Only mentally ill people go to psychologists

Mentally ill people are treated by psychiatrists, while psychologists work on correcting thought patterns, solving personal problems, and overcoming harmful attitudes. Psychologists’ clients are mentally healthy people who experience difficulties building relationships, determining their place in life, finding themselves, dealing with life scenarios, adapting to stress, controlling eating habits and bad habits, defending personal boundaries, and separating from their parents.

There is no point in going to a psychologist; you can simply talk to someone close to you

It is wonderful when there are people around you who are ready to support you, listen, and offer encouragement. However, a heart-to-heart conversation does not always help solve problems, and there are several explanations for this: the other person may not always be objective, may have their own point of view, the environment may be toxic and encourage solutions that benefit them, and friends often have their own difficulties and problems, so they cannot always understand you. On the other hand, a psychologist is an objective listener who not only knows how to listen but also helps you understand why you find yourself in unpleasant situations and unhappy relationships. Together with a psychologist, you will find answers within yourself, draw conclusions, and change your behavioral patterns. In conversation, a psychologist plays only one role—the role of a specialist; they will not give in to emotions or judge you.

The psychologist saw right through me

Around 90% of people have had or currently have difficulties related to the peculiarities of the psyche. The vast majority of these difficulties fit into several principles according to which our psyche operates. Of course, a psychologist can quickly recognize a person’s condition, but may be able to say little about the real you. By comparison, a cardiologist can very quickly find out what problem affects the cardiovascular system, but has absolutely no idea what is happening with the patient’s joints. Psychology works in a similar way: a psychologist recognizes behavior and ways of thinking characteristic of a problem and helps eliminate harmful patterns, without touching those of your traits and behaviors that play no role in the situation.

A psychologist will quickly solve all my problems

A psychologist does not solve problems or make decisions for a person, nor do they give advice. The psychologist’s task is to help the client understand their difficulties independently, notice weak points, learn how to think, and then act differently in order to improve their life.

A psychologist should not have problems

A very harmful myth that obliges a psychologist to be a superhero—otherwise they are not a psychologist but a charlatan. Psychologists are the same people as everyone else and live in the same world as we do, so it is completely normal for a psychologist to have problems and difficulties.

Another question can be added to this myth: “How can I go to a psychologist to solve problems with my child if they do not have children? They will not help me.” A psychologist does not need to have a family, children, or parents to advise people with problems in this area—after all, clients have a great many questions and problems, and even if a psychologist wanted to experience everything personally, one lifetime would simply not be enough. It is amusing to imagine that a surgeon or cardiologist would have to experience illnesses firsthand: first they had appendicitis or a heart attack, and then they treated patients! It sounds ridiculous enough.

Does everyone have to go to a psychologist?

No. But there are situations when psychological help is needed. Make an appointment if:

  • you lack the vitality even for the simplest things;
  • you are more often in a bad mood, nervous, and depressed rather than happy;
  • you are a new mother, but instead of joy you experience constant dissatisfaction with yourself, fatigue, continually want to sleep, and do not want to be touched;
  • you are considering suicide;
  • you have problems controlling your alcohol use;
  • you suffer from an eating disorder;
  • you experience stress when communicating with people close to you (children, parents, your partner, or coworkers);
  • you do not know what you want from life;
  • you suffer from insomnia and anxiety;
  • you do everything for others, but no one appreciates or notices it;
  • you cannot answer at a given moment what you want;
  • you are dissatisfied with your life and attitude;
  • you have experienced a traumatic event or the loss of someone close and cannot recover for a long time;
  • you experience outbursts of anger and aggression;
  • you are underweight or overweight and cannot do anything about it.

Psychiatry in Warsaw – https://twojlekarz-wawa.pl/category/psychiatra-warszawa-centrum-srodmiescie/ offers the opportunity to receive high-quality mental health support, improve your life, and learn how to cope with difficulties.