The need to talk about your emotions is seen as something to poke fun at, weak or shameful.
That stigma is often why people don’t seek help in the first place. But people seek the
1. Anxiety and stress
It’s not unusual to experience stress associated with certain situations such as a performance review, a first date, or a school presentation.
A therapist will work with you to identify sources of stress in your life and can help you build healthy coping strategies. It’s also worth seeking help if you are having difficulty managing day-to-day anxiety and stress.
Chronic stress and anxiety can lead to other problems such as sleep issues, unhealthy habits, and depression. While anxiety may never completely go away, you can learn ways to manage its symptoms.
2. Addiction
Substance use — whether it’s alcohol, tobacco, or drugs — is often a way of coping with an unresolved problem. The same is true of behaviours such as problem gambling and bingeing and purging.
A psychologist can help address both the problem behaviour and its root cause, whether it’s stress, depression, or childhood experiences.
Psychologists also provide support for family members dealing with a loved one’s addiction. Individual and group therapy can help family members and caregivers better understand how best to support their loved one’s recovery while also coping with their own feelings.
3. Grief and loss
The death of a spouse, a parent, a child, or a friend can be difficult to deal with on your own.
Even when you give yourself the time and the space to mourn, grief doesn’t have a timeline. Denial can cause grief and related problems to linger. Speaking with a psychologist about what you’re feeling can help you find closure.
And because grief can be the result of other experiences in life outside of death, talking with a therapist can help you understand and work through what is related to your grief.
4. Confidence, self-esteem, and support
In some cases, a therapist acts as a coach, helping you to recognise your full potential, work on communication skills, and find motivation.
For many people, talking with a therapist can help them to see their problems more clearly and take action. It’s not the same as talking with a friend. Psychologists are trained to be careful and unbiased listeners.
When appropriate, your therapist might challenge you to recognise thought or relationship patterns that aren’t helping you move forward.
5. Depression
Depression affect people of all genders, ages, and races. Depression makes it hard to function on a day-to-day basis. It can affect your work, relationships, sleep, energy levels, and appetite.
Often, it causes overpowering feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and guilt. Therapy can help you explore the cause of depression and manage your symptoms, which can provide relief.
6. Illnesses
Any serious illness, whether your own or a loved one’s, can be devastating. You might feel a range of emotions, from anger and denial to sadness and regret.
Therapy can help you to cope with emotions and symptoms caused by your illness. The same applies to mental illnesses.
7. Phobias
From the fear of pregnancy and childbirth (tokophobia) to anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia, phobias cause legitimate emotional distress.
Most people cope by avoiding what they fear, which can seriously restrict their everyday activities. Even seemingly small fears, such as the fear of spiders (arachnophobia) or the fear of flowers, can be serious enough to impact everyday functioning.
Psychologists who specialise in treating phobias can help you recognise and tackle your fears using techniques such as exposure therapy and talk therapy.
8. Relationship issues
Relationships can have a significant impact on how you feel. This includes your relationships with your family members, colleagues, romantic partners, and friends.
It’s not uncommon to seek help dealing with a relationship that has become a source of anxiety or distress. Therapy can help you to better understand and nurture the relationships that are important to you.
In addition to working one-on-one with clients, many psychologists also offer therapy for couples, families, and even co-workers.
9. Sleep issues
Insomnia can seriously impact your everyday life, leaving you feeling drowsy in the daytime and wide awake at night. It often has an underlying cause. While medication can help you sleep better, it won’t help you resolve whatever’s causing your insomnia.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective non-drug treatment for insomnia. Look for a cognitive behavioural psychologist who specialises in treating insomnia.
10. Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Life threatening events, such as crimes, accidents, and natural disasters, can stay with you long after they are over. In time, a traumatic event can lead to PTSD.
PTSD causes symptoms such as flashbacks, avoidance, and emotional distress. It can affect all people, including children. Psychotherapy is an effective treatment for PTSD.
Psychologists use techniques such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and stress inoculation training (SIT) to help clients manage PTSD symptoms.
