When to See a Psychologist & How to Choose One

We live in a world that is constantly putting us under pressure for one reason or another. Our lives have pretty much become like a race towards success, or towards making ends meet, and taking care of our health in the process can be rather difficult. Especially when it comes to mental health. It is, therefore, important for us all to understand when it may be time for us to see a psychologist or a therapist, and thus find better ways to cope.

Perhaps this could help you choose a professional: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jan/09/how-to-find-the-right-therapist 

The good thing is that the world is changing a bit in this regard. Meaning that people are no longer ashamed to ask for help when they are struggling psychologically. We are increasingly realizing that asking for help doesn’t equate to being weak, and that it is sometimes the strongest move that a person can make. And we are also encouraging people around us to do the same thing, often setting an example when we start seeing a psychologist or a therapist ourselves.

Hopefully, there will come a time when people will completely understand the importance of taking care of their mental health, and the importance of seeing professionals that can help them with that. After all, if we have a pain in our chest, we are sure to go see a doctor, and we should have the same attitude when it comes to seeing psychologists and therapists for our mental health struggles. Anyway, I believe that we have come a long way already, and that we’ve made great progress in raising awareness on this topic, which should encourage more people to seek for help when they need it.

But, the tricky part sometimes, and for some people, is actually understanding when they may need help. In other words, you could be struggling a bit, but you could be under the impression that you don’t really need to see a psychologist. So, you may be wondering when it is that you should actually see one of these professionals. Let me, thus, tell you more about that. Maybe you can read more about it on this page as well.

When Should You See a Psychologist?

A common misconception nowadays is that you have to be in an acute crisis in order to see a psychologist, or a therapist, or a psychiatrist for that matter. All different professions, but definitely intertwined, as these experts often work together to provide the patients with the best possible care. As mentioned, though, this is a misconception, because you don’t have to wait until you are in a crisis to actually contact one of these pros and get help.

Sure, psychological counselling, or psychotherapy, can be highly beneficial during those moments of crisis. But, the truth is that those services can be rather helpful outside the crisis as well. For one thing, they can help you get to know yourself better, understand your functioning, your defense mechanisms, and help you improve the areas that need improvement. And then, they can also be a preventative tool, helping you learn how to cope with some stressful situations without them overwhelming you. Put simply, in addition to helping you overcome crises, these services can also be preventative, as well as growth-oriented.

Let us now get a bit more concrete. For starters, if you have been feeling sad or hopeless for a while now, that could be a sign of an underlying mental health condition, such as depression. Of course, you don’t need to really be able to recognize if you’re, say, depressed, but you do need to admit to yourself that you’re not feeling well. And, you do need to get help from the professionals I’ve mentioned in such a case.

Furthermore, if you have relationship problems, or you’re having a hard time dealing with some major life changes, a psychologist, or a therapist, can provide you with some helpful insights, and thus help you look at things from a different perspective. Of course, during those times, they will also provide you with a safe space, supporting you and helping you regain stability.

Now, if you have some more serious mental health problems or disorders, you could also benefit from seeing these professionals. Often times, however, psychiatrists may need to be involved as well, to further help stabilize you. When comparing a psychologist to a psychiatrist, you will realize that both of them play a role in helping you get better and maintain your health. Thus, working with both of these experts can often be the right thing to do.

How to Choose One?

If you’ve decided to start seeing a psychologist, the next thing you’ll want to do is figure out how to choose the right one. Well, checking credentials is, naturally, the most important thing to do. And, if you want psychotherapy services, you should check if the psychologist has gained the necessary education in that field, as it’s a separate field and not all psychologists are therapists. So, ask around, get recommendations, but do your own research as well, to choose a reliable and trusted professional.