Did you know that a study that was done in 2015 had shown that the average person treated with psychotherapy was better off than 80% of those who did not receive treatment?
In 2016, another study suggested that outpatient psychotherapy has a large reduction of work disability days and hospitalisation days as compared to others. Psychotherapy helps people with various mental and emotional challenges to look for long-term solutions to their problems. But how does one know if they should seek help from a psychotherapist?
To have a deeper understanding of psychotherapy, click here.
Table of Contents
1. What Does a Psychotherapist Do?
1.1 Who Can Be a Psychotherapist?
2. Signs That You May Need to See a Psychotherapist
2.1 You Feel Anxious Most of the Time
2.2 You Feel Sad and Hopeless
2.3 You Feel Overwhelmed With All Your Problems
2.4 Your Problem Is Interfering With Some Aspect of Your Life
2.5 Have Problems That Are Affecting Your Relationship With Others
2.6 You Are at Risk of Harming Yourself or Others
2.7 You Struggle With Mental Health Challenges
3. Conclusion
What Does a Psychotherapist Do?
A psychotherapist is a trained professional who assists people with various mental health and emotional struggles. They are trained to carefully listen and analyse the psychological needs of their clients to find long-term solutions.
To bring about a lasting change, a psychotherapist looks at the overall issue, patterns, and direction of each client to explore the root cause of their problems or trauma.
Key aspects of what a psychotherapist does:
- Analyse patterns to reach the core of deep-rooted issues
- Utilise the combination of different techniques and approaches
- Examine the client’s psychological history by studying their patterns
- Explore the client’s unconscious triggers
Who can be a Psychotherapist
Many people confuse psychotherapy with counselling. But although psychotherapists can counsel, counsellors cannot do psychotherapy without additional training. A psychotherapist can be from any of these:
- A psychologist
- A psychoanalyst
- A psychiatrist
- A family or couple therapist
- A licensed clinical social worker
- A licensed clinical counsellor
- A mental health counsellor
- A psychiatric nurse practitioner
Signs That You May Need to See a Psychotherapist
People usually see a therapist or a psychotherapist when they are struggling with emotional or mental challenges and need help. Research has shown that the benefits of therapy last longer than taking medication alone, this is because while medication reduces some symptoms of mental health challenges, therapy further gives people skills to address symptoms of their own.
If you are struggling with mental health challenges but are unsure if you should seek professional help, these are signs that you may need to see a psychotherapist:
1) You Feel Anxious Most of the Time
It’s normal to feel anxious and worry from time to time. But when your worries overwhelm you, to a point where you start to have intrusive thoughts and cause physical symptoms, you may need to seek help from a psychotherapist.
If you have overwhelming feelings of sadness or helplessness, you may need to see a psychotherapist. People can feel sad and hopeless when faced with a challenge. But when these feelings persist, it may be an indication of more serious problems such as depression and may even lead to thoughts of suicide.
3) You Feel Overwhelmed With All Your Problems
If you ever found yourself struggling to rest or even breathe when faced with problems, it is advisable to seek professional help. Feeling overly stressed or overwhelmed can lead to serious health problems. Other signs to look out for are having trouble getting out of bed, sleeping for a longer time than usual, and losing motivation.
4) Your Problem Is Interfering With Some Aspect of Your Life
If your problems are causing you embarrassment, so much that you wish to avoid others because of it, or if the problems have negatively affected your quality of life, it is best to overcome this through therapy.
5) Have Problems That Are Affecting Your Relationship With Others
Spending time with your loved ones to talk about what’s bothering you is very helpful. However, many people feel that it’s better to spend some time alone. If you often feel distressed around others and find that your problem is affecting your relationship with them, psychotherapy can help you better understand your feelings and learn how to deal with them.
6) You Are at Risk of Harming Yourself or Others
People sometimes try to cope with physical and emotional pain by harming themselves or others. Remember that self-harming behaviour is treatable. If you struggle with this, it is important to seek help or see a psychotherapist.
7) You Struggle With Mental Health Challenges
If you are coping with past trauma or are struggling with mental health situations such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, addictions, or other types of situations that can cause you to detach from reality, psychotherapy can be helpful as it studies the root cause of your challenges and finds long-term solutions for them.
Conclusion
It’s important to keep in mind that although psychotherapy is useful to treat people with mental health situations, not everyone who benefits from psychotherapy is diagnosed with a mental illness.
Psychotherapy also helps with stresses or conflicts that can affect your day-to-day activities. For example, if you find it difficult to face your problems and can’t seem to focus on your work or studies because of them, you may want to seek help from a psychotherapist.
If you have any questions about psychotherapy or would like to get started, contact us or make an appointment with us now. To find out more about our services, click here.
References
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Mayo Clinic Staff. (2016, March 17). Psychotherapy – Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psychotherapy/about/pac-20384616
Raypole, B. C. (2019, January 18). Why Should I Go to Therapy? 8 Signs It’s Time to See a
Therapist. GoodTherapy. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/why-should-i-go-to-therapy-8-signs-its-time-to-see-a-therapist-0118197
Rohini Radhakrishnan, ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon. (2020, November 12). What Exactly
What does a Psychotherapist Do? MedicineNet. https://www.medicinenet.com/what_exactly_does_a_psychotherapist_do/article.htm
Self-harm and self-injury – Better Health Channel. (2019, February 11). Better Health Channel.
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/self-harm
WebMD Editorial Contributors. (2021, June 29). What is a Psychotherapist? WebMD.
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