Have you thought about attending psychological therapy? If you have discussed it with other people, surely you have received both positive and negative comments about it, but which of these have been greater? Can you balance the positive and negative comments?
Sometimes people tend to have a bad impression about psychology, psychologists and their true role, thus creating false beliefs about psychological therapy. Unfortunately, these erroneous opinions are enough for someone to change their mind and give up going for a consultation, even if necessary or if they were completely convinced to go. It’s about time you stopped believing in these myths!
Why are there the erroneous beliefs of psychology?
The most common origins of these erroneous beliefs come from TV series or movies (in which the role of the psychologist can be seen as dark and even mystical), from bad experiences in therapy (which can happen), from confusing the role of the psychologist with that of the psychiatrist (associated with mental illnesses), for fear that they believe that they are crazy or because it is considered that the therapy is going to change us completely in a negative way.
However, most worrying of all is that people do not measure the consequences of continuing to promote these false beliefs, such as depriving others of taking care of their mental health with the same importance as taking care of their physical health.
The Most Popular Misconceptions About Psychotherapy
But if therapy is only for crazy people!
The best known misbelief and the most mistaken of all. Although a part of our field of action has to do with mental illness, this is not all we do. But to offer tools to people so that they face their problems, solve them and can deal with others in the future in a positive and independent way.
Therapy is very expensive. That’s only for the rich!
false again. There are public psychological care centers that have very low prices, paid accessibility and even free consultations. Although in reality many prefer to spend the same amount to go to a spa or to go shopping, so rather than being an erroneous belief, it is a poor excuse for not seeking the most appropriate advice.
That’s not for me, I don’t “believe” in psychology
This false belief gives psychotherapy a totally wrong mystical aspect, when the reality is that psychology is a science of human behavior. This is the result of people who are completely unaware of how psychology works, so if the same thing happens to you, please seek advice first before being swayed by this horrifying myth.
Therapy doesn’t fix anything at all
Although this belief arises from people who have had bad experiences in therapy, we cannot generalize all psychological therapies, since there are various types of interventions and psychologists know how to adapt these styles to the patient or recommend them to the best specialist for their particular case.
It is a waste of money. In the end, time heals everything!
Completely false! Especially when it is a recurring problem that is affecting a large part of the areas of daily development or if the person has gone through trauma, grief or a difficult breakup. Healing is a long and slow process, which must be attended by a professional to achieve it completely without leaving negative sequelae.
To tell your problems to a stranger, you better do it with a friend
The “vent” our problems helps a lot to release stress and clear the mind to find a solution to it. However, there are internal conflicts that are not fully resolved just by talking to a friend and that is where psychologists intervene, in order to fully resolve them.
I don’t want to go because the psychologist will want to change who I am
One of the most popular misconceptions and for which many fear therapy, but this is not true since people do not change their essence. This is because we all retain our genetic and social characteristics that we have developed over time. What we do in therapy is redirect these characteristics to more positive adaptive forms that harmonize with the environment and with the interior of the person.
Final clarification on psychology and psychologists
- Psychologists do not read minds, we only relate the fundamental characteristics of the person, with their way of acting and what their non-verbal language tells us. All through observation and intervention.
- Although we work in a similar field, psychologists and psychiatrists are not related to what we do in consultation, since they are almost exclusively dedicated to the medical treatment of mental illnesses.
- Psychologists have training in approaching human behavior in its different areas of development (social, personal, intimate and work). Psychology is a social science, so we are all professionals in the area of mental health.
- Everything that is told in therapy sessions is completely confidential. Psychologists respect the feelings and opinions of patients, as well as the seriousness they give to their problems while we create the best intervention to deal with the conflict.
- Mental health has the same importance as physical health, so if we have any type of problem that is affecting our quality of life (anxiety, depression, phobias…), professional performance, interpersonal relationships or self-confidence, we must take it seriously and take care of it.
