People visit doctors for their physical illnesses but they hesitate to visit mental health professionals for their psychological symptoms. Visiting a psychologist is generally discouraged in our society. Patients are told to be strong, be positive, that they are over-reacting - all this puts a strain on a person already suffering from mental illnesses.
There are many myths attached to visiting a psychologist. Considering the high rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, aggression, crime, abuse,relationship crises, it is an understatement to say that many precious lives could have been saved and the quality of life for a majority of them would have been substantially improved, had they visited a psychologist in time. World Health Organisation now recommends that persons suffering from mild or non-critical psychological illnesses need not be medicated; they can recover with psychotherapy.
Myth 1
If I visit a psychologist, it means I am 'mad'. Due to the stigma in visiting a psychologist people would rather suffer in silence or indulge in unscientific practices or use self help techniques or take help from charlatans which may give only temporarily relief or be downright dangerous. Do seek timely help from a qualified psychologist. You can check out the profile and reviews before taking a consultation and also qualification and experience. Your consultation will be private and confidential. You can be assured that psychologists do not divulge any details about their work and clients to others.
Myth 2
Can Psychologists read minds? The dictionary definition of psychology refers to it as a scientific discipline that studies mental states and processes and behaviours in humans and other animals. There is no magic wand to extract thoughts from people. A lot of skill and patience is involved in understanding and interpreting how/what others think and believe and to develop a rationale for their actions.
Myth 3
Psychology is not an exact science. Nowadays with online free tests offering assessment of IQ, EQ, psychiatric disorders, it has become very easy for lay persons to attempt to test, diagnose and treat themselves – an unhealthy trend being increasingly seen. Development of norms for psychological tests and their applicability to certain populations take years of development involving complex data analysis methods. Methods of experimentation,sampling, randomisation, generalisation have to go through several levels of verification before being accepted by psychologists. Psychology is a science and the interpretative skill and dealing with people is an art.
Myth 4
Any person who is a smooth talker, good communicator, effective people manager is a ‘psychologist’. There are many lay people with excellent communication skills and wonderful ideas to help people with which they have made a lucrative career for themselves. They should not be confused with psychologists. Psychologists go through several years of studying theories and have to pass rigorous tests before qualifying to be psychologists.
Myth 5
Psychology is akin to esoteric practices such as astrology, palmistry, face reading, tarot cards, etc. There are strong scientific principles and rationales for psychological theories and practices and we have proven their benefits to mankind time and again.
Visit a psychologist without delay if you have any mental health issues for a better understanding of the issue you have to deal with and the treatment options for it. A psychologist can not only help an individual to become a healthy person and lead a fully functional life, but also pre-empt certain contentious behaviors and issues through therapy. Psychologists are more relevant today than at any other time and can contribute significantly in alleviating not only human suffering but also fostering good health and improved relationships leading to a better world. If you or anyone you love have symptoms which would suggest you visit a psychologist, do not delay. Be informed, be proactive and stay healthy.