What is a mental health checkup and why should I take it?
Taking care of yourself is essential for a long and happy life. But speaking of health, we usually mean physical condition, nutrition, and the rejection of bad habits. Although psychological health is no less important for a fulfilling life.
What is a psychological checkup?
Psychological check (or mental health check) is a set of tests. They can be given to you by a therapist at one of your first meetings if you have already made an appointment with a specialist. You can also take tests on your own on the Internet, and come to an appointment with the results: a psychotherapist will study them and give you recommendations.
I have no problem – “is it worth doing a psychocheck”?
It is believed that the “psychocap” is the pampering of wealthy managers from large cities. In fact, anyone can analyze their condition and understand whether it is worth contacting a psychologist. Often, completely different systems of the body signal about psychological problems. “Just ask yourself: do I have insomnia, a headache, have I lost my appetite or, conversely, do I want to eat all the time, how often and dramatically my mood changes. It seems that these are harmless symptoms that are caused by external stresses. But they can indicate the development of serious mental disorders and require treatment.
What are the tests?
Different direction. For example, using the Beck Depression Scale, you can identify the presence of depression and determine its severity. The Spielberg test allows you to measure anxiety: both as a personal property and as a reaction to a life situation. The Burnout Questionnaire will help you determine if you have symptoms of excessive work fatigue. But none of the tests by itself provides a basis for making a diagnosis or drawing conclusions about your condition. For you, this is a signal that it is time to see a psychotherapist, and for a specialist, it is the key to your condition.
If I need a check-up, am I sick?
Of course not. There is a myth that only mentally ill people go to psychologists. A myth from the last century, but still lives and works. First of all, because there is still an opinion that a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and psychologist are one and the same. Indeed, a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist can be in one person. But a psychiatrist is first and foremost a doctor who prescribes drugs. Whereas the psychotherapist and psychologist “treat with a word” and use the “conversational genre” in their work. And such therapy really helps to get rid of complexes and experiences when it is scary, painful, incomprehensible and there is no more strength.
And if it seems to me that my problems are not worthy of a conversation with a specialist?
During a psychotherapy session, no one will measure your problem with a ruler: it’s a stupid problem, it’s too scary, and you could handle it yourself. Each of your problems is worthy of attention: at the appointment with a psychologist, all the allotted time is devoted to you. Not your job, your family or your responsibilities, but only the soul, heart, emotional and very intimate areas. The specialist will listen and hear you, ask questions to understand the situation and help you. Going to a psychologist is an act of a strong person: you went to a specialist, worked through the problems and won.
Can you solve the problem yourself?
Some of the problems encountered on our life path, of course, can be solved without support. The 21st century is the peak of self-help and self-development. There are different ways and special techniques that help a person to independently get out of anxieties and unrest. For example, if you already had experience in psychotherapy or if you own practice tools, then there is a chance that you can handle it yourself. However, poorly healed spiritual scars and scars will always make themselves felt and affect your life in a negative way. Then deep inside, where we “lock” our pain and experiences, there may simply not be enough room for something good and new. A complete liberation from psychological trauma is just possible only together with a psychotherapist. Therefore, the very appeal to a specialist for help does not speak of weakness (“I can’t do everything myself!”), But of a person’s inner determination to grow, the desire to solve their problems and increase their level of awareness and maturity.
