Is It Still Taboo to Visit a Psychologist?

A large number of people who seek psychological help do not mention it to their friends or family, but why does this happen?

The number of people who are going through difficult times and decide to go to psychotherapy is increasing rapidly. However, often the person does not let others know that they are receiving help.

Seeing a psychologist is still taboo surrounded by stigma, which means that emotional health and mental health have not yet fully normalized and they are not a priority.

Psychology works every day not only to help those who need it, but also to eliminate all prejudices about psychotherapy, most of which are wrong. It creates workshops to discuss mental health related issues and tries to include the entire population. This science is hardly working not only to dispel misconceptions, but also to create awareness about all the benefits of visiting a psychologist.

An incorrect mindset…

We talk a lot about all our doctor visits. We explain the details, talk about the origin and treatment. But we never mention when we are looking for a psychologist or how they could help us emotionally to manage what is happening in our life.

But what is this taboo based on?

There are several prejudices that make us avoid telling others that we are in the middle of a psychological therapy, for example:

They will think I’m crazy

You don’t need to have a mental illness to search for help. In fact, many treatments focus on alleviating negative symptoms that could cause major problems.

They will think I’m weak

Admitting that we don’t know how to face everything is an act of strength and courage that ultimately leads to a greater sense of empowerment. You are NOT weak.

It is too expensive / It is a waste of money

Prices and formats vary widely. For example, online psychologists offer cheap alternatives that are available to almost everyone.

It is an investment in your own health and your life quality. It is common to spend money on beauty and clothes, but difficult to spend money on mental health.

My problem is not that important

This is one of the most common ideas. We must start with the subjectivity with which each person perceives the world.

It is impossible to measure which issues are more or less important. If it’s causing you pain and it’s important to you, you should seek help.

Why you should get help…

Psychotherapy provides a safe environment where people can express themselves and find the necessary tools to overcome everyday obstacles. When we overcome our taboos and sit down with a psychologist, we can achieve happiness and well-being and get tools to enjoy life.

What benefits can you get from the treatment?

1. A room to yourself – For some people, therapy time is the only time each week that they can devote themselves, understand and respect themselves.

2. Emotional awareness – We are emotional beings who respond to all stimuli in our environment. But many times we don’t know how our emotions work, what functions they serve, or how we deal with them.

3. Self-knowledge – Who we are is the result of a combination of our genes, education and experiences. It is important to understand the reasons behind some behaviors; it will help us understand ourselves or change as needed.

4. Get a different view – Talking to a psychologist can help us change the focus of the problem and put it into perspective. In addition to reducing discomfort, it also means that we can find better solutions that we do not see ourselves.

5. Objectivity – When we want to trust our loved ones to overcome difficulties, we may find that they are not objective. This does not happen with a psychologist.

6. Prevention – Psychologists give us three tools: tools to help us overcome current problems, tools to help us overcome future problems, and tools to help us prevent relapse.

7. Happiness – This benefit does not always come with psychotherapy. In fact, it is quite recently. For decades, psychology focused only on alleviating illness. Now it can also create support points to make yourself better and happier.

Will a visit to a psychologist always be taboo?

This stigma is disappearing as psychologists raise their voices and enter all areas of our lives. The benefits on a personal level are undeniable but there is still a long way to go, if you feel that your mental health is being compromised, don’t hesitate to find help, you are more important than all the taboos around psychotherapy.

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day!