There will come a time when people will understand that you don't have to have any serious mental issues to go talk to a psychologist. Every time I tell someone how beneficial it is to go talk to a professional they always assume I'm nuts or something or that I'm telling them that they are a psycho or something. This social bs has to stop. If you ask me, everyone should go talk to some kind of psychologist from time to time the same way people do routine check-ups for the physical body. You can have things holding you down, or stressing you out without you knowing until it builds up, why not stop it before that?

I think a lot of the time people don't want to go to counselors because they are afraid of what they are going to be told.  Either that or they already know what might need to be changed, but it isn't real until they are confronted with it.  That's just my opinion anyway. I have never been to one, but I am a big fan of them and I am happy to see that some of the stigma around seeing one is starting to be less relevant these days.  

I've never really felt much of a desire to see the psychologist, but that said I can see how it might be an interesting experience, and a great one for some people. Like you said, having someone to talk to ad who won't judge you, that can be invaluable. 

> For most of us at least, we have had so little mental training to help us process our minds and reflect on our experiences, that it is no wonder that we are on average, a mess globally.

I think this is why everyone should do meditation. But I know I'm biased in that idea ;)

> I think it was because it outed themselves, an admission that they were in need of help in some way.

In Finnish culture is there a negative stigma to seeing a psychologist? I think that stigma is mostly gone in the States and it is disappearing in Japan (among young people at least; older folks still think it's a crazy thing to do and represents a weakness)

Speaking to a physiologist is highly important, we should definitely get to see one the moment we need to see them, but it is very expensive to see a good one here in Nigeria though.  

I think if its like to just talk we can use friends, if its to improve its better to find mentor, so actual psychologist can be never used, but if its free then yea why not to try.
But ye with last 3 years out friendship circle went to down and there is not enough ears :D
But with time it will approve for sure, we are using blogs, online calls etc, so it getting better.

Hello, @tarazkp . I totally agree with you. Going to a psychologist is not always for a negative reason. And surely it is important to go at least for a while, it truly help us to improve our lifestyle and therefore our emotional and psychological stability.

Thanks for sharing this with us here!

Listening to others is fast becoming a lost art. We've delegated that function to shrinks. We all could listen to others more, and give them space to talk. I hope your friend finds a shrink they like to talk to. I've done about a million years of the stuff. It got me through some very hard times. But I think aging is the best psychological support of all. I understand now why so many cultures venerate the elderly. It's a shame many western cultures, especially medical care, do not.  

The speech on the social legacy of going to the psychologist is long and has different nuances, fortunately things are changing.

I believe that it is essential to talk and express yourself, but more important is knowing how to listen.
Those who can't listen can't speak...

I suppose and I'm afraid that I am already *crazy* beyond cure. I have never visited a psychologist in my entire life and now that I am too old I am convinced that I will never visit one ever. I've been talking only to myself for a long time in my brainy soliloquies and the truth is that I have never met a wiser and more effective therapist until now. };)

Hmm while physical interactions have been affected by covid, I feel that more connections are being made online, be it through apps or even communities like Hive. The world has become more digitised and I find myself having more connections than pre-covid actually.

My eldest and I were talking about mental processes and processing and cleaning the other day XD He was saying how his younger siblings had to meditate and do self reflection and I was saying it was cool that he could meditate to do that but youngest might have to find another way as I can't meditate in the traditional sense and he might not be able to either.  Apparently eldest looks back at his 15-16yo phase and cringes and so is trying very hard to accelerate the younger two through it as quickly as possible so they don't stay "cringe" as long as he thinks he did, told him that unfortunately their brains might not be ready to let go of that phase until it is and no amount of pushing will make it more ready because with some developmental stuff, brains just do whatever they're gonna do regardless of how desperately we try to force a change/development sooner.

Over the lifetime of my kids I've been wondering why some topics are so "taboo" and am currently at a loose conclusion that it's to do with what seems to be most people's debating styles ofapproaching from the point of view of I've done all the research and considered all the options/this has always been like this/everyone around me thinks the same therefore I am absolutely and completely right and there can be no other option and anyone who disagrees with me is absolutely and completely wrong because they just are.  When you have that kind of attitude, religion, politics and sex/gender stuff (all of which some people intrinsically tie to their identity and thus feel "attacked" and lash out violently if anyone dares to possibly hint at criticising) is pretty much guaranteed to cause fights.

And the money thing seems to be an envy thing, apparently if you let on how much you make you drive your friends away because they think you think you're so much better than them because you make more, and/or you attract a lot of fake friends who just want access to your money.

Then I was left wondering how anyone learned or learned how to deal with anything if you were never allowed to talk about this stuff you just apparently needed to magically know about XD

Before covid I getting out of economic problems almost over and then came covid so went back to the same economic situation so I suffer a lot from stress, anxiety, short sleep and even turn into beer, I barely talk about it, 2021 for me was the worst probably, made so many mistakes until one day I saw friend who was in a similar situation it was like I saw myself in a mirror but worst, we had the same age but he look worst than me, smoke, was fat and always complaining about stomach issues, and I said I dont want to look like that in 5-10 years I need to change, Im 35 rn, always been a man of science and numbers I ask myself why Im like, how can I stop it, what is the reason for my behaviour, whats the trigger, so as any IT I google it, seriously I did until I found an articule that talk about dopamine, serotonin and other technical stuff and then found the hubermanlab podcast on youtube, I was listening podcast after podcast that talk about stress, depression and he really talks about the science behind it so I change my diet to Keto, start doing more excessive at first three times a week, went from 220 pounds to 164 but I still think talking to someone could have make things better or get over the circumstance faster,  Im still trying to go cero beer but I have six pack almost every weekend, Saturday mostly, sorry if I rant but I know for fact its not easy to get control over our minds and body, living the life so fast takes over and can get us into a dark place, thx for sharing ✌️

Having someone to talk and be open about your feelings etc etc is the best medicine For mental health. If that someone is a professional who can also give mental guidance it’s even better. Hive can definitely be used by someone to write his thoughts, feelings and worries. Writing always helps 

Yes, my friend, we often need to talk to someone. And the one I talk to every day is my friend.

I think, particularly for the last three years, we have very well got used to be alone and have less talk with each other. Instead, we prefer spending time with our beloved smart phones.

Nevertheless, we should not forget that life is common and it is better in thay way.