Recognising the Need for Psychological Help
There is no right or wrong when it comes to making the decision to seek psychological help.
For some people, they may reach out for help when everything feels too much – often related to as feeling overwhelmed or struggling to cope.
While others may seek help because they feel internally conflicted in some way. Common examples include:
- loving a partner, but doubting whether the relationship can ‘go the mile’
- pursuing a career for practical reasons, but feeling something important is missing
- disliking a job role, but feeling too afraid to leave
Perhaps most commonly, people tend to seek psychological help when they can no longer tolerate how they’re feeling. In this way, people wish to be able to regain control over distressing emotions, such as anxiety, sadness, grief or anger.
And, perhaps the least common reason people seek psychological help is for self-improvement and development. They want more from their life and wish to achieve a greater sense of peace and wellbeing.
No matter the reason, everyone who takes the first step to seeking psychological help:
Knows deep down in their heart of hearts that things could be better.
While there is no prescription on when it’s the right time to seek psychological support, there are a few signs that indicate you’d benefit from therapy.
Signs it may be Time to Seek Psychological Help
Key signs it may be time to seek psychological support include:
Struggling to stay on top of your daily basic needs. For example:
- you’re not eating properly
- you’re getting too much or too little sleep
- you’re not caring for your personal hygiene
Feeling like your relationships are hard work in some way. For example:
- you’re feeling anxious and worried in your relationships
- you’re struggling to get close to others
- you keep exploding in anger
- you find yourself in continual arguments
Difficulty investing energy or putting constructive efforts into your work, study, parenting or other life roles. For example:
- you’re struggling to concentrate
- you’re feeling unmotivated and excessively procrastinating
- you’re dwelling on and worrying about decisions
- you’re preoccupied with other “life things” that distract you from your role/s
Taking the First Step Towards Seeking Psychological Help
Most people identify with feeling anxious or nervous taking the first step towards seeking psychological help. In fact, most people avoid taking the first step for quite sometime before they pick up the phone and book their first appointment (read more in blog post The Most Common Barriers to Seeking Psychological Help). However, perhaps most interesting…
People often say “I wish I did this earlier” once they start therapy
With the right psychologist, therapy can be life changing! So, how do you find the right therapist for you? It’s important to find a therapist who meets your mental health needs as well as fits your personality. You may also like to consider convenience in terms of location and the pricing of their fees. For a full guide on on how to find the best therapist for you, read blog post – How to Find a Good Psychologist in Melbourne.
How does Peaceful Mind Psychology approach new bookings?
We will discuss with you over phone or email your needs and suggest a psychologist from our team who seems best suited to you. If none of our psychologists suit your needs, we offer recommendations outside of our practice. If you’d like to take the first step towards seeking psychological support, contact us today to start discussing your needs.