Consult a Psychologist

[consultapsychologist]

What to do when mental health treatment isn’t working?

Has it been months since you started therapy, yet you don’t see any positive results? Are you having a hard time opening up to your therapist? Have you been missing too many of your appointments lately and unable to commit to your therapy? Do you fear being judged by your therapist? Do you feel as if your therapist is unable to reason with you? Do you feel more confused, stuck, angry, in a state of paradox after a session with your therapist? If you are familiar with these situations, perhaps your therapy hasn’t worked as effectively as you had anticipated. Fear not because you are not alone in this dilemma.

Often at times, more serious mental illnesses, such as PTSD or schizophrenia require more than just a few appointments to a psychologist/psychiatrist. Say, for instance, you had asthma and your first medication didn’t work out, do you give up easily and let your lungs hold you back from enjoying a nice stroll in a park with your child? No, right? You don’t do the same with therapy either. If your therapy has failed you, you should explore other options before quitting or changing the therapist.

First and foremost, you must speak to your therapist regarding your feelings about the ongoing therapy. There are different types of medicines for different medical conditions. Similarly, PTSD will not be treated in the same manner as an eating disorder. Talking to your therapist may help him/her change the course of therapy and opt for one that is more suitable to you.

You can always book an appointment with another mental health expert. When visiting a new therapist, do not forget to take along a list of queries on your first session. It will be a great start if the therapist transmits confidence and he is willing to address all your questions openly.

You may also want to try other kinds of therapy along with your traditional talk therapy. You may want to go for dance therapy or art therapy to help you relax and declutter your mind. These kinds of therapies are often more stimulating and require greater engagement than going to a psychologist and talking about feelings.

Moreover, you can consult with a nutritionist or a wellness coach to help you bring lifestyle changes, for instance in your diet, sleeping schedule, planning out your days, meditation, or other physical activities you normally partake in.

Therapy issues may be resolved if you change your approach regarding therapy. This means that you may have to change the timings, days, or frequency of your therapy. You may be unable to commit to therapy because you have been worried about household chores or may not have slept well through the night which can deter an effective conversation with your therapist. Once you change your therapy routine, the process continues the same as before.

If your notice that your therapy isn’t working, it is a cue that an intervention is obligatory. It is paramount to not hold back on voicing your concerns if you want to get better. Thus, you should be honest about who you are and what kind of help you think works best for you.

For similar content, visit https://www.consult-a-psychologist.com/psychologist-blog/

[consultapsychologist]

How to cope with losing your job

Losing your job is no doubt one of the most stressful, overwhelming, and challenging times in your life. The thought of being unable to support your family, fulfilling your own needs and wants, watching your savings depleting by the day can adversely affect your mood, your motivation, and put a strain on your relationships. All these combined can become a severe cause of anxiety and depression.

According to research, people who have recently lost a job, downsized, or they are in-between jobs, are more prone to mental health issues than those having a relatively stable life due to job security. The reason for this is losing a job is almost similar to losing your identity. It is as if you are no longer able to perceive yourself the way you used to and also the people around you stop associating you with a certain persona. By virtue of this, losing a job brings the kind of uncertainty in life that your future seems all dull, and falling into a dark abyss becomes inevitable. You really cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel!

For times like these, when your self-esteem and self-confidence are beyond shattered, you are advised to take certain measures in order to get back on your feet, search for hope, and start pushing yourself again to find your purpose and identity.  The right coping techniques and developing some new, healthy habits can help you overcome these setbacks and assist you in focusing on what truly matters; You!

Here are some healthy mechanisms to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression that your unemployment has brought you:

Seek therapy: Talking about your feelings and what goes through your mind every day to a professional in the field of psychology/psychiatry is not only a way of catharsis but also makes you realize that it is okay to not be okay. You do not have to carry the burden of the entire world on your shoulders. Unemployment depression is real and must not be ignored at any cost. Also, there are so many platforms now offering online and in-person therapy sessions. Get help, get better!

Start meditating: As you may have heard before, meditating brings a myriad of eminent benefits in your life. One of them is increased focus. Meditation is proven to help you achieve peace of mind and in turn, enhance your focus on the tasks that you are set out to do. For instance, you are able to set new goals for yourself, the ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, time-bound, and realistic. Perhaps you are planning to write down a new cover letter. If you have started your day with meditation, your flow of ideas when you sit on your desk to work will be smoother and you will feel more productive.

Learn new skills: While losing a job is the kind of adversity that triggers a lot of negative emotions, at the same time there is some silver lining as well; a lot of free time at your hands. You can use it to hone your existing skills and learn new ones. The job market is ever-changing and demand for people who are experts in a certain field is increasing by the day. So do not rely on the skills and capabilities you needed in your last job, rather equip yourself with those highly sought after by employers.

Reach out to friends and family members for help: You must realize how important this is! Albeit being moody is a natural outcome of job loss and you may not help getting frustrated from time to time, however, it is crucial to speak to your friends and family members who have stood by you during the toughest of days when you felt lonely and desolated. Leaning onto your close ones is a great way to blow off some steam and lighten up your mood.

Find who you are outside your work identity: As mentioned earlier, losing your job pretty much feels as if you have lost your identity as well. While that may be true in many cases, you must affirm yourself that you are more than your career. One of the ways can be to spend more time with your family, which can be truly wholesome. You may be able to identify yourself through the eyes of our children who see you as a loving father, or your spouse seeing you as a caring husband/wife, etc. Besides that, finding new hobbies like learning to play guitar or getting connected with your interests from the past will help you see things from a wider lens and make you realize that your career identity is only a small piece of the puzzle in your life.

[consultapsychologist]

Parents and Mental Health

A person might have a mental illness due to several reasons. It can be caused by anything like a brain injury, biological factors, a traumatic experience, or any other reason. But one of the major reasons for having a mental illness is linked to parenting. Parents play a very active role in determining the well-being of their children. The genes inherited from the parents can be a cause or it could be due to the unhealthy environment provided by the parents.

People don’t realize how big of a responsibility it is to raise a child. Their every action affects the mental health of the child. This can be proven from the results of a study conducted in 2012. According to this study, children coming from single/divorced families were more likely to be suffering from ADHD (known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) compared to other types of families.

Many parents which suffer from some mental health issue are likely to impact their child’s mental health negatively and this is an important issue because it is said that one out of every four children lives with a parent with a mental disorder. These parents don’t actively work on improving their own mental health and their kids suffer as a result.

The behavior of parents also plays a crucial role in determining the mental fitness of a child. A household where the married couple engages in violence may leave a scar in the child’s mind. If we consider the example of a Pakistani household, here, most children are brought up in a way that they are not given the comfort to open up and talk about their feelings to their parents. This results in the building up of emotions and eventually leads to unhealthy mental health.

So the best way for parents to help improve their child’s mental health is first to take care of their own mental health along with providing space where the child can express himself/herself comfortably. Building a strong relationship with the child and fulfilling all the emotional and physical needs are very necessary in this regard. These are just some basic things parents can do to minimize the risk of a mental illness.