Humans are the most complex species living for millions of years on the planet earth. According to Darwin, we have evolved from primates, but we don’t rely only on our instincts, unlike animals. Instead, we humans can feel emotions, understand them and act accordingly. However, sometimes we need a third party, a psychiatrist, to help us deal with the sudden change of emotions. So if we went back a few hundred years ago, psychiatrists treated mental health issues with unnecessary invasive treatments. It created a sense of fear that led to fewer people opting for psychological therapy. However, evolution in science and technology has altered the way of addressing mental health issues. They introduced counseling sessions and therapies to treat psychological problems that are a noninvasive approach.
Hence, therapy and counseling sessions help people who are facing difficultly in maintaining emotional stability. This instability can arise due to any daily life problem, the impact of trauma, chronic illness, loss of a loved one, or any mental disorder. We often use the terms counseling and therapy, and we believe they are interchangeable. However, there is a clear-cut difference between the two. Nowadays, there is an increased demand for counselors and psychiatrists. So if you are planning for a master’s degree, you can search for masters in counseling vs psychology over the internet. This way, you will differentiate between the two and choose what is suitable for you. Now one would ask why there is an increase in mental health issues and how can counseling and therapy help it. Let us explain how:
- Low self-esteem:
Social media applications like Facebook, Instagram, etc., have become an essential part of our lives. While it was supposed to combat loneliness and bring people closer, it has created an opposite and complex impact. However, there is no apparent and direct cause of mental health issues due to the influence of social media. However, we all tend to compare our lives with our friends and celebrities, which causes a sense of low self-esteem, and our confidence shatters. Hence, by triggering comparison, the doubts of self-worth increase. It also raises the potential to develop mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, etc. If you are experiencing low self-esteem, counseling or therapy can help you. It will reduce negative self-talk and improve self-compassion. Both of these benefits improve self-esteem.
- 2. Increased parental pressure:
Every parent has a different opinion and different approach to encourage their children to perform well. They want to give their kids the best so they can be successful in the future. So, having high expectations from your child is healthy. However, putting constant pressure on good performance and comparison can create a negative impact. Children start to feel like their academic results will influence the future immensely. Hence, this constant pressure has resulted in mental health problems amongst teenagers. Such kids develop anxiety and depression, and there is an increased likelihood of kids cheating in their lives. Their self-esteem is also severely affected. Therefore, therapy and counseling are not only for adults. Kids and teens can also get a counseling session or treatment as it gives a safe environment for them to pour out their emotions and thoughts.
- Breakdown of the family unit:
Parents have an essential role in a child’s life, seeing them at the closest range than anybody else. They care for their kids the most and are a role model for them. Most don’t believe that parents’ behavior towards each other may affect an individual’s mental health. But unfortunately, it is true. When parents treat each other with care, give their kids love and provide them with a safe boundary, they turn out fine. However, when they quarrel all the time, disrespect each other, and split up, they take away the chance from their kids to grow mentally strong. Parental conflicts are prevailing immensely. Hence, families can get out of alignment, but therapy and counseling can help them get back on track. Most people are intimidated by therapy, but it provides a safe environment to express your concerns without fear that anyone will judge you. So yes, a therapist can heal a broken family with therapy, but all it requires is your will and faith in the therapist.
- Prevalence of insomnia:
There is no denying the fact that sleep plays a crucial role in an individual’s mental and physical well-being. When a person sleeps for at least eight hours, the brain gets enough time to refresh, enabling better learning, thinking, and memory. Therefore, sufficient sleep is necessary for the emotional development of an individual. However, nowadays, getting enough sleep has become a talk of the past. Our hectic schedules and increase in competition in workplaces leave us with no time for ourselves. We all are stuck in a never-ending race of struggle. Though we succeed by compromising our nights of sleep, our mental health becomes as fragile as glass. We are on the verge of breaking down constantly. So instead of making a habit of sleeping pills. If you face difficulty in sleeping, cognitive behavioral therapy can do wonders for you. It changes your behavior and way of thinking that might be preventing you from falling asleep.
A take-home message:
The efficacy of counseling sessions and therapy has been under debate for a long time. However, if you have ever worked with a skilled counselor or a therapist, you might know its benefits. So several benefits of it are empirically proven. It focuses on the expression of emotions and feelings rather than on cognitive factors. It helps you identify the pattern of the recurring emotions to have better control over them. An individual can also discuss their experience with a developmental focus. In addition to that, one can explore and share their fantasy about life in a safe environment. Hence, mental health should receive the same importance as physical health. We all should reduce the stigma of mental health to feel comfortable in sharing our issues. Similarly, access to mental health services is still lacking in many parts of the world. Therefore, we should forge changes in such areas to realize the importance of counseling and mental health.