimes the simplest factors like sleeping at least seven hours and eating at least three times a day are what help us to be happier.

 

  1. 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 autopilot 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.

 

  1. You have 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 life, but At the same time, it is difficult to get it to a good level.

This feeling of self-esteem is worked on 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 esteem own.

 

  1. You feel irritated and aggressive

Irritability and aggressiveness can be the expression of internal discomfort. It is possible that worries, depressed moods, and anxiety make us more sensitive and we jump easily without there being an objective reason. Asking a professional for help can be useful to work on the cause that causes this behavior, as well as learn self-control and relaxation techniques for when we feel irritated or when we lose our calm.

 

  1. You feel that substances are the ones that control your life

Substance use can lead to dependence on them and thus loss of control. Drugs not only change our state or modify our behavior, repeated consumption leads to changes at the brain level, making our body depend 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 poorly without it. In this way, the intervention of a professional who has experience in this field and who helps us to leave it is essential.

 

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20 Must Watch Psychology Documentaries

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Best Psychology Documentaries

Documentaries are becoming one of the best forms of entertainment and learning. And if you are a professional, student, or curious about Psychology, there are some that you cannot miss for anything.

The knowledge that Psychology raises and provides us, the study of the human being, his behavior, his development, or the different alterations that he can show, is of great interest not only for expert subjects in this field but also to the general population. In this article, we present the 20 Must Watch Psychology Documentaries that will surely not leave you indifferent and will give you a new perspective on some aspects that you had not valued before.

 

20 Must Watch Psychology Documentaries

The field of Psychology offers a variety of topics that adapt to the entire public and the different interests of the population. Below we will mention some of the best Psychology documentaries, making a summary of each one, so that it is easier for you to know which ones you prefer.

 

  1. Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (2006)

This documentary stars Stephen Fry, a British actor diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The filming raises different issues and shows us the life of the actor, his ups and downs, and how the mental disorder affects his day-to-day life.

At the same time, we see how the protagonist talks, interact, and with other people about everything that the pathology involves, such as the treatment, the fear, or the family affectation that it generates. It, therefore, presents us with the hardest face of bipolarity but tries to provide a positive perspective and give strength and support to people who suffer from this alteration.

 

  1. Boy Interrupted (2009)

Boy Interrupted shows us and explains the life of Evan Perry through the recordings of his parents. Evan was an exceptional child, multi-talented, emotional, and intelligent, who suffered from bipolar disorder. Through the footage we can see how Perry’s emotional state varies, presenting emotional ups and downs as if it were a roller coaster.

This documentary made by his parents does not pretend to explain the bipolar disorder, rather it is understood as a way of overcoming the loss of a child, a way of expressing what one feels, and showing the action and struggle carried out by the parents to try to cope with your child’s mental illness and continued suicidal ideation.

 

  1. The Man with the 7-second memory (2005)

Can you imagine your life without being able to generate new memories? Well, this is the story of Clive Wearing, an orchestra conductor whose a virus left them without the ability to remember anything after 7 seconds, that is, he could not record new information, he was only able to identify his wife and remember related information with the music. The footage shows us the life of this man, and what his life is like day by day with the presence of this pathology.

 

  1. Anima (2011)

This documentary speaks to us and raises the relationship we have with ourselves, with other people, and with the environment that surrounds us. Likewise, it points out the possibility of power that we show as individuals and as partitions of a group, also highlighting our creative capacity.

 

  1. Rule from the Shadows the Psychology of Power (2014)

Rule from the Shadows the Psychology of Power shows how power acts in our society, and how the world moves. Similar to a chess game, it raises the importance of having different pieces, of different levels, to maintain the categories and thus have a group of opponents of the same rank or level. It also raises how the subjects who are above the general population, who have more power, act to influence and affect society, how they raise the different issues so that people act as they wish and be able to exercise power over them. others.

 

  1. A Virus Called Fear (2012)

The documentary “A Virus Called Fear” shows us the distinction between the rational fear that is adaptive for the human being and the irrational fear that blocks us and harms us. Raising the research carried out by the well-known psychologists John Watson and Frederic Skinner, linked to learning and how it affects punishment or reward.

In the same way, it mentions the role of the media, how they can provide biased information to sensitize the population, or how the actions of some leaders or celebrities have played with the generation of fear.

 

  1. Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992)

This interesting documentary features Noam Chomsky as the protagonist, a renowned psychologist focused mainly on communication and language. This author tells us how the government and large companies manipulate or decide what information or news to transmit to the population through the media or how this information is presented to us.

In this way, we are given examples of news that were transmitted to the American population and others that were never communicated by the media. Thus, it is easier to understand and understand the purpose of producing similar opinions in the same population, reducing the critical opinion of each individual.

 

  1. Human (2015)

This documentary talks about human nature, as individuals and as members of society. The filming, made over two years, offers us the story of people from different parts of the world, with different experiences, addressing sensitive issues such as war, poverty or discrimination, as well as other issues present in all individuals such as love, the family or planning for the future.

 

  1. Mystical Brain (2006)

Mystical Brain shows us the studies and results found by a group of researchers on the power or effect that meditation produces on the brain of the people who practice it and how these positive effects can benefit the treatment of physical and mental conditions, working as a complementary treatment to traditional intervention.

 

  1. Children of Darkness (1983)

Children of Darkness is a film that shows life in psychiatric hospitals for children and adolescents. How are the life of these people and the affectation that both the mental disorder and the stay in the hospital generate in them? As a result of making the documentary and knowing about the practices carried out in different psychiatric hospitals, some of the centers were closed.

 

  1. I am Fishead: Are Corporate Leaders Psychopaths? (2011)

This documentary tells us how psychopaths act and if it is possible that the most powerful positions, those who are capable of reaching higher rungs in the hierarchy, show psychopathic traits. This hypothesis is born from the behavior of this type of individual, how they enjoy causing pain to other people, thus facilitating a selfish action that allows them to place themselves above others.

In the same way, he talks about sociopaths pointing out that in this case they do not enjoy the suffering of others but they do give priority to their benefit, thus also favoring a greater possibility of reaching superior positions.

 

  1. Reality and Extended Mind (2011)

This documentary shows the different investigations carried out to learn more about psi phenomena, linked to parapsychology, ba etter understanding of human consciousness, as well as other events that are difficult to find an explanation for.

 

  1. Beyond Thought (2011)

Beyond Thought focuses on understanding the nature of the mind, why the thoughts arise in us, and the distinction between our consciousness and our thinking.

 

  1. Why Do We Talk? (2009-2010)

The documentary Why Do We Talk? As its title tells us, it focuses on understanding language and how we manage to develop this ability. For greater understanding, it shows us the testimony of six subjects highlighting.

In particular, the story of a boy with autism who can speak more than 20 languages, the filming made by a father of the first three years of his children’s lives, allowing us to observe how begins to speak or the findings made by a researcher of what it is that allows us to speak.

 

  1. The Secret Life of Brain (2002)

This documentary deals with the development of the human brain, how it evolves throughout the lives of individuals, and what influence and impact this development have on human behavior.

 

  1. Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation (2007)

The documentary Albert Fish: In Sin He, Found Salvation discusses what life is like for serial killers, featuring Albert Fish as the protagonist, one of the cruelest serial killers, and his involvement in child abuse, prostitution, and murder.

 

  1. Total Isolation (2008)

This documentary shows the results that were obtained in the first serial deprivation experiment. That is, how the non-presence of stimuli affects people. The study consisted of isolating six subjects for 48 hours, three of them were placed in a soundproof room without light and the other three were allowed to listen to white noise, sound with all frequencies, and all with the same power.

 

  1. Mary and I (2013)

The documentary María y Yo tries to bring us closer to the knowledge of autism in a natural way, through the relationship between a father and his teenage daughter with autism. The footage shows us the holidays of father and daughter, how they manage to connect, and what difficulties of coexistence arise.

 

  1. One Percent, Schizophrenia (1% Schizophrenia) (2006)

This documentary allows us to learn about the experience of people who suffer from schizophrenia, a pathology that occurs in the population with a higher percentage than we think, and how this mental disorder affects the individuals who show it.

 

  1. The Greater Good (2017)

The documentary The Greater Good presents us with a study based on the popular moral dilemma of the two train tracks, the subjects found on them, and the possibility of activating a lever and modifying the trajectory.

The purpose of the research is to differentiate between instinct and philosophical reflection, and also assess with different experts in the field of Psychology, what is the best way to apply this study without negatively affecting the participating subjects.

 

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11 Signs of Work Addiction Proving You as a Workaholic

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Signs of Work Addiction Proving You as a Workaholic

What is it to be a Workaholic and What are the Signs of Work Addiction. Being a workaholic is a psychological state in which a person prioritizes their dedication to work above all else. Let’s see the 11 symptoms that indicate a person is a Workaholic addicted.

We consider a person to be a Workaholic when they have a work addiction. His life revolves around the workplace and any other area is neglected, downplaying them. Currently, great relevance is given to work or job success, thus favoring subjects who show addiction to work to develop this characteristic and it is more difficult to assess this behavior as harmful to the individual, especially at the beginning.

But it has been observed that, as with any addiction, it ends up producing a lack of functionality and hurting the subject’s life. Thus, they will be people who dedicate a large part of their time to work, never have enough, refuse to delegate tasks, and believe that their work performance is much better than that of their colleagues.

We also observe difficulty in maintaining social relationships since they do not devote enough attention to them. In this article, we will talk about workaholic (work addiction), how this alteration is defined and what signs indicate the possible presence of this pathology.

 

What do we understand by Workaholic?

A workaholic is an English term used to refer to people who show addiction to work. We see how the life of these individuals revolves around work, leaving aside and downplaying other areas of their lives such as social, family, or even personal since their health can be affected. The dedication to work is such that they are unconcerned about everything not related to this area, including their well-being.

Workaholic does not appear as a specific disorder in the Diagnostic Manuals, but a relationship with other psychological disorders such as stress, anxiety, or obsessive symptomatology has been observed. In this way, this behavior goes beyond a dedication to work, but we perceive a dysfunction in other areas and an impact on both the physical and psychological health of the subject.

 

How to Detect a Workaholic Person?

Now that we know the definition of the Workaholic concept, it will be easier to understand what symptoms or signs are indicators of the possible presence of a workaholic. Although the impact on the life of the individual, as we have said, ends up being intense, the subject himself may not even be aware of it, since the increase in addiction is usually progressive. Likewise, his environment can value his work dedication as positive, since excellence and full dedication to work are currently sought.

The traits that may mark us as a suspect of workaholism can be divided into three areas: cognitive, characterized by showing symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression, they think and present continuous concern about work; physiological, we observed activation of the nervous system, symptoms of stress such as increased heart rate, increased breathing speed, increased blood pressure, which entails a greater risk of developing avascular pathology; and behavioral, constant need to work, to have everything under control, full dedication to work that affects the maintenance of social relationships.

 

11 Signs of Work Addiction Proving You as a Workaholic

 

  1. It’s always Connected

He is always available or connected when it comes to working, his full dedication to work contrasts with his lack of dedication to other areas. He makes sure to always have connection or coverage so that at any time they want to get in touch or he wants to do so, they can do so, as long as it is for work issues. They are people who respond quickly to emails and who always take calls, at any time of the day, without schedules.

 

  1. Do not follow a Work Schedule

We could consider that they do not follow a work schedule or that their work schedule is 24 hours a day since their dedication is complete and continuous. This lack of schedules is increased if you telecommute, or work from home since it is more difficult to follow a specific work schedule. Also, even if your job has a set schedule, you will find a way to stay busy, either by sending emails or planning and getting work done.

 

  1. Never Rest

People with workaholism are dissatisfied with vacations or weekends since they say they do not need to rest. They will look for any task to be entertained and busy with work, they will never have enough. They negatively value vacations and if it were up to them they would not do them.

 

  1. Don’t like to Delegate their Work

Another characteristic behavior is the non-delegation of work to other employees. Despite being overwhelmed with work and not having time, they will prefer and choose to do all the tasks themselves, since they will not trust others to do it well or at least the same as them. They will do all of them even if they don’t have time left, we see how this behavior is linked to complete dedication to work, lack of schedule, and no rest, since when wanting to get to everything it is usual for them to work more hours than established.

 

  1. Display Self-centered Behavior

We observe an egocentric behavior linked to the greater importance given to their work than to any other field. Thus, we understand that their well-being is related to their full dedication to work. For this reason, we will refer to their selfish behavior, since nothing will be more relevant than their work and dedication time to it. As we have already pointed out, they will neglect other areas of their lives and undervalue the work of others, giving them less relevance.

 

  1. First to Arrive at Work and the Last to Leave

Linked to the complete dedication to work, it is common for subjects with workaholism to be the first to arrive at the place of employment, even having to wait for it to open or enter in case they have keys. Similarly, they will be the last to leave, they will leave their work site when there is no one else left and they have no choice but to leave because it is closing time. They have the feeling that working hours are short, that time at work passes very quickly.

 

  1. Perfectionist with Work

Another behavior that we can also observe is a high perfectionism linked to work. They will do whatever it takes to make everything go well, always looking for perfection, a behavior that can harm them, since their high level of demand and the difficulty for everything to go well can generate frustration and discomfort in the subject when they see that achieving perfection is not possible.

 

  1. Value Themselves as a Fundamental Piece in the Work

They value themselves as essential at work, they believe that their dedication is adequate and that all employees should show it. In this way, given that their level is difficult to match, they often conceive of their colleagues as inferior, linking any failure in the task or the work project to the lack of dedication or capacity of others.

In this way, we observe an internal arrangement of successes and an external arrangement of failures. They interpret that work achievements are possible thanks to them, instead, any failure is due to the bad or insufficient performance of others.

 

  1. Don’t Know How to Say No

Workaholic individuals don’t know or don’t want to say no to work-related issues. They consider it unthinkable to say no to their boss, showing the same opinion in case they are the bosses, they negatively value that an employee of theirs says no to them.

Nor will they ever report not knowing how to do something, they will do everything possible to find out and do it, even if this makes them much more work. We see how the expression of not being able, not having time, and not knowing how to do it, is not in his vocabulary. When it comes to working, they are always willing and will always express and expect a yes.

 

  1. Do not have a Good Relationship with their Peers

The relationship with their colleagues is non-existent or can even become bad or tense, since, as we have been saying, the low regard they have for the work of their colleagues, valuing that it is insufficient or not as good as theirs, is linked to a lack of interest in relating to them.

Likewise, it can lead them to express their negative opinion to their superiors, that is, to tell their bosses that the problems or failures are caused by their colleagues, thus reverberating in the relationship. The attitude of the subjects with workaholism will also not help their colleagues to like them, who were also distant, even avoiding talking or sharing tasks with them.

 

  1. Careless Social Relationships

As expected, any area other than work will be neglected, since nothing will be as important to them as work. It is common for them to lose friendships since they are never available, they never have time for their friends and they will not join any plan, distancing themselves and breaking up the relationship.

Similar will happen with relatives, they will not attend celebrations or important meetings, always maintaining a distant relationship. For this reason, they will also show difficulties in maintaining relationships, since work will always go ahead of any person or relationship.

 

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