Psychological Difficulties
Bereavement, Loss and Grief, Self-esteem, Confidence, Frustration, Stress Management, Physical, Emotional and Sexual Abuse.
By identifying some of the issues which might be troubling you, you can begin to build a more secure, comfortable way of life. Some of the things I can help you to manage are:
Grief and Loss
Grief is an intense feeling of sadness that can be triggered following any loss, most frequently associated with the death of a loved one such as a family member, a friend and even a pet. An individual’s own terminal illness, going through a divorce or an expatriation process are all events that can also cause grief.
The stages of mourning and grief are often defined as denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Although this inevitable process is experienced by all people at some stage in their lives, the order in which these occur do not necessary follow the proposed sequence (Elizabeth Kubler-Ross), and are experienced with varying degrees of intensity, depth and length depending on the type of loss as well in the way in which individuals are able to cope with their emotions.
Grieving is a personal process, and therefore there is no such thing as a ‘right’ way to experience it. Each individual will find his or her own road to recovery throughout which, of course, there will be ups and downs, but this is normal.
What is important in all this is that, no matter how much pain you feel, you will survive your loss.
Self Esteem
People's esteem develops from the relationships and experiences that they have throughout their lives. It is something that develops and changes over time.
Self-esteem is the opinion that individuals have about themselves. It is something that tends to vary depending on social and/or working environment conditions. We all experience moments of low self-esteem at some point in time, usually as a response to external events.
However, when low self-esteem becomes a long-term habit, it can negatively affect your relationships with others, seriously diminish your confidence and hinder your ability to assert yourself, thus creating increasing frustration and unhappiness.
Research has shown that low self-esteem arises from different form of abuse as well as from depression.
Throughout the therapeutic journey you will be able to identify the aspects of your life that need to be modified.
As you discover the tools needed to do so, you will start building your self-belief and developing your inner strength.
Abuse
Physical, verbal, or emotional mistreatment can leave psychological wounds that are harder to heal than bodily injuries, and negative feelings may plague the survivor.
All types of abuse are painful and can cause psychological distress. It is not uncommon for a victim of abuse to experience more than one type of abuse like physical, emotional and/or sexual. Abuse can occur within any type of relationship, be it familial, professional, or social, and it can also occur between strangers.
Many forms of abuse are in fact abuses of power, in which a person repeatedly attempts to control or manipulate the behavior of another person. Emotional or psychological abuse can include a chronic pattern of criticism, coercion, humiliation, accusation, or threats to one’s physical safety. Childhood neglect is also a form of psychological abuse.
Abusers are usually needy and controlling. Since they often have experienced some sort of abuse themselves, they tend to replicate the same on others, acting out deeply rooted feelings of shame and inadequacy, and trying to pull other people down to their own level. Cycles of abuse are often based on an intense need for love and affection, a terror of being abandoned, low self-esteem, isolation and drug or alcohol abuse. Uncontrollable anger, jealousy, the need for power and inability to respect other people’s boundaries are all common traits of abusers.
Abusive relationships are usually progressive, whereby the needs of one party escalate and those of the other disappear along with their self-esteem. While abuse in any form can have a negative impact on an individual’s life, significant emotional or psychological problems do not necessarily result from every case of abuse. The severity of psychological repercussions can vary depending on many factors, such as how well the victim was associated with the abuser and whether the abuse was recognized or dismissed by the friends and family of the abused.
As adults, survivors of abuse may experience difficulty maintaining healthy relationships and productivity at work. Survivors of abuse, who are at heightened risk for developing mental health issues like depression, are likely to encounter one or more psychological issues such as anxiety, anger, dissociation, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), self-destructive disorder and/or trust issues.
Therapy can help a you express and process difficult emotions associated with the abuse, develop self-compassion and self-care strategies for managing moments when you feel emotionally overwhelmed, and learn to trust again.
