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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
