10 reasons why you hesitate to go to a psychologist
Often the people who need to talk to a psychologist are the ones who most hesitate to do so, and the main reasons are often related to stigma and myths about therapy.
The lack of contact with what psychotherapy actually means and the impact that movies or the internet have on us are often the cause for some of the preconceived ideas. However, it is important to learn the truth behind these reasons and myths. However, it is important to learn the truth behind these reasons and myths.
1. Lack of information
For most people it is difficult to make the decision to go to a psychologist because movies, books or TV shows have created for them a vague image of the therapeutic process, so the types of different psychological services (clinical psychology, psychotherapy) and the stages of therapy, the course of a session of psychotherapy are barely known, generally having a mystical air around them.2. “People will think I’m crazy if I see a psychologist”
Not true. This is the most common myth, the most heard argument used to decline the recommendation to see a specialist. This myth has become a belief, and this causes the person to avoid, deny problems they face, or postpone facing certain truths about themselves.
Actually, people who seek professional help may be dealing with various types of situations: a break-up, the loss of a loved one, feelings of deep sadness, trying to find purpose in life, trying to find solutions in difficult situations, controlling their anger or certain compulsive behaviors, fears or complexes or simply no longer feeling happy in relationships / family situations.
Going to a psychologist is wanting to understand our feelings, thoughts, decisions and wanting to develop, wanting to understand yourself better and learning to solve your problems in more effective or simpler ways.
3. “I am weak if I go to a psychologist”
Incorrect. If we experience breathing difficulties, we will go to a doctor without thoughts like ,,My lungs are way to strong for me to go to the doctor”.
Most of the problems we face can be repeated in other contexts, affecting us more and more until they overwhelm us. The psychologist can help discover what isn’t working, why certain problems persist and how can we solve them. At the same time, he or she can help us find new solutions and perspectives, techniques and strategies that support balance every area of our lives.
4. ,,It’s the same as talking to a friend”
Untrue. While family or friends can offer their opinion, advice and a shoulder to cry on, a psychologist can help in recognizing behavioral or thought patterns that our loved ones can’t easily notice. That happens because our friends and family tend to be subjective, while the specialist has a neutral perspective, one that is not lead by emotions.
The psychologist brings in the therapy process their specialized techniques and knowledge, accumulated in time through studies and experience.
5. ,,The psychologist may judge me”
Wrong. In fact, the psychologist has a neutral perspective. This means not only that he or she will not judge anything that is discussed in the meetings, but they will keep the discussions confidential and ensure a safe environment for the meetings.
The therapist-patient relationship is based on trust, the two enter together into a process in which they set goals and make an effort to achieve them together.
6. “What if I find out unpleasant things about myself?”
Behind this thought hides the fear of finding out that the problems we face are worse than we thought. Actually, most of the time – even after only the first therapy session – there is a pleasant feeling of release – a sign that what the problem is is already becoming clearer and that the issues we are experiencing are normal. Also in the first sessions we can discover that there is a solution for every single one of our problems. Also in the first sessions we can discover that there is a solution for every single one of our problems.
7. “I don’t want to go to therapy all my life!”
Starting a therapeutic process does not mean that this process will last a lifetime. However, it is important to consider these two aspects:
First: Although some therapeutic goals are achieved in a few sessions, the therapist can’t make our problems disappear. At the same time, the therapist does not solve problems or give advice. He or she can help us accessing our own resources that can be used to solve the problems we are facing and help us find solutions that we can apply in real life.
Second: Our psycho-emotional difficulties are unconsciously maintained by the strategies we use to solve them. This means that if we have maintained certain behavioral patterns for years or even our entire lives, it is understandable that changing them will take some time.
8. “All psychologists are the same”
Each specialist will have an unique way of working, a different perspective on psychology/psychotherapy, different communication styles and techniques, so we will easily be able to find the right psychologist for us.
Just as each person is different, each psychologist is and works differently and will adapt the therapeutic process to the patient’s needs and wishes. For this reason it is important to feel that the discussions flow naturally and that the way of working is comfortable for us. In this sense, it is advisable to communicate to the therapist if something in particular causes discomfort.
9. “How does the psychologist know how to help me?”
The psychologist has, in addition to studies in the field, professional training, experience and possesses a set of knowledge and therapeutic strategies about and for the human psyche, aimed at objectively observing, actively listening, offering emotional support and adapting therapy to the patient’s needs, helping us to use our own resources, but also the skills we learn or develop in therapy.
Thus, the psychologist is prepared to find new perspectives, ideas, solutions and support the patient in any situation.
10. Financial reasons
The price of a psychotherapy session varies from one specialist to another, from one office to another, thus increasing the chances of finding a psychologist suitable for us.
Also, the time that the psychologist offers us is not only those minutes during the session, he has to study our case outside of the time spent in the office because each patient is unique, each problem requires analysis and time to find the most appropriate approach. ÎIn such conditions, it is worth prioritizing ourselves and putting our well-being first.
In addition, when we discuss difficult life situations, in which Psychological Counseling is necessary, it can be offered free of charge based on a referral from the family doctor.
Generally, patients turn to a psychologist to cope with a problem, an unpleasant event, to become a better version of themselves, or to learn to manage difficulties more easily. Deciding to start a therapeutic process means investing in ourselves, it means becoming active in the main role of our life and participating in changes to it.
Beat the stigma, overcome your fears and schedule your first psychotherapy session!
Author: Psih. Cătălina Hausner – Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist
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