Expert: seeing a psychologist should be as routine as visiting the dentist
Why is it worth checking in with a psychologist regularly, how do you find the right specialist, and what should you watch for to protect mental health in the workplace?
Although Estonians’ awareness of mental health issues has grown over the years, it still isn’t seen as equal in importance to physical health. Why is it worth checking in with a psychologist regularly, how do you find the right specialist, and what should you watch for to protect mental health in the workplace?
According to Estonia’s national mental health survey (RVTU), the most common mental health issues among Estonians are depression and anxiety disorders, with the highest risk found among adolescents and young adults. Risk levels decline with age, but start rising again after age 74. Over time, the age at which people first experience depression has continued to shift earlier.
In this respect, Estonia is in step with the rest of the world. International studies show that a third of women and a fifth of men experience at least one episode of depression before age 65. “Society certainly plays a role here: growing pressure to be successful and popular, to do what’s ‘in’ and point out what’s ‘out.’ All of this puts people under significant pressure from early childhood onward. Add limited support and a lack of understanding from loved ones, and you get an unfavourable environment where young people are expected to cope with a burden that often proves too much to bear,” notes Maksimov.
A lack of understanding from loved ones hurts the most
The psychologist confirms that while we’ve learned to notice physical problems, since they usually make themselves painfully clear, reading the signs of mental health struggles is much harder for many people. “If you can’t see it or feel it with your hands, it can seem as though it doesn’t exist. Often, the situation is made even harder when the people closest to us don’t understand,” Maksimov notes. That’s why, similar to visiting the dentist, he recommends seeing a psychologist regularly too — to check in with yourself now and then, and, if needed, discuss whatever’s been weighing on your mind with a specialist.
According to Meliva’s psychologist, attitudes toward mental health in society are starting to shift, and awareness is growing. “Understanding is gradually taking hold that, just like our physical health, our mental side needs ongoing attention too. As with any problem: it’s better to prevent it than to wait until the situation becomes difficult. Mental health is part of the whole — there’s no such thing as good health without good mental health.”
According to Maksimov, a psychologist’s goal is to help a person find balance — in their own thoughts and feelings, and in their relationship with the world around them. “Sometimes that might simply mean listening to someone; other times, it might mean helping bring clarity to a tense situation, or finding solutions within a long-running tangle of problems. Ideally, everyone would have their own psychologist to sit down with now and then and reflect on their thoughts. But I understand reality isn’t quite that rosy. People’s willingness to reach out to a specialist remains one of the biggest challenges in our field,” Maksimov explains, adding that the overall state of mental health services also matters — finding a mental health specialist can sometimes be difficult too.
A good fit between specialist and patient is key
“Today, the question is really more about where you can get an appointment fastest. The fit between the client and the specialist supporting them is also a critical factor. If someone doesn’t feel comfortable, it’s very hard for them to open up — and without understanding the nature of the problem, it’s hard for the specialist to help,” says Maksimov. He adds that, at Meliva for example, alongside in-person appointments, help is also available through the Digikliinik app online. “That gives people the chance to choose from a wider pool of specialists and get an appointment faster.”
A good starting point is thinking about what kind of issue you’re looking to address. If the concern relates directly to work, a work and organisational psychologist can help. If it’s an issue within close relationships, a family therapist or an appropriately trained psychologist may be the right fit. “It’s worth first talking through your concern with a mental health nurse, who can definitely point you toward the right specialist,” Maksimov encourages. There’s no need to worry that a concern isn’t “big enough” to warrant seeing a specialist — quite the opposite, according to Meliva’s psychologist: it’s worth seeking help before a problem snowballs. “The longer a concern goes unaddressed, the harder it becomes to untangle.”
A company’s success depends on its employees’ health
“People often only turn to a work and organisational psychologist once relationships within the organisation have become so strained that they’re getting in the way of work — or once workload has grown so heavy that people can no longer cope with the resulting pressure,” Maksimov offers as an example of a common problem.
“Signs of internal organisational problems include high staff turnover and illness, communication difficulties, gossip and talking behind people’s backs, constant blame-seeking, and people pitted against each other,” Maksimov explains. “More forward-thinking employers have created options for employees to access mental health specialists, using long-term partnership agreements. This gives employees clarity on where and who to turn to, and gives employers confidence that support is available when needed.”
According to the psychologist, it matters that society supports one another and raises awareness together. “Fortunately, things have been shifting somewhat for the better lately: there’s more and more open discussion about the importance of mental health and related issues. Employers’ understanding, too, has gradually started to change, and more and more employers now recognise that an organisation’s success depends on how people feel there, what the atmosphere is like, and how good employees’ mental and physical health is,” says Maksimov.
This article was first published in Postimees.
