A visit to the psychologist.
How often do LGBT people go to a psychologist?
I have always thought that being part of the LGBT community, our lives as gays, bisexuals or transgenders are a bit more complicated, due to certain reasons. I went to a psychologist a couple of times because me and my mom had some acceptance issue (a few years ago, when I came out to my mother. Back then I came out as gay). She helped, she definitely helped, and I was stunned to realize how some simple words can work like magic.
Why did I say that our lives as LGBT people are a bit more complicated than straight people`s lives? Well, we encounter with a series of problems throughout our lives: homophobia, we lose friends after we come out, we have arguments with our parents and it is harder for us to find somebody compatible. Whatever the reason is, I can tell you for sure that a psychologist can really be helpful. A good one, obviously.
Let me tell you how was it like for me, the first time I went to a psychologist. You know what people often think, when they take the term of "psychologist" for "psychiatrist" and they believe you`re nuts or something, asking you "hey I heard you`ve been to a shrink" and stuff like that. Well, I used to think the same and I wanted to keep everything secret, so that nobody would find out. I was a bit scared at first, but she was a really nice lady. Warm, friendly and always had a moment to listen. In the end, that`s what a good psychologist does, right?
A good psychologist knows when to listen and when it`s time to talk.
Anyway. Besides homophobia or frequent arguments with your parents, you can also see a psychologist whenever you feel sad or depressed, since some gay men often happen to feel depressed. The psychologist will help you identify the source of your anxiety or depression, and so you will find it easier to get over the things that upset you or make you feel blue.
I was surprised to find out that few of the members of the LGBT community consider visiting a psychologist. I don`t know why, maybe it`s because of the prejudice or maybe they simply believe they can handle their problems themselves, without any help. Well, trust me, a good psychologist is really worth it, and you`ll be amazed what he or she can do. And NO, the psychologist will definitely not start the conversation with "The first step is to admit that you have a problem and you need professional help". That`s just a silly movie cliche.
So, have you ever considered going to a psychologist?
Related posts:
- Psychologist Vs. Psychiatrist
- "Straight Treatment" for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Persona non grata: Young, dedicated to writing articles and willing to make a change, whether we`re talking about how the people see us, the ones who are part of LGBT, or about writing some thoughts, opinions and other sort of material that hopefully others will find useful.
I don't think that anyone in the LGBT community visits or should visit a psychologist more or less frequently than a straight person. I think its entirely based on the person, rather than his or her orientation. Im bisexual and I have never felt the need to go to a psychologist any more or less than straight people do.