Why Can Psychotherapy Be Helpful?

Each of us can experience all sorts of emotional and personal problems that are difficult to cope with on our own or with the support of loved ones. Many people experience difficulties in a marriage / partner relationship, family related to the death of a loved one, loss of job, burnout, etc. These problems may exceed our adaptation capabilities, increase the experience of unpleasant emotions, and cause various psychosomatic symptoms. We can feel that we are losing control of our own life, and it becomes impossible to get out of this difficult situation without outside help. Some of these experiences lead to reaching for specialist help.

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Usually, people consult a psychotherapist when the severity of various symptoms or personal discomfort becomes unbearable and the motivation to seek help and make changes in life increases.

Reasons For Contacting A Psychologist

They can be very different, including:

intensification of symptoms such as: depressed mood, anxiety, excessive worry, somatic complaints, feeling of helplessness, lack of hope for the future, insomnia, autoimmunity,

difficulty coping with emotional states (sadness, anxiety, shame, injustice, guilt, loneliness, etc.) that disrupt everyday functioning,

recurring problems in relationships with other people, e.g. feeling of rejection, tantrums, entering into conflicts, isolating oneself,

abuse of psychoactive substances (alcohol, drugs, drugs) and aggravating addictive behaviors (gambling, excessive Internet use, sex addiction, shopaholism), which begin to negatively affect personal life and relationships with relatives and professional work.

Some people use psychotherapy to get to know themselves better, understand their reactions, and have greater insight into the motives of their actions. Psychotherapy is an excellent tool for personal development for them.

What Are The Results Of Research On The Effectiveness Of Psychotherapy?

Scientific research shows the effectiveness of psychotherapy in dealing with such difficulties as: depressive states, anxiety disorders (neuroses), consequences of stress overload, addictions, personality problems and others. Similarly, psychotherapy brings relief in psychosomatic symptoms such as: various types of pain, chronic and unexplained fatigue, digestive, respiratory and circulatory system ailments that are not caused by a somatic disease (i.e. they actually have a psychological source). The best results are achieved by a holistic approach to treatment, taking into account the impact on the mental and somatic spheres. There is convincing evidence that after just a few psychotherapeutic sessions, people gain a better understanding of their difficulties and initial symptomatic improvement compared to those who did not use psychotherapy.

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For example, psychotherapy is a successful treatment for addiction. In 1989, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism initiated the MATCH (Matching Alcoholism Treatment to Client Heterogeneity) project, which showed that various addiction treatment methods were successful, including 4 meetings based on motivational techniques over 12 weeks. . Moreover, dozens of other studies confirming the effectiveness of short- and long-term psychotherapy (both cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic) in people suffering from various mental problems and disorders (e.g. depression, neurosis, social phobia, adaptive reactions, PTSD, addictions, personality disorders, psychoses and others).

Research not only confirms the possibility of improvement in terms of symptoms, but also in terms of quality of life and improved functioning (personal, partner, social, professional, etc.).

Where To Look For Qualified Psychotherapists?

When deciding to start psychotherapy, it is worth paying attention to choosing the right psychotherapist. Each of us presents a certain individuality in experiencing problems, experiencing emotions, in entering into relationships with other people. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a psychotherapist that suits our individual needs.

The effectiveness of therapy also depends on the quality of the so-called a therapeutic relationship based on cooperation between the patient and the psychotherapist. It is necessary to trust the selected specialist and honestly discuss your affairs with him. A psychotherapist who has been very helpful to one person may not respond to another, and despite the good will of both parties, it is not possible to overcome the difficulties in the relationship.

However, it is not worth giving up therapy too quickly, because when the emerging difficulties are thoroughly discussed during therapy, they can have a very developmental value and cause beneficial changes in psychosocial functioning.