4 Psychological Conditions a Psychologist Can Help Treat
Posted on: 26 October 2021
Psychologists are trained professionals who specialise in the treatment of psychological disorders. This article explores some of the different psychological issues a psychologist can help you to address.
1. Depression
Sadness is an emotion that everyone experiences every once in a while and it is usually short-lived and does not require medical support. However, if feelings of sadness persist and begin to interfere with our everyday life, you may find yourself unable to cope. If you find yourself in this position, it may be time to seek professional help. Depression can affect people no matter their age, gender or ethnic background. A psychologist can help to treat depression by teaching you ways to manage stress, change negative thinking patterns, or alter unhealthy behaviours.
2. Anxiety disorders
Extreme feelings of worry, dread and unease are common feelings felt by many people daily. However, it is when these feelings begin to interfere with someone's everyday functioning, an anxiety disorder may be diagnosed. There are many different types of anxiety disorder, but most include some form of overwhelming worry about everyday events and activities. This worry can begin to distort reality and impact your thought processes. A psychologist can help treat anxiety disorders through various methods such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, counselling or relaxation training.
3. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that alters the way the brain functions. It causes people to feel disconnected from reality and can result in hallucinations or delusions. People living with schizophrenia may have difficulty telling what is real and what is not. A psychologist can provide people with schizophrenia with psychosocial treatment to reduce symptoms, improve functioning, stabilise medication use, ameliorate cognitive problems, enhance long-range planning abilities and improve social adjustment.
4. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is a type of anxiety disorder that causes people to experience obsessions and compulsions that are time-consuming or distressing. Obsessions are repetitive thoughts or urges that are difficult to stop. Compulsions are ritualised behaviours that a person feels the need to do repetitively. An example of an obsession would be constantly worrying about catching a disease if one has touched something unclean. Examples of compulsions include excessive hand washing or counting things over and over again. Psychological treatment for OCD such as counselling can help to reduce anxiety, stress, obsessions and compulsions, as well as improve quality of life.
If you would like to find out more, you should contact a psychologist today.
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