Indications
When do I need help? It may not be easy to be an accurate judge of your own state of mind when in distress. You may even have more than one ailment at a time. If you feel that you cannot cope with your problems anymore by yourself, or if you feel unhappy with yourself and overwhelmed by your problems, it is time for you to get help. A few examples for difficulties and problems psychotherapy can be helpful with:
- Long-term depression – Profound sadness – Feeling listless and unmotivated – Sleeping troubles – Everything seems pointless – A persisting, a-dynamic feeling for no apparent reason, which does not change even in the event of a positive experience
- Constant anxiety or frequent panic attacks that have a substantial impact on your quality of life
- Problems with self-esteem (feeling insecure, relationship problems, experiencing social isolation)
- Particularly severe exhaustion, both professionally and family-related – Frequently experiencing frustration – Too high expectations of your own performance – Feeling burnt out
- Addictions
- Functional disorders, such as recurring headaches, abdominal pain, sexual disorders, having trouble breathing
- Psychosomatic ailments, such as ulcers and peptic ulcers, migraines or eating disorders
- Relationship problems
- Family problems
- Difficulty with adapting to new situations – Fear of change – Lack of perspective – Disorientation – Difficulty making decisions
If one or more of the following statements is true for you, it would be advisable to see a psychotherapist:
- I am experiencing heart palpitations and mortal fear
- I feel very sick but there is no medical indication of any illness
- I avoid doing certain things that I would actually like to do
- I have one of the following anxieties: Of contact with other people – of wide open spaces – of small spaces – of authorities – of certain animals
- I have trouble falling sleep or sleeping through the night
- I am plagued by thoughts I don’t believe I can ever share with anyone (nightmares, stress, guilt, rage, hatred)
- I feel listless, exhausted and constantly overwhelmed / unable to cope
- I am in a stressful situation of change (caused by death, unemployment, divorce, separation, pregnancy, being a first time mother)
- I often feel depressed and unable to enjoy life
- I sometimes think of suicide
- I am in a difficult relationship that seems to suffocate me
- I am an addict – to alcohol, drugs, food, hunger, love or gambling
- I am unable to live without certain rituals (such as repeated washing, locking doors etc.), in spite of the fact that it restricts my life so much
- I would like to better develop my own potential but I don’t know how
- My children need my support but I often feel overwhelmed
- I want to have better relationships (for which I need response on my strengths and weaknesses)
- I cannot come to terms with my sexuality
- I have difficulties making decisions and that worries me
Psychological and psychosomatic symptoms are often attempts to deal with our inner conflicts. To understand what they mean and to acknowledge them can open up new perspectives in life. Psychotherapy can play an important part in developing your personality. However, it is essential for the success of any therapy that the client is seriously willing to address the problem at hand, and to work with the therapist to cope with it.