Characterizing people who struggle with mental problems as "psychiatric patients," "mental patients" or "mentally unstable" can make them feel particularly unhappy. After they have been hospitalized for the first time they typically face drastically different social expectations. This new life may bring new social roles to the individual, where the self before the first psychiatric … Continue reading The impact of stigma on the identity of users of psychiatric services
Author: Vladimir Mušicki
Psychotherapist and psychologist from Belgrade, Serbia
Boundaries in psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is successful when boundaries between the therapist and the client are well-defined. As in any relationship between two people, it is an ongoing process of defining borderlines between the two personalities. However, in psychotherapy, there are some ethical concerns, norms, and guidelines which are very important to follow. Boundaries are a crucial element in … Continue reading Boundaries in psychotherapy
Building trust in psychotherapy
Embarking on therapy or counseling is an important and difficult decision. The client may not have experienced anything similar to this before. Seeing a stranger for the first time and talking about personal, intimate issues can be very difficult, and the client might perceive it as an artificial situation. Usually the first session is about … Continue reading Building trust in psychotherapy
Tolerating uncertainty
Feelings of uncertainty are usually connected to anxiety which is experienced when one is thinking about the future. Reduced ability to anticipate future events can trigger strong feelings of anxiety and many other unpleasant emotions. In fact, this ability to reflect about the future is something which makes us truly human. Uncertainty comes and goes, … Continue reading Tolerating uncertainty
How is the mind-body problem relevant to the concept of mental disorder?
The mind-body problem is a very old philosophical dilemma. What is the connection between this enigma and the concept of mental disorder? Stated briefly, the mind-body dualism could be explained in a form of a question: Is there a relationship between the mind and the body, and if there is some kind of a relationship, … Continue reading How is the mind-body problem relevant to the concept of mental disorder?
Rage attacks: Where do they come from?
Rage can be strong, rage can be toxic and dangerous and rage can be contagious. Rage attack as an outburst of anger is usually very hard to handle. When you are close to a person who is experiencing explosion of anger, it is extremely hard to find an appropriate way to tackle the situation. So … Continue reading Rage attacks: Where do they come from?
The vicious cycle of depression and how to get out from it
We all feel down and sad sometimes. It is hard. It is difficult. It can drain our energy and empty our resources. But what if there is something we can do about depression to at least soften its influence on our lives? According to American Psychiatric Association, depression (or major depression disorder) is a treatable … Continue reading The vicious cycle of depression and how to get out from it
Hugs in psychotherapy: Good or bad thing?
Hugs are integral part of our intimate relationships with others—a sign of affection with friends, family and spouses, and even with strangers we meet along the way. With hugs, we exchange feelings and meanings on non-verbal level which seems rather different from our everyday interaction, deeply entrenched in many words that we utter during one … Continue reading Hugs in psychotherapy: Good or bad thing?
Finding it difficult to start online therapy? Here’s why.
Online therapy is a new and exciting field. But sometimes it can be difficult to trust someone you’ve never met in person and seen only on the computer screen, even if he or she is a mental health professional. It is also called e-therapy, e-counseling, or tele-counseling. There are many resources on the Internet if … Continue reading Finding it difficult to start online therapy? Here’s why.
What is anhedonia?
Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life? Has this wondering ever left you with a feeling of emptiness? Has the lack of pleasure in everyday activities stripped your life of a sense of meaning? Of course, thoughts and feelings like these can happen to us all the time. And they do happen. They … Continue reading What is anhedonia?
Vladimir Mušicki, PhD 