What does a psychotherapist treat? What symptoms to treat. Psychotherapist - who is he and what does he treat? What does a psychologist treat and what symptoms should I treat?

Psychotherapy refers to a system of therapeutic effects on the human psyche. Psychiatrists treat many mental illnesses that arise as a result of various stresses, are inherited, and are caused by mental trauma in childhood. However, these diseases should not be in any way associated with severe brain diseases or other fairly serious physiological injuries. A psychotherapist certificate can only be issued if you have three years of experience in the field of psychiatry and have received additional specialized training. As a rule, you should make an appointment with a psychotherapist in advance, since good specialists always have a lot of patients.

A psychotherapist in his specialty has the right to make diagnoses, as well as prescribe and carry out various treatment methods. Unlike a psychiatrist, who treats his patients exclusively with medications that tend to affect the functioning of the brain, a psychotherapist, first of all, focuses on methods of persuasion and can only supplement them with medications if absolutely necessary.

Modern main directions

Psychotherapy nowadays applies many different directions and methods to treatment. Depending on the number of participants, both individual and group training can be conducted. The main ones include:

1. Psychoanalysis, with the help of which the human psyche is considered in the ongoing subconscious processes, such as instinct, motivation, defense mechanisms, which make it possible to determine the psyche and consciousness as a whole.

2. Gestalt is a therapy that is based on self-regulation of the psyche, as well as its self-awareness.

3. The direction of existential psychotherapy, which does not study any individual mental manifestations in a person, but considers his entire integrity of life, including a person’s connection with different people and with himself.

Types of illnesses that a psychotherapist treats

The list of diseases that a psychotherapist treats includes: severe depression, the causes of which are very diverse; various neuroses; presence of mental trauma; acquired very bad habits, such as alcoholism and drug addiction; gambling addiction, food abuse; various types of nervous system overstrain, chronic fatigue, excessive anxiety; panic fear and various phobias.

Treatment options

The main treatment method used in psychotherapy is conversation, which has the strongest impact on the mental consciousness and subconscious of patients. The most important rule that determines the effectiveness of treatment is the active and voluntary position of the patient, his trust and openness to influence, his desire to find out the problem and get help. The client has the right to make his own choice of the method that suits him best.

The main ways are:

Method of conversations and discussions with the patient. Conducting psychoanalysis, with the help of which hidden opinions and motives for action are revealed. An encoding method that causes commands to be executed unconsciously. Bioenergetic therapy based on controlling feelings and physical processes. Cognitive-behavioural therapy, in which the patient is taught self-control. The use of hypnosis. Neuro is linguistic programming based on the modeling of behavior, speech, memory management, etc.

The main goals that need to be achieved with psychotherapy include:

insight, which means understanding; catharsis, i.e. providing emotional release; co-ownership or so-called coping; stress relief (relaxation).

Psychiatrist, psychologist and psychotherapist – is there any difference between these specialists? It turns out there is.

A psychologist, for example, examines the state of mind of a healthy person. A psychiatrist is a qualified doctor who provides medical care to people with mental disorders.

A psychotherapist is a trained specialist who has the right and ability to diagnose mental illnesses, as well as them. Moreover, the psychotherapist most often uses psychological influence as a pill for the patient’s problems. The main weapon of a psychotherapist is a conversation that is different from simple everyday conversation, as well as instructions aimed at ensuring that the patient learns to interact with the outside world.

Important! If a psychotherapist insists on drug treatment for a mental disorder or illness, you should refuse his services. A real specialist will not prescribe medications for treatment, he will refer you to a doctor of appropriate practice.

A psychotherapist can prescribe medications if he has a basic medical education, and also provided that his activities are confirmed by the license of the medical institution within whose walls he works. A psychotherapist will prescribe medications only if this does not worsen the patient’s condition. Moreover, the need to take medications must be mutually accepted.

Psychotherapeutic practice in Russia

In Russia, psychotherapeutic education is based on either a medical or a psychological humanities course. Therefore, in domestic practice you can find a psychotherapist or a psychologist-psychotherapist.

A psychotherapist can provide assistance to people suffering from reversible or irreversible mental disorders, as well as mentally healthy people who have experienced a difficult stressful situation that led to temporary personality disorders.

A psychologist-psychotherapist helps mentally healthy people and people with neurotic disorders, neurotic reactions to stress, and so on. In other cases, a psychologist-psychotherapist works together with a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

What is the difference between a psychotherapist and a psychologist?

By learning their profession, psychologists or psychotherapists master the knowledge accumulated by humanity about the human psyche. They consider how it works, what and how it influences our mental life, what are the stages of mental development at different ages, what psychological problems does a person solve at different periods of his existence, what are mental disorders and various psychological problems associated with. The specialist will learn how to help a person facing certain psychological problems and difficulties in life.

Psychology belongs to the humanities (not medical). A psychologist does not have the right to diagnose a client, treat mental illness, use pharmaceuticals in therapy, or perform medical manipulations, unlike a psychotherapist.

But psychotherapy (a therapeutic technique of verbal influence) in Russia is practiced by both psychotherapists and psychologists who have undergone special additional psychotherapeutic training, in addition to basic education.

How to tell if you have a mental disorder

The main indicator that a person has a mental disorder is the manifestation of general anxiety. Mental illnesses are injuries to thoughts, feelings, and human will. Such disorders usually manifest themselves in prolonged depression, hallucinations, phobias, fluctuations in general mood and other indicators.

A psychotherapist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats a certain range of disorders and disorders of the mental state of his client. Such disorders can be of a diverse nature, because every person in life periodically faces losses, interpersonal conflicts, failures in various areas of life, and even personality disorders. A psychotherapist, as a practicing medical specialist, analyzes a person’s condition, the reasons that gave rise to it, and then leads him to the implementation of therapeutic measures, procedures, and in some cases, drug therapy.

Reason #1: Depression

Depression is a personality disorder that can be identified by the presence of the so-called. “depressive triad” – low mood and inability to experience positive emotions, impaired thinking and a pessimistic view of the world, motor retardation.

Depression manifests itself quite differently in each person. However, experts identify several main symptoms:

• Anxiety and bad mood.
• Sleep disorders – insomnia, or, on the contrary, constant drowsiness.
• Loss of interest in previous interests and hobbies, decreased libido.
• Apathy, chronic feeling of fatigue.
• Problems with concentration, cognitive impairment.
• Increased excitability, irritability.
• Loss of appetite or constant feeling of hunger.
• Physiological symptoms that cannot be treated - headache, heart pain, muscle pain, problems with the digestive system, etc.
• Thoughts and/or attempts at suicide.

If you or your loved ones experience such symptoms, immediately seek professional help from a psychotherapist. The specialist will diagnose the person’s condition and select the appropriate treatment method. The doctor may choose behavioral (behavioral) or cognitive psychotherapy techniques, or a combination of both.

Psychotherapist, psychiatrist, psychologist - is there a difference between them?

There are several fundamental differences between these experts on the human psyche, so lumping these specialists together is wrong and illiterate.

A psychiatrist is, first of all, a doctor with appropriate medical education and experience. This doctor, firstly, has the right to work with mental disorders caused by organic brain lesions, and secondly, with severe pathologies and mental disorders, for example, schizophrenia, epilepsy, psychosis. The psychiatrist bases the prescribed treatment method mainly on medication, but also uses psychotherapeutic techniques. The patients with whom the psychiatrist works are his patients.

The psychotherapist also has a medical education; certain requirements are imposed on him, like any doctor. This specialist has the right to prescribe drug therapy, but more often his methods of work involve oral influence on a person, through conversation or special communication techniques. Psychotherapists rarely deal with severe mental pathologies, leaving this area to psychiatrists. People who use the services of a psychotherapist are called clients, not patients.

A psychologist is a specialist who is not a doctor and does not have the right to diagnose, determine treatment regimens, or carry out medical practice in any other way. A psychologist receives a liberal arts education in the field of psychology, and is not familiar with the basics of medical diagnostics, and therefore cannot determine the etiology and severity of a particular mental disorder.

Thus, a psychiatrist can be both a psychotherapist and a psychologist. Psychotherapy, as a field of medicine and science, emerged at the intersection of psychology and psychiatry. A psychologist cannot perform the functional duties of a psychotherapist or psychiatrist, since he is a scientist, a theorist, but not a doctor.

Psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist: similarities and differences

Many people who are far from medicine have some confusion with the specialization of doctors, associated with similar names of professions. It is difficult for them to figure out who the psychotherapist, psychiatrist or psychologist is, what psychoneurology is, and what the psychotherapist treats.

There is one similarity between these professions: they all work with manifestations of the human psyche. However, the profession of psychologist, unlike the other two, does not belong to medical specialties, since to practice psychology it is enough for a specialist to have a humanities education. A psychologist does not engage in diagnosis, examination, therapy, or prescribe medications.

The specialization of a psychiatrist involves the treatment of human mental illnesses primarily with medications, based on conclusions about the causes that gave rise to mental disorders.

The help of a psychotherapist is carried out through conversational influence in the form of a conversation with the patient, although often the psychotherapist also prescribes medications that together help people cope with mild disorders and borderline states of their psyche.

What exactly does a psychotherapist do?

This specialist works with borderline personality states, disorders of perception and behavior. His scope of competence includes, first of all, diagnosing the client’s condition, clarifying the manifestations and symptoms that brought the person to the doctor, as well as establishing the causes of these frightening symptoms.

After the identification of the “enemy” is completed and the psychotherapist can voice the diagnosis, he decides on the possibility and advisability of the client undergoing treatment in the form of psychotherapy, and in some cases redirects his client to a psychiatrist or doctors specializing in other types of diseases, for example , oncologists, cardiologists or neurologists.

The psychotherapist prescribes not only therapeutic therapy, but also rehabilitation measures if necessary.

Common causes of various psychological disorders and syndromes

The life of a modern person is full of daily stress, crisis factors and phenomena that test the psyche for strength and stability. Typically, psychotherapists note that their clients come to them for help and advice after experiencing a serious emotional shock, unpleasant or depressing events, for example:

1. Loss: not only those that have already occurred, but potentially possible, expected future losses that can lead a person to the need to receive medical care. In this case, losses mean the loss of a loved one as a result of death, divorce, separation; loss of personal health or well-being due to injury, disaster or accident; loss of job, home, material assets. A person is not always able to independently assess the real meaning of a specific loss for himself, so he is not always able to connect current anxiety symptoms with those already experienced. The task of a psychotherapist is precisely to determine the impact of loss on a person’s life, and to help in adaptively experiencing this event.
2. Failure: all of life is a process that is always in motion, until death. On this path, of course, a person experiences cycles of hopes, expectations, tasks, demands and results. In cases where expectations associated with a specific life period are not fulfilled or confirmed, this can become the cause of disorders and ailments of a psychological nature. Such emotions may be associated with old age, lack of material resources, marital status, and other factors.
3. Interpersonal conflicts: conflict situations in the family, at work, between friends, colleagues, boss and subordinate, often provoke the emergence of anxiety states and push a person to visit a psychotherapist.
4. Unpleasant symptoms and personality disorders: these can be anxiety, depression, fear, overeating, psychosomatic pain, sexual dysfunction. A person can live for decades with an ongoing feeling of anxiety or fear, in which case he will need a long course of psychotherapy to get rid of oppressive feelings and emotions.
5. Abuse of alcohol, drugs, nicotine: visiting a psychotherapist or group psychotherapy helps a person overcome an addiction that he cannot cope with on his own.

Reason #2: Borderline Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a group of personality disorders characterized by self-harming behavior and difficulties in building interpersonal relationships.

The main symptom of BPD is constant anxiety. People with borderline disorder may become anxious due to life crises and an ever-changing world. Quite often they have increased anxious attention to their own health. Anxiety provokes the development of psychosomatic (somatoform) diseases, and the vicious circle closes. Fear is also a hallmark of BPD, and fears can be very different - fear of intimacy, new relationships, breakups; all areas of life of a person with BPD become “saturated” with fear.

People with BPD are characterized by low self-esteem, diffuse identity, emotional instability, problems with controlling their own emotions, and tendencies to self-harm and suicide. Some “borderline guards” are characterized by various types of addictions and impulsive behavior.

When it comes to treating people with BPD, things are not so straightforward. Some psychotherapists believe that the term “disorder” is not entirely correct, and that borderlineness is simply one of the options for personality structure. In this sense, you cannot recover from the way you are made. However, it is possible to correct for the effects of boundary effects. A psychotherapist can help with this. Using an analytical or humanistically oriented method of psychotherapy, a specialist will help a person with BPD “smooth out the rough edges” and learn to live comfortably with their personal characteristics.

When to see a doctor

The sudden appearance or constant presence of certain conditions and sensations may indicate disorders of the psyche, consciousness or perception. These manifestations are alarming “bells” that a medical psychotherapist will immediately pay attention to. The most common are:

• a lingering feeling of indifference to people, events, the world around us, a state of apathy;
• periodic hysterics and attacks of panic, fear, phobias;
• feeling of craving for alcohol, nicotine, certain drugs;
• increased anxiety, irritability, tearfulness;
• depressive states;
• the presence of bad habits, behavioral disorders (for example, overeating or bulimia).

If the listed conditions or symptoms appear, it makes sense to seek medical help from a psychotherapist.

Types of diseases treated by a psychotherapist

A psychotherapist deals with mild to moderate cases of manifestations of the following diseases and painful conditions, including:

• neuroses;
• depression;
• some harmful habits for humans;
• unreasonable anxiety;
• various addictions;
• state of psychosis;
• anorexia;
• paranoia;
• chronic fatigue;
• manifestation of apathy;
• panic states;
• various phobias;
• consequences of mental trauma;
• nervous tension and others.

Most often in hospitals and clinics, a psychotherapist treats people with neuroses. Almost every adult, no matter how strong and strong-willed he is, is susceptible to varying degrees of stress. Under certain conditions, this influence leads to persistent painful conditions that require medical attention.

In adults, a psychotherapist treats symptoms such as

:

• apathy, indifference to others, events, situations;
• hysterics;
• increased anxiety, panic, phobias;
• state of depression;
• increased craving for alcohol, other drugs that allow you to disconnect from real problems, and others.

Treatment methods used by a psychotherapist

Although this specialist has the right to prescribe medication therapy for his clients, medications are prescribed during psychotherapy quite rarely, as a support for the general direction of treatment.

The main technique of helping a client is communication. It is during the communication process that the doctor can use some psychotherapy techniques aimed at treatment, such as:

• psychoanalysis;
• a method of existential psychotherapy, when the doctor and client analyze not a specific, individual manifestation or event, but the whole picture of life as a whole;
• Gestalt therapy: based on the principles of self-regulation of the psyche, its self-responsibility and self-awareness;
• dance movement therapy;
• body-oriented therapy.

Among the methods of psychotherapeutic treatment are:

• talk;
• hypnosis;
• coding;
• neuro-linguistic programming;
• conducting psychoanalysis;
• auto-trainings;
• psychological games.

It is important to note that treatment can only be successful if there is trust between the client and the therapist.

The main goal of psychotherapy is to consistently achieve the four stages of treatment: understanding, stress relief, emotional release and coping with the situation. Thanks to various tricks and techniques, the psychotherapist helps his client not only overcome unpleasant feelings, emotions, sensations, syndromes, but also understand what exactly caused them to appear, and how to continue to live with it, so that similar problems do not arise in the future.

A psychotherapist penetrates into the most intimate things - into the psyche and consciousness of a person, therefore the requirements for this specialist are very high. Those who want to obtain the right to carry out psychotherapeutic activities must: obtain a higher medical education; work a certain number of years in medical practice; receive appropriate medical training, including individual supervision; defend a scientific work in the form of a diploma or dissertation that describes a specific case of psychotherapy. The total period of education and training for a future psychotherapist can be 3-7 years.

In addition, the personal qualities of a specialist also play an important role: honesty, the ability to empathize, attentiveness, good memory and a broad outlook, the ability to self-learn and self-develop.

Psychotherapists are often confused with psychologists and psychiatrists. However, each of these specialists has their own area of ​​responsibility, and if it partially overlaps with psychiatrists (a psychiatrist and a psychoanalyst are doctors with corresponding powers, which sometimes may coincide), then a psychologist is a humanities scientist and cannot diagnose diseases or prescribe their treatment.

Psychotherapists combine in their work various methods and techniques of communication, less often - drug therapy, due to which their clients perceive them more as comrades or advisers than doctors. This, to some extent, contributes to more successful treatment, because in this case the client is not pressured by the idea that he is unhealthy and requires treatment - the psychotherapist simply communicates with him and helps him understand existing situations.

A psychologist will help a person understand himself, understand difficult life situations, and more easily survive age-related crises.

Frequent stress and depression are a reason to consult a psychologist

Guarantee of anonymity for clients

The principle of security and the principle of confidentiality are one of the main conditions that the psychotherapist observes. All thoughts and ideas that you voice and talk through in a specialist’s office remain exclusively in this office.

A psychotherapist helps solve many problems such as: fears, anxiety, stress, depression, mental disorders, psychological trauma, relationship problems, intra-family conflicts, addiction treatment, drug addiction, alcoholism, etc.

If you or your loved ones are faced with such a problem, call our clinic right now using the single hotline number. We will definitely help you!

What does a psychologist treat?

The main functions of a clinical psychologist

– treatment and prevention of mental, psychosomatic diseases, borderline disorders, developmental anomalies. The specialist has extensive practical and diagnostic experience, works with sick people, adults and children who are at risk, supports recovering patients to prevent relapse of pathologies, and recently people have been turning to the doctor with various forms of addiction.

What problems does a psychologist eliminate?

• personality disorders - low, high self-esteem, which arose against the background of improper upbringing, abusive relationships, excessive parental care, and the wrong choice of life path;
• mild stages of phobia;
• initial degree of neuroses;
• age crises;
• problems in the intimate sphere;
• stress;
• personal and interpersonal problems;
• psychosomatic disorders, impaired memory, attention, perception of information, thinking;
• a family psychologist helps resolve conflict situations in the family;
• psychologist-perinatologist - the specialist’s activities are aimed at providing psychological support to pregnant women, the doctor helps to avoid or cope with postpartum depression, works with surrogate mothers;
• a social psychologist studies the interaction of different groups of people.

Psychologists work wherever there are people - in the army, business, law, sports, trust services.

You can get a profession as a psychologist at almost any humanitarian university; this specialty does not belong to a purely medical field; a doctor does not have the right to prescribe medications, unlike. A psychiatrist deals not with mental disorders, but with brain diseases that negatively affect the human psyche.

There is a child psychologist’s office in kindergartens and schools; the doctor monitors and corrects the stages of children’s development, draws up reports for commissions and teachers, and gives recommendations to parents.

The task of a psychologist is to conduct psychological diagnostics, help the child get rid of complexes, and identify talents. The doctor promotes creative development, instills positive attitudes, and draws up individual correctional programs for students, children, parents, and teachers.

Constant manifestations of uncertainty are a reason to consult a psychologist

A child or school psychologist is contacted if a child is very shy or overly excitable and active, has low self-esteem, autistic character traits, has no hobbies or friends, develops Internet addiction, or exhibits aggressive behavior towards animals and people. Signs of mental problems may include the habit of biting nails, thumb sucking, a tendency to wander, and a sharp deterioration in academic performance.

The main psychosomatic manifestations are excess weight, lack of appetite, dyspeptic disorders, neurodermatitis, hypertension, problems in the sexual sphere. In children - stuttering, nervous tics, enuresis.

Who is a psychotherapist and what does he treat?

A psychotherapist is a specialist with a higher medical or humanitarian education who treats borderline mental disorders using psychotherapeutic methods for this purpose. Borderline disorders are mild symptoms of mental disorder that occur in medically healthy people.

A psychotherapist, depending on his basic education, can be a psychiatrist. Thanks to his higher medical education and specialization in psychiatry, this doctor has the right to treat patients with any mental disorders, make a diagnosis and prescribe medications. This physician has clinical experience and must be licensed to practice as a psychotherapist.

Pathologies that a psychotherapist works with include:

• depression;
• panic attacks and anxiety;
• addictions – alcohol, gaming;
• post-traumatic disorders;
• psychosomatic diseases.

The area in which a psychotherapist works is determined by his specialization. Thus, specialists in cognitive therapy most often work with neuroses and post-traumatic disorders, psychoanalysts - with psychosomatic diseases.

Psychotherapy in combination with well-chosen medications gives the best results. Some psychotherapists are proficient in hypnosis and use it to help patients.

Where does he receive it?

It is almost impossible to find a good psychologist in regional clinics; at best, a specialist sees in large regional hospitals and research institutes. Not all compulsory medical insurance policies stipulate the provision of free psychological consultations; before visiting a doctor, this issue should be clarified with the insurance company.

Most psychologists are engaged in private practice in clinics and specialized centers. All services in such institutions are paid, the price of an initial consultation is 3.5–4 thousand rubles, the cost of a full course of treatment starts from 12–15 thousand rubles.

What does a psychologist do at an appointment?

You can make an appointment with a psychologist on your own initiative, or on the recommendation of another doctor. To receive effective professional help, a person must be extremely frank at the appointment.

Consultation stages:

• establishing emotional contact between specialist and patient;
• to clarify the problem, it is important for the doctor to understand how the person himself sees it;
• joint development of a treatment plan;
• selection of effective treatment methods;
• psychological support.

For closer communication, establish emotional contact with the person

During the conversation, the psychologist receives information not only from the patient’s words, he analyzes non-verbal signals - the duration of visual contact, gestures, facial expressions, intonation.

A psychologist can save a person from a problem only if the person himself wants it and makes every effort to get rid of a psychological disorder or addiction.

What happens at an appointment with a psychotherapist

Typically, during an appointment, the psychotherapist does the following:

• listens to patient complaints;
• assesses the situation regarding the course of the disease depending on the development of the patient’s nervous system;
• determines the causes of symptoms and painful conditions;
• if necessary, refers for a detailed examination to related specialists;
• determines the treatment plan;
• makes appointments according to the treatment plan;
• carries out therapeutic activities;
• informs the patient about the examination results, diagnosis, treatment plan;
• provides necessary consultations and recommendations.

Treatment with a psychotherapist occurs primarily in the form of conversation. Confidential conversation using professional influence techniques has a great impact on the consciousness and subconscious of patients. The voluntary basis of a conversation with a doctor, as well as the possibility of adjusting some aspects of treatment, give positive results and contribute to a faster recovery process.

Let us list the main methods of professional therapeutic influence on the psyche, which are used during an appointment with a psychotherapist:

• conversation;
• hypnosis;
• psychoanalysis;
• self-control training;
• coding;
• neuro-linguistic programming and others.

Advice to the patient: never hide or distort the truth from the doctor: as a result, the psychotherapist may make an incorrect diagnosis and prescribe inappropriate treatment.

What diagnostic methods does it use?

In the diagnosis of psychological pathologies, only specific tests are used; laboratory or instrumental examination methods are prescribed by the doctor if serious physical problems are suspected.

Research methods

Raven's test allows you to determine a person's intellectual abilities

Often psychologists use drawing tests in practice - they ask you to draw yourself, a house, a tree, an abstract person, a family, a fantastic animal. These simple methods allow you to determine the level of self-esteem, anxiety, the presence of internal conflicts, communication problems, and hidden needs.

Psychologists often have additional education as a psychoanalyst, which allows them to use the method of depth psychology in treatment.

Stress is as good for your mental health as regular exercise for strengthening your body. But each person has his own stress resistance limit, so negative consequences after emergency situations have varying degrees of manifestation.

Violations in mental health negatively affect the functioning of the entire body as a whole - performance decreases, memory and attention deteriorate, and psychosomatic diseases develop. To avoid all these negative consequences, it is enough to follow simple preventive measures.

Avoid stress to avoid emotional overload

1. Avoid stressful situations, learn to stop their consequences - relaxing techniques, meditation, yoga, art therapy, water treatments, walks in the fresh air, and a change of environment will help with this.
2. Learn to voice your complaints and grievances; if they accumulate, psychosomatic problems develop.
3. Find a constructive way to release negative energy - dancing, active physical activity, general cleaning.
4. Think positively - negativity literally destroys a person from the inside.
5. Be able to forgive, let go of past grievances, failures, stop living in the past.
6. Surround yourself with adequate, calm, balanced people, try to communicate more with children and animals.
7. Love yourself, praise yourself every day even for small achievements.
8. Get enough sleep, alternate work and rest - lack of sleep and overwork are among the main reasons for the development of psychological problems.
9. Find like-minded people or a good psychologist who will help you cope with complexes and fears.
10. If you cannot cope with a crisis or difficult life situation on your own, seek help from a specialist in a timely manner.

The healthiest foods for the nervous system are berries, bananas, tomatoes, herbs, cereals, dairy products, fish and seafood, as well as nuts and seeds.

Most people prefer to cope with psychological problems on their own; as a result, a minor disorder develops into an advanced form, when it is no longer possible to do without medication and inpatient treatment. Every person who is worried about their own health should understand that turning to a professional psychologist is not a shame, but is vitally important for stress, depression and phobias. For prevention, it is enough to visit a doctor once a year.

The common root (“psycho” - soul) of these professions misleads many: which specialist should I turn to, if anything happens?

What all three have in common is that they are all mental health professionals. But the competencies of each of them are very clearly defined, which is why not all of them are interchangeable specialists. Therefore, in order to knock on the right door, you need to understand the professional competencies of specialists in human souls.

Otherwise... Well, there are two options here. If the specialist is an honest person, and you have come to the wrong address, then he will point you in the right direction, that is, he will advise where to go with your problem. In this case, you will not lose either time or money. Well, if he is not decent, then you understand: money is a waste, and with it time and hopes for healing. In addition, while you are wasting time, the problem may get worse. Therefore, if there is a need for “first mental help,” do not be lazy to probe the market and figure out who is competent in what.

Psychiatrist

This is a specialist with a higher education, and note MEDICAL education, and his main specialization is psychiatry. The main area of ​​activity of a certified psychiatrist is mental disorders, and these are diseases such as ,

psychoses, thinking disorders, dementia, epilepsy. His area of ​​expertise also includes the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction (of course, in tandem with a narcologist), correction of severe depressive conditions, and neuroses.

When assessing the mental state, the psychiatrist also assesses the patient’s somatic state (the state of internal organs and systems). When prescribing treatment, psychiatrists practice an integrated approach. This means that they treat not only the soul, but also the body, and the methods they use can be very diverse: this includes medication, physiotherapy, and special psychotherapeutic techniques. A competent and experienced psychiatrist is quite capable of performing the functions of a psychotherapist and, even more so, a psychologist.

The range of activities of a psychiatrist is quite wide; does this really mean that you can turn to him in all cases when there are certain problems of a mental nature? If the situation is really very serious, then yes, but in most cases the help of more specialized specialists will be sufficient. You should go to a psychiatrist in cases where:

• the person has a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis;
• there are disorders of attention, memory, thinking, perception;
• long-term and (or) sudden changes in behavior;
• the person is dependent on alcohol or drugs;
• a person is obsessed with obsessions, states, prone to outbursts of anger and aggression, and is haunted by constant thoughts of suicide.

Psychotherapist

Very often such specialists specify: a psychotherapist. And this explains a lot: a person has a medical school background, a specialty as a psychiatrist, and a specialization as a psychotherapist. This gives him the right to use medications in his practice, but in their activities, psychotherapists primarily focus on psychotherapeutic techniques, and their main tool is still not medications, but the word. Usually a specialist chooses one technique (less often several). This could be Gestalt therapy, psychoanalysis, and many others.

Just like a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist deals with various mental disorders, as well as neuroses and psychoses, but if psychiatrists deal primarily with severe disorders, then psychotherapists deal with borderline conditions or milder disorders. In addition, they help solve problems in the family, deal with psychological problems and issues of personal growth.

Contact a psychotherapist in the following cases:

• mood swings, depression, constant fatigue, increased irritability;
• problems in the family, at work, in communication;
• frequent or long-term illnesses, chronic diseases;
• insomnia, loss of appetite, sudden attacks of fear, aggression;
• obsessive thoughts and states.

Psychologist

But here - attention - you need to be vigilant, since the field of activity of this specialist is often far from medicine. But, by the way, many problems at the very beginning of their emergence can be solved at the level of this specialist.

A psychologist has a liberal arts education in the field of psychology, so he cannot diagnose mental illnesses, does not have the right to treat and prescribe medications, or conduct psychotherapy. Therefore, the field of activity of a psychologist is not related to diseases; as a rule, certified psychologists work in pedagogy, personnel selection and personnel management, and marketing.

Psychologists often provide psychological counseling, but before contacting a psychologist, you need to make sure that the person does not have a serious emotional or other disorder that should be treated by a specialist with a medical education.

Contact a psychologist

possible if:

• difficulties in communicating with people;
• crises in the family;
• problems in relationships with children;
• dissatisfaction with oneself, one’s life and actions;
• need for self-determination.

When should you make an appointment?

You can contact a psychologist in cases where you realize that you cannot cope with problems on your own. It is worth contacting a psychiatrist when a person has severe mental disorders or severe drug addiction.

Making an appointment with a psychologist for the first time does not mean that a person is necessarily mentally ill.

Depression

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by a depressive triad, which includes decreased mood, disturbances in thinking (a pessimistic view of everything that is happening around, loss of the ability to feel joy, negative judgments), and motor retardation.

Only specialists who have received special medical education or have been trained in psychotherapeutic methods can treat depression. Psychiatrists (medics) can prescribe medications (antidepressants, tranquilizers). Only they understand which drug and in what doses is appropriate in each case, because they know how to determine what biological reasons provoke the development of depression.

When treating depression, an integrated approach is justified when the acute stage of the condition is relieved with pills prescribed by a psychiatrist (when you simply don’t have the strength to get up in the morning, do self-care, thoughts of suicide arise), and then a psychotherapist deals with the correction of the condition.

Depression does not necessarily have its roots in infancy, but its origins are always associated with the first 10 years of life, when the core of personality and an optimistic outlook on life are formed. This requires support from parents in the difficult process of child development, tolerance and respect for his desires and needs. Depression occurs as a result of a lack of such support against the background of natural anxiety and feelings of helplessness for the child.

Therefore, in most cases, it is recommended to consult a psychotherapist working in the field of psychoanalysis if you have a depressive disorder. This is due to the fact that the goal of therapy is awareness of the conflict and assistance in resolving it constructively: learning to find a balance of independence and intimacy, developing the ability to express one’s feelings constructively and at the same time maintaining relationships with people.

During an appointment with a cognitive psychotherapist, therapy is aimed at resolving the patient’s current problems and relieving behavioral symptoms - passivity, refusal of pleasure, monotonous lifestyle, isolation from others, inability to plan and engage in purposeful activity.

Life shocks

A psychologist is needed to make grief bearable, to alleviate suffering, to help a person stop blaming himself for what happened.

Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of stress, the strength of which turned out to be excessive for the psyche. As a result of this, a person loses a sense of security, experiences powerlessness and helplessness.

There are situations in which pain relief is the only way working with a psychotherapist can help. We are talking about those events that a person initially could not influence in any way. This is, for example, the death of a loved one, injury or serious illness that led to limitations, or violence suffered.

But events also happen, the outcome of which a person can influence. This is, for example, divorce or separation from a partner, infidelity, business failure or dismissal from work. What happened cannot be changed, but studying it can help understand what led to such sad consequences. At an appointment with a psychologist, an adult will learn to be more effective in the future.

Seek professional help if:

1. Things are falling apart for you at home and at work.
2. You suffer from anxiety and fear.
3. You cannot be in an intimate relationship, you are afraid of intimacy.
4. You suffer from sleep disturbances, nightmares and flashbacks of traumatic memories.
5. You increasingly avoid things that remind you of your injury.
6. Are emotionally distant from others and feel abandoned.
7. Use alcohol and drugs to make yourself feel better.

Psychosomatic problems

A visit to a psychologist is necessary when it comes to the psychological background of the physiological manifestations of the disease.

But it is important to distinguish, on the one hand, mental disorders with somatic manifestations, and on the other, somatic diseases, where mental factors play an important role.

The first - mental disorders with somatic manifestations - should be considered as “core” diseases for psychiatrists and psychotherapists, the second - somatic pathologies with mental conditioning and clinical manifestations - are the prerogative of general practitioners, but require the involvement of psychiatrists and psychotherapists in the therapeutic process.

Anxiety states

You should make an appointment with a psychologist if you are experiencing increased anxiety.

If we take into account the psychological theory about the causes of anxiety disorder, then feelings of anxiety, as well as phobias, may initially arise as a conditioned reflex reaction to any irritating stimuli. Subsequently, a similar reaction begins to occur in the absence of such a stimulus. A specialist will help identify the causes of anxiety and eliminate the unpleasant symptom.

The biological theory suggests that anxiety is a consequence of certain biological anomalies, for example, with an increased level of production of neurotransmitters - conductors of nerve impulses in the brain. Therefore, in this case, the help of a psychotherapist may be required.

Thus, doctors noticed that bringing physical indicators back to normal has a pronounced healing effect on a person’s emotional state and cognitive abilities. “Physics” and “psyche” are interconnected and interdependent to such an extent that disturbances in one area will sooner or later inevitably affect the other.

Panic disorder

Panic disorder (episodic paroxysmal anxiety) is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks. A panic attack is a sudden period of intense fear that may include a rapid heartbeat, sweating, shaking or shortness of breath, numbness in the limbs, and a feeling that something bad is going to happen. The maximum degree of symptoms lasts for several minutes. Perhaps in the future the person will have fears, accompanied by avoidance of places in which he encountered an attack.

The only sure option for overcoming episodic attacks of panic anxiety is to select an individual treatment method, which must necessarily include:

• use of medications;
• psychotherapeutic work;
• influence through hypnosis.

Dissatisfaction with life and dissatisfaction with oneself

Dissatisfaction with life as a personality quality is the inability, when aware of one’s existence, to experience peace, calm and humility every time, to show positive emotions when mentally comparing one’s goals, desires, intentions, hopes with actual results, one’s current state with the past, when weighing prospects for the future and comparing your life with the life of those around you.

Consulting a psychologist will help cope with this problem.

Problems

Psychological is a person’s internal problem associated with his world map, value system, needs, interpersonal relationships, etc.

During psychoanalytic therapy, the patient can resolve the following psychological problems: lack of self-confidence, melancholy, loneliness, chronic bad luck, inability to build friendships or love relationships, obsessive fears.