Breaking The Stigma of Therapy
The Rehabilitation
Centre in Gurgaon in collaboration with the Rehabs in Gurgaon states
that living in a society which is completely ignorant to the concept of mental
health, what if I told you nothing needs to be wrong with you to take therapy.
Let me break down why it is ok to seek help for your mental health just as you
seek help for your physical health. Take it from me not because I am a
psychology student but as a fellow human being who also has her ups and downs
in mental health.
The Rehabs in New Delhi mentions that the
first thing I would like to address is the difference between a psychiatrist
and a psychologist.
A psychiatrist is
merely a medical practitioner who is mainly concerned about the physical
aspects of the mental health problem like imbalance in the neurotransmitters or
abnormalities in the brain structure and gives treatment and support in the
form of medications and surgery. In most of the cases, a psychiatrist does not
give counseling or therapy. A psychiatrist holds an MBBS degree and specialization
in psychiatry.
Having said that, a
psychologist is more considerate about the thought process and behaviour aspect
of an individual and aids in re-construction of rational thoughts and
appropriate behaviour patterns.
A psychologist helps a
troubled individual by helping him/her understand the origin and background of
why they feel a certain way, their practised unhealthy behavioural pattern and
negative thought patterns. They also help an individual in developing a good
and healthy thought process and behaviour thereby enabling an individual to
live a holistic life with greater general well-being.
A psychologist holds a
UG degree in psychology along with specialization in PG level and might extend
to M.Phil and PhD in psychology. Now that I have explained the most common
misassumptions, let me tell you why taking therapy is ok and doesn't deserve
the stigma it holds.
It is
ok
First of all, let me ask you something. A
complete body check-up seems to be ok. Visiting a dentist for a regular
check-up seems to be ok. But why is that getting closure about yourself and
shredding the baggage you have been carrying since the day you were born seems
to be not ok?
While it is a popular
notion that only people with mental disorders seek a psychologist and damage to
mental health is irreversible, let me tell you that they all make no sense.
Seeking a psychologist doesn't make you a psycho or an abnormal person. It's
just that our mind and soul needs to be fed and detoxified every once in a
while. As idealistic as I might sound, seeking therapy is just as normal as seeking
a doctor for a common cold.
Few of them hold the
belief that a psychologist/therapist just talks, talks, and only talks and
gives advice. But that is not the reality. A psychologist is a person with a
high level of self-awareness and helps their client deal with their problems on
their own by teaching them coping techniques. A psychologist only guides and
doesn't force or advise a person to do something. Guidance is enabling a person
to develop the ability to pick up decisions on their own. Most important of all
is that a good psychologist is the most non-judgmental person on earth. A
psychologist uses therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Rational
Emotive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt psychology and much more.
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