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Despite the advances we have made as a society in terms of mental health, this is still a taboo for many people. Disinformation and disregard for psychology has created myths and misconceptions that can dissuade us from going to therapy and looking for ways to improve our emotional well-being. To break with these false conceptions, we decided to explore them one by one:
Myth 1: Only the crazy and the weak go to the psychologist.
Fact 1:
For thousands of years, the label “crazy” has been used to dismiss the completely natural emotional and mental difficulties of human beings. However, most of the mental health problems our ancestors faced could have been solved with the help of psychology. In addition, most people who attend therapy are stable, intelligent and skilled adults who seek help to manage mental and emotional problems, such as stress and sadness, that have nothing to do with insanity. As if that weren't enough, asking for help requires great strength and courage, so no one could call them weak without denying the difficulties they face.
Myth 2: I don't need therapy! I do have friends!
Fact 2:
While friends can offer support and containment during difficult times, our friends don't have the tools needed to address our root problems and help us get out of them. Of course, having a support network is essential, but it has its limitations. In addition, there are circumstances in which our close friends, instead of giving us a hand to get out of the hole, may be encouraging us to repeat the same behaviors. Remember that therapists are professionals trained to diagnose and treat a variety of cognitive, emotional and behavioral problems that our friends couldn't.
Myth 3: I don't need a psychologist because I don't have problems.
Fact 3:
Hundreds of people go to therapy even if there's apparently nothing wrong with their lives. It is not necessary to have a specific problem to want to improve our lifestyle and find emotional well-being. Some people look to therapy for tools to learn to communicate better, to organize their priorities, to know how to deal with stress, to have a better relationship with the people around them and thousands of other things. To go to therapy you only need one thing: to have the will to change something.
Myth 4: People who go to therapy go forever
Fact 4:
Different types of therapy require different periods of care. Although there are approaches such as psychoanalysis where the patient is expected to present regularly for several years, there are others ——such as cognitive behavioral therapy—— that address specific issues and that come to an end once the objectives have been met. Of course, it depends on the person in therapy, their goals and the therapist's approach, but in some cases it's even possible to set a certain number of sessions to deal with a specific situation.
Myth 5: Therapy is very expensive
Fact 5:
Not always! Of course, there are specialized therapists whose fees exceed the possibilities of many people. However, there are associations and platforms such as Mindsurf where you can access a network of mental health specialists at an affordable price. Fortunately, the world is huge and it's possible to find therapists with all kinds of fees. With Mindsurf, for example, you can choose the plan that best suits your needs and enjoy an endless number of tools that will help you achieve your goals.
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