Psychotherapy

-Jiya Bhayani (X. Abhinav Vidyalay)

Psychotherapy is talk therapy which is a way to help people with a broad variety of mental illnesses and emotional difficulties. It helps a person to understand their feelings and makes them able to face challenges in the coming future. There are various types of mental illness but the most common ones are depression and anxiety disorders.

 We people daily go through minor panic attacks, anxiety attacks, or a wave of sadness from time to time but at a point, these feelings become so overwhelming that it becomes difficult for people to cope up with their daily life.

This is where psychotherapy comes into use. It helps people to get their minds clear and get rid of these mental illnesses. 

A medical practitioner specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness is called a Psychiatrist. Or in simple words, a person who performs psychotherapy is called a Psychiatrist.

• A psychiatrist may be:

• a marriage and family therapist

• a psychiatrist

• a licensed clinical social worker

• a licensed clinical professional counselor

• a mental health counselor

• a psychiatric nurse practitioner

• a psychoanalyst

How does this work?
1. Therapy sessions

These sessions are where therapists get to know about their client’s problems. This is nothing but a talk therapy session where the patient is required to talk about themselves and answer the questions asked by their therapists. Sometimes these therapy sessions go on for a few weeks or maybe for some months or years depending on the client’s problems.

There are various types of therapy like Interpersonal therapy, family therapy, psychodynamic therapy, etc. Sessions may be one-to-one or in pairs or groups. Techniques can include talking and other forms of communication, such as drama, story-telling, or music.

2. Medications

This is another way to cope with mental illness. But usually, medicines are less preferable than therapy. Doctors themselves advise taking therapy before directly jumping on the medication process. Medication alone should be your last choice and only be used as a last resort. Always consult your psychiatrist before beginning or stopping any medications. Some common medicines used for mental illness are antidepressants, anti-anxiety, antipsychotic, mood-stabilizing and stimulant medications.

What are the benefits?

• Help with depression- depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. It is not just a phase where a person is sad but it deeply affects their quality of living. With psychotherapy, the therapist provides people with a comfortable and private setting to heal. They talk deep and examine the causes of people’s concerns. This helps people to go back to their normal happy life.

 

• Help with anxiety- Anxiety is the mind and body's reaction to stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations. People with anxiety can become overly self-conscious and avoidant. Now with the help of psychotherapy people can gain their confidence back. Rather than being stuck at one somewhere due to fear they can understand their emotions and make progress towards their goals.

“The purpose of psychotherapy is to set people free.” 
-Rollo May

THANK YOU FOR READING!
Edited by - Hemal D. and Kenisha S.

Image credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5