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Psychotherapy is a therapeutic method that focuses on the mental sphere of a person. It is a key form of help in the case of people struggling with mental disorders, traumas and emotional states that make everyday functioning difficult. This does not mean that psychotherapy is limited to such cases. When else is psychotherapy effective? Is it worth using it?
Psychotherapy – something embarrassing?
Many factors affect physical health and well-being, mental state being one of them. This is especially noticeable in a holistic view, which takes into account the importance of disturbing a person’s emotional balance for the overall quality of life.
Many people associate psychotherapy with meetings for people with serious disorders. That is why they themselves do not want to admit their own problems, so as not to find a badly associated couch. Negative connotations related to psychological problems they are deeply rooted in society, but gradually more and more people are turning to psychotherapy, which is a form of treatment like any other.
For some patients, making an appointment for the first time is preceded by a fight against the feeling of shame. It is worth remembering that also some body diseases may seem embarrassing, but the doctor’s task is to help, and not to assess the sick person. The situation is similar in the case of psychotherapy. Going to see a psychologist or psychotherapist is not a sign of weakness, but a choice that precedes the realization that we need this form of help.
It is important to be aware that the therapy is designed to help not only people with depression, personality disorders or psychotic problems. Adequate therapy almost everyone can find it for themselves. There are many types of psychotherapy that can also help people struggling with physical symptoms (insomnia, fatigue, somatic pains) or looking for a method to better get to know themselves and self-development.
Psychotherapy – who is it recommended for?
The use of psychotherapy gives a chance to stabilize mental health for people struggling with depression, mood swings or personality disorders. Going to a psychologist is also the first step to recognizing the nature of the problem. Not everyone is aware that the ailments affecting them are symptoms that should be looked at in a broader context.
When is it worth going to psychotherapy? The reasons for making such a decision may be:
- depressed mood, frequent or seasonal changes in well-being;
- feeling lonely and pointless, seeing the future as meaningless;
- thoughts of suicide;
- feeling of fear, helplessness, anxiety;
- worry, life under stress;
- frequent irritability, bouts of anger and aggression;
- social anxiety, difficulties in functioning in a group, panic attacks;
- low self-esteem;
- phobias and obsessions;
- problems with understanding or feeling emotions;
- eating disorders (including anorexia and bulimia);
- traumatic experiences (death of a loved one, experience of violence, harassment, rape);
- psychological somatic pains;
- bothersome emotional states and difficulty in coping with them (eg guilt, shame);
- gender identity disorders;
- problems with accepting one’s sexuality and other problems related to the sexual sphere;
- drug problems and addictive behavior;
- paranoid behavior, e.g. morbid jealousy, hypochondria;
- disturbance in the perception of reality (psychosis).
The above-mentioned states and situations are not all circumstances that should encourage participation in therapy. However, they can guide people who wonder if psychotherapy is a solution for them. Trying to deal with problems on your own does not always give you a real chance for improvement. Sometimes our own coping mechanisms do not work, or they make the situation worse, and family and friends are unable to help. Then it will not be without outside help.
Psychotherapy supports the person attending meetings in coping with emotional problems, modifying the way of thinking or different perception of personal relationships with loved ones. Examples include therapies for couples or group psychotherapy. Such forms of meetings go beyond the limits individual psychotherapy and allow work of a slightly different nature.
It may also turn out that this form of treatment will allow you to get rid of pain and physical discomfort that are not helped by pharmacological agents. We are talking about somatic symptoms with neurotic background – abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, palpitations, tightness in the throat (globus hystericus), shortness of breath and many others.
Is psychotherapy effective?
The effectiveness of psychotherapy is a complex issue. The course of therapeutic sessions is different in each individual case and depends on the type of problem with which the patient reports. Treatment is a long-term process, and while short-term and long-term therapies are practiced, the effects always show up over time. Therefore, impatient people who focus on solving problems quickly may quickly become discouraged from psychotherapy.
Na the effectiveness of psychotherapy it is influenced by the psychotherapist’s empathy, the patient’s willingness to cooperate and the appropriate selection of the treatment method. Marital therapy looks different, working with a child is different, and yet another approach is implemented in addiction therapy. Sometimes visits to the office are combined with pharmacological treatment. This applies, for example, to severe depression, bipolar disorder or psychotic disorders.
Psychotherapists use specific trends and approaches to the patient in their therapeutic practice. The most frequently mentioned psychotherapy is cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, psychoanalytical and Gestalt. Regardless of the type of therapy, it is crucial to establish the goals of the meetings and the way of their implementation. It is one of the basic elements of the therapist-patient cooperation and on this basis it is possible to evaluate the progress made over time.
- Read more about types of psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy for relationship problems
It is worth asking for help from a psychotherapist not only in the case of specific symptoms or diagnosed mental disorders. This form of analyzing problems is also useful for solving conflicts and problems in relationships. Psychotherapy for couples it is a solution for unions facing obstacles of a different nature, as long as both sides are willing to change and develop a new approach to the problems.
Relationships crises happen, but the full picture of what brings them down can be camouflaged. This may be due to a lack of communication, life difficulties that are too burdensome to be resolved in a dialogue, or the emotional problems of one of the parties that cast a shadow over the relationship. If there is a chance of stopping a breakup or divorce, this type of psychotherapy may be the solution.
Psychotherapy – a way to self-development
The appropriate therapeutic approach works not only in the process of treating mental disorders. Psychotherapy can also be used to implement other assumptions – striving to get to know yourself, your needs and expectations better. On this basis, new habits or ways of coping with stress are developed, and also behaviors that are useful in relationships with others (e.g. assertiveness, not yielding to influences) are taught.