The main psychological problems that interfere with the harmonious development of a person are external and internal. External problems may stem from relationships with the outside world. Internal are a consequence of the psychological dysfunction of the person himself.
Both of them bring substantial discomfort to life, a feeling of dissatisfaction with life, tension, depression and often require the help of a psychologist and psychotherapist. In working with a qualified specialist, the relationship of psychological difficulties with external ones is often found. So, clients of psychotherapists who are worried about relationships with other people almost always have to change their line of behavior and attitude to the situation.
What is a psychological problem
Most of the causes of discomfort, failure, any kind of addiction, dissatisfaction and stress are in the psyche (in the heart), and external events in life only exacerbate internal causes. Any psychological problems cause a person explicit or latent suffering. For this reason, man with great difficulty manages to change himself and his position. However, even changing something, it is not always possible to achieve satisfaction and spiritual harmony.
In this case, we can openly say that the problem is mainly psychological, mental, and not external, social. In this case, the therapist can help a person become a confident and harmonious person. It is enough to make certain efforts, time and professional knowledge of a specialist, and this problem may very well be solved.
The emergence of psychological difficulties
Usually psychological complexes arise when a person has an unconscious psychological fixation on an object or subject, as if connected (according to the person himself) with achieving the desired result. And any person has only two types of desires:
- to get something (possession, development, realization, desire, etc.), in other words, "the desire for ...";
- to get rid of something (escape, destruction, liberation, etc.), in other words, "the desire to ...".
If this cannot be achieved, a problem occurs. This question is the main problem of practical psychology.
Low self-esteem
The main problem of the psychological plan, according to most psychologists, is the low self-esteem of a huge number of people.
Low self-esteem can affect various aspects of a person’s life. People with low self-esteem can usually say a lot of negative things about themselves. They can criticize themselves, their actions and abilities, or joke about themselves with sarcasm. People with low self-esteem usually doubt themselves or blame themselves when they encounter any obstacles in their path. Also, they may not recognize their positive qualities. When a person with low self-esteem is given compliments, he may just think that he is flattered or exaggerated by his positive qualities.
Such people do not value their abilities and focus on what they did not, or on the mistakes they made. People with low self-esteem can expect that they will not succeed. They often feel depressed and anxious. Low self-esteem can affect performance at work or school. People with low confidence achieve less than people with adequate self-esteem, because they believe that they are less worthy and capable than others.
This category of people seeks to avoid problems, fearing that they will not cope. People who do not value themselves can work very hard and force themselves to recycle, because they believe that they need to hide imaginary shortcomings. They hardly believe in any positive results they have received. Low self-esteem makes a person shy and very shy, not believing in themselves.
Inferiority complex
The inferiority complex is an extreme pathological degree of self-doubt and is a huge psychological problem of a person. In essence, this is a lack of a sense of self-worth, doubt and a very low self-esteem, as well as a feeling of inability to meet standards.
He is often subconscious and it is believed that people suffering from this complex try to compensate for this feeling, which is expressed in high achievements or extremely asocial behavior. In modern literature, it is preferable to call this psychological phenomenon as "the absence of hidden self-esteem." The complex is developing through a combination of genetic characteristics of the individual and education, as well as life experience.
The inferiority complex can intensify when feelings of inferiority are provoked by failures and stresses. Persons at risk of developing the complex usually show signs of low self-esteem, have a low socioeconomic status, and also have symptoms of depression.
Children brought up in conditions where they are constantly criticized or do not live up to the expectations of their parents can also receive an inferiority complex. There are many different warning signs for those who may be more likely to develop an inferiority complex. For example, someone prone to attention and approval may be more receptive.
A study of the psychoanalyst Adler
According to classical Adler psychology, a sense of inferiority reappears when adults already want to achieve some unrealistic goal or experience a constant need for improvement. The tension associated with a sense of inferiority causes a pessimistic attitude towards life and an inability to overcome difficulties. According to Adler, each person has a sense of inferiority to one degree or another, but this is not a disease, but rather a stimulator of healthy, normal aspiration and development. It becomes a pathological state only when the sense of inferiority suppresses the personality, and does not stimulate it to useful activity. The complex makes a person depressed and incapable of further personal development.
Psychological trauma
A very common psychological problem is the consequences of experienced stressful situations.
By their nature, these are various mental disorders after affective (very powerful and destructive) experiences. The incidents that caused such intense experiences can be very diverse: isolation, illness, the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, divorce, stress, conflict, war and hostilities, the danger to existence, rape and more. These events powerfully affect the mental state, disrupting perception, thinking, emotions, behavior, making the person not quite adequate.
Interpersonal conflicts
Another branch that is studied by both practical and scientific (theoretical) psychology is various kinds of conflicts.
Open and unobvious conflicts with other people bring harm to a person’s mental activity and are a serious problem of a socio-psychological nature. These conflicts can be classified:
- Family conflicts (different values, problematic relationships with children, sexual dissatisfaction, a feeling of misunderstanding and resentment, betrayal, divorce).
- Conflicts in the workplace (conflict situations, emotional stress, chronic fatigue syndrome, stress, dissatisfaction, aggression, the feeling that this hinders mutual understanding, work and career advancement).
- Conflicts with friends and family (psychological irritation, envy, painful jealousy, resentment).
- Conflicts with strangers (street conflicts, in vehicles, indoors with strangers).
Children's difficulties
Psychological problems in children arise at different periods of their lives. They have a different nature. These may be the following difficulties:
- children's aggression and impulsivity;
- isolation;
- moodiness and tearfulness;
- timidity and shyness;
- low self-esteem;
- high level of anxiety;
- increased sensitivity
- stubbornness;
- fears and all kinds of phobias;
- carelessness;
- difficulty remembering information;
- various problems of psychological development;
- poor school performance;
- difficulties with adaptation in a school or kindergarten;
- communication problems with peers and adults;
In the event of any kind of psychological difficulties, it is necessary to seek the advice of a child psychologist, since the psyche of the child is a very fragile structure.
Maslow's Pyramid of Needs
From the perspective of the pyramid of needs of the great American psychologist Abraham Maslow (a pyramid that shows basic human needs), it is obvious that the issue of safety and food is not relevant for people at present. Of course, there are exceptions, but the vast majority of people can feed themselves. Products have become available, their variety is great, and safety in society is maintained at a decent level. According to Maslow’s theory, if it is possible to satisfy basic needs, then a desire arises to satisfy higher needs, such as community or to feel part of a social group, self-realization, or a desire to realize oneself as a specialist, as a person. It is at the stage of satisfying higher needs that the main socio-psychological problems of modern society arise.
The problem of choice in the modern world of consumption
Summarizing, we can say that a person, having satisfied his basic needs, is trying to direct his forces to the satisfaction of higher psychological and social desires. At this moment we are faced with modern problems. At the moment, there is a huge selection of various goods and services. The selection criterion may be the color, appearance of the package, reviews, price, and not just quality. All products a priori fulfill their functions, but their differences are made on insignificant characteristics.
In the future, it is these insignificant properties that are imposed on a person as selection criteria, and from this people have doubts when the purchase is already completed. Most people do not have the opportunity to purchase all types of one product, and often they remain unsatisfied due to doubts about the correctness of their choice.
Accelerated rhythm of life
People began to travel long distances in a short time, which means that they are more often involved in some type of activity. Scientific development has saved time on some things, but at the same time it has given the opportunity to spend time saved on others. In the modern world, dependence on computer games and social networks is growing. And thus, people only increase the load on the psyche instead of resting, the brain is increasingly overloaded. This is confirmed by many psychological studies. Psychological problems caused by the fast pace of society are a real scourge of our time, psychologists say.
Do not ignore the painful signals of our psyche and engage in the prevention of psychological disorders. If there is no way out of a problem situation, then it will be optimal to simply switch to something distracting and more useful. Sometimes a great solution to psychological problems is a visit to a psychologist.