Psychologists are perceived as being for people who are mentally ill, and are thought to have no benefit for ‘mentally stable’ people. There are negative stigmas attached to people who seek advice from psychologists which include words like ‘crazy’ and ‘mentally inept’—but this is starting to change for the better.
There is not a single person who has not experienced a situation which has put a strain on their mental wellbeing. Life changes from childhood to adulthood and with it comes many hardships. There have been successful people with loving families who have experienced times when they just feel sad.
People struggle to establish their own identity and place in the world. Some people get down on themselves for not being as successful as they desire. Some people suffer through abusive relationships without realizing it. Celebrities struggle with being in the eye of the public. And nearly everyone will struggle with the loss of a loved one at some stage in their life.
Strictly speaking, none of the aforementioned people are ‘crazy’ or suffer from a mental illness but all of them can benefit from seeing a psychologist. Everyone will experience one or more of the aforementioned troubles, and they will struggle to deal with it by themselves. This is where a psychologist is just another form of self-care with significant benefits.
A psychologist can give their patient an outsider’s perspective which is not influenced by the relationship they have with their patient. It is not uncommon for people to doubt themselves and feel as though they are not good enough, which could be fuelled by a negative family environment.
A psychologist would help by giving the patient the tools to deal with their family while helping the person to focus on their strengths instead of their weakness – which could help to avoid depression or other mental illness. A psychologist provides an unbiased perspective and can help to prevent a situation producing the worst possible outcome.
A psychologist would benefit a child, or young adult, by equipping them with the tools to deal with peer pressure and other external pressures which would reduce a lot of the stress that accompanies growing up. Many teenagers are bullied and some commit suicide as a result.
None of those teens needed to have a mental illness in order to follow through with suicide, but all of them could have avoided feeling alone if they had had someone to speak to and give them guidance. A psychologist would help the youth deal with stress and anxiety from an early age, which will result in happier adults.
It can be difficult to confide in family, or speak to them about something troublesome – even if a person has the support of their family – without the issue extending into all of their social interactions. A psychologist allows for a space where a person can be open and honest without affecting social interactions while receiving unbiased advice.
A psychologist can equip anyone with the tools necessary to go through life with confidence and provides support through the hard times for all people, with or without mental illness.