Do you need to seek professional help?

Hey guys,

I get a lot of e-mails from people asking when and how you can decide it is the right time to seek professional mental health. My thoughts on the matter below..

First and foremost, before you decide to seek the professional help of an anxiety psychologist it is in your best interest to learn and understand exactly what anxiety is. You must be sure that you have a good handle on the difference between fear and anxiety. When you experience fear, you do so because there is an actual threat to your safety, a rabid dog bearing its teeth at you, for example. When you experience anxiety, there is an imaginary or intangible threat to you. Anxiety is the worry that the rabid dog may jump out from every bush, no matter where you are.

If you think you are currently suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which is a constant and general sense of worry regardless of situation or need, then you might be a prime candidate to seek out the help of an anxiety psychologist. You may also want to get the help of such a psychologist if you experience panic attacks or even specified anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia or other social phobias. Anyone who does not seek professional help and is suffering from extreme anxiety can run the risk of developing more serious social anxiety disorders, which may become debilitating.

While most people who experience anxiety do not require the help of an anxiety psychologist many people do. The main determining factor between those who do require professional help and those that do not is whether or not the anxiety is a problem. If the anxiety is beginning to hinder one's lifestyle and disrupts day to day living, then it is a problem.

Once you have decided whether you need professional help to combat an anxiety problem, there is some groundwork to do to find a psychologist. First, you should discuss this with your family doctor. He or she will be able to determine whether your anxiety is a physiological issue or not, and then make recommendations. Before choosing a psychologist, you should conduct mini-interviews to determine if a particular therapist is right for you by including questions related to their experience, fees, insurance, methods, availability, and what you can expect.

Until next time,

Robert Williams