Every time a person falls ill, physically, the first thing they do is go visit a doctor. However, the same isn’t followed when they fall sick mentally. At times, most people aren’t even aware that they are sick unless they begin showing severe signs of depression or hysteria. There are a variety of other mental illnesses that normally a person is going through but aren’t really addressed because they don’t find it to be of importance.
Every time a person falls ill, physically, the first thing they do is go visit a doctor. However, the same isn’t followed when they fall sick mentally. At times, most people aren’t even aware that they are sick unless they begin showing severe signs of depression or hysteria. There are a variety of other mental illnesses that normally a person is going through but aren’t really addressed because they don’t find it to be of importance.
The society we live in also considers mental health to be a taboo even in this age of smartphones and advancement in medicine and other fields. Even today most people believe that only mental people visit a psychiatrist. This leads to not many people visiting one even when in need.
There are many campaigns being run to make people aware of what depression is and how to combat it for it is rising rapidly. Every second household has an individual who is fighting depression but not many come out with it. This results in suppressed feelings that comes out in the form of a blast because of not being able to cool off the building steam.
Some individuals also avoid meeting psychiatrists or psychologists because of the myths we have grown up listening to. This article addresses a few below and shows how most of them are just myths that need to be busted sooner than later.
1. Therapists can read minds
It is true that counselling and psychotherapy are connected to exploring and getting in touch with our deepest emotions which can be done with the help of a therapist provided we tell them about it! A therapist can only do so much as to help you basis the extent to which you reveal your thought and what is troubling you to them. They also observe you to pick up subtle cues about you that may help them understand you better.
You can read more on this before giving a visit to the therapist on number of websites and articles. For example: An individual narrating a painful experience may display emotions or have expressions that depict that recollecting the event is causing them pain. They ma sit with their arms crossed, turn away from the therapist or look at the floor as they speak.
2. You must lie on the couch
Modern day shows have distorted the image of what a therapist’s office may look like or the kind of behavior is expected of us. Usually, a therapist and his client sit in the office facing each other as they conduct their session.
It is definitely permissible if a client is more comfortable to speak to the therapist lying on the couch although it isn’t a compulsion of any kind. The point of the whole setting is that the client should be ultimately at ease to open up stuff about themselves to the therapist in order to seek help or advice.
3. The past is blamed for everything
In some cases, an individual’s childhood issues may be the reason for his troubles in life as he/she grows up. But this isn’t the case every time. Counseling is more about looking at your thoughts, feelings and behaviors in a deeper way. In some forms of therapy such as psychodynamic therapy or psychoanalytical psychotherapy your past is given more focus other than therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapies. What is of utmost importance is that you speak to your therapist about what route or form of therapy you are most comfortable with. It is imperative that you have a transparent relationship with your therapist at all times.
4. Therapy is a matter of years
The most fear an individual has while thinking of going in for therapy is that it can go on for years on end. The truth is, that the duration of therapy really depends on what goals you set for yourself to be achieved at the end of therapy. This is usually discussed in the first session itself so that both the therapist and the client are clear on where they want to be at the end of the road.
For some their issues may be resolved within a few sittings with their therapists whereas for others it may take a while. The length is usually reserved for those trying to work through several ongoing issues or more complex problems like personality disorders and/or a difficult family history. Regardless of the length or type of therapy, the client is always in charge. So, you always have the option to end therapy anytime you find that you aren’t achieving or making progress towards your goals.
5. Therapy is expensive!
Yes, therapy or counseling can get expensive at times. But in such times, it is important that you look at the bigger picture here. A distressed or troubled mind can also be a unproductive mind at work. All of this leads to you not being able to give your 100% while working or botching up something that could be important at work.
Therapy is basically done so you feel light and relaxed internally as well as externally. Feeling relaxed is going to lead you to be productive and give your best at work. At the same time, it will help you in improving and maintaining relations with people at work at in your personal life.
Some individuals also believe that a therapist is only listening to them because they are being paid and not because they have a genuine interest in the individual’s problem. This isn’t true. A therapist does have theoretical knowledge and is willing to extend the same to the individual.
Apart from the myths mentioned above, there are many others such people who visit a therapist are crazy in real life, medication is effective than sitting for hours in front of a therapist, therapy fixes everything in life, face to face is the only way of fixing problems with a therapist amongst others. The fact is these are only myths with no proof as support. A therapist is a certified and qualified individual to help you fix your problems by guiding you through them and helping you cleanse your mind while getting in touch with the real you.
The society we live in also considers mental health to be a taboo even in this age of smartphones and advancement in medicine and other fields. Even today most people believe that only mental people visit a psychiatrist. This leads to not many people visiting one even when in need.
There are many campaigns being run to make people aware of what depression is and how to combat it for it is rising rapidly. Every second household has an individual who is fighting depression but not many come out with it. This results in suppressed feelings that comes out in the form of a blast because of not being able to cool off the building steam.
Some individuals also avoid meeting psychiatrists or psychologists because of the myths we have grown up listening to. This article addresses a few below and shows how most of them are just myths that need to be busted sooner than later.
1. Therapists can read minds
It is true that counselling and psychotherapy are connected to exploring and getting in touch with our deepest emotions which can be done with the help of a therapist provided we tell them about it! A therapist can only do so much as to help you basis the extent to which you reveal your thought and what is troubling you to them. They also observe you to pick up subtle cues about you that may help them understand you better.
For example: An individual narrating a painful experience may display emotions or have expressions that depict that recollecting the event is causing them pain. They ma sit with their arms crossed, turn away from the therapist or look at the floor as they speak.
2. You must lie on the couch
Modern day shows have distorted the image of what a therapist’s office may look like or the kind of behavior is expected of us. Usually, a therapist and his client sit in the office facing each other as they conduct their session.
It is definitely permissible if a client is more comfortable to speak to the therapist lying on the couch although it isn’t a compulsion of any kind. The point of the whole setting is that the client should be ultimately at ease to open up stuff about themselves to the therapist in order to seek help or advice.
3. The past is blamed for everything
In some cases, an individual’s childhood issues may be the reason for his troubles in life as he/she grows up. But this isn’t the case every time. Therapy is more about looking at your thoughts, feelings and behaviors in a deeper way. In some forms of therapy such as psychodynamic therapy or psychoanalytical psychotherapy your past is given more focus other than therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapies. What is of utmost importance is that you speak to your therapist about what route or form of therapy you are most comfortable with. It is imperative that you have a transparent relationship with your therapist at all times.
4. Therapy is a matter of years
The most fear an individual has while thinking of going in for therapy is that it can go on for years on end. The truth is, that the duration of therapy really depends on what goals you set for yourself to be achieved at the end of therapy. This is usually discussed in the first session itself so that both the therapist and the client are clear on where they want to be at the end of the road.
For some their issues may be resolved within a few sittings with their therapists whereas for others it may take a while. The length is usually reserved for those trying to work through several ongoing issues or more complex problems like personality disorders and/or a difficult family history. Regardless of the length or type of therapy, the client is always in charge. So, you always have the option to end therapy anytime you find that you aren’t achieving or making progress towards your goals.
5. Therapy is expensive!
Yes, therapy can get expensive at times. But in such times, it is important that you look at the bigger picture here. A distressed or troubled mind can also be a unproductive mind at work. All of this leads to you not being able to give your 100% while working or botching up something that could be important at work.
Therapy is basically done so you feel light and relaxed internally as well as externally. Feeling relaxed is going to lead you to be productive and give your best at work. At the same time, it will help you in improving and maintaining relations with people at work at in your personal life.
Some individuals also believe that a therapist is only listening to them because they are being paid and not because they have a genuine interest in the individual’s problem. This isn’t true. A therapist does have theoretical knowledge and is willing to extend the same to the individual.
Apart from the myths mentioned above, there are many others such people who visit a therapist are crazy in real life, medication is effective than sitting for hours in front of a therapist, therapy fixes everything in life, face to face is the only way of fixing problems with a therapist amongst others. The fact is these are only myths with no proof as support. A therapist is a certified and qualified individual to help you fix your problems by guiding you through them and helping you cleanse your mind while getting in touch with the real you.