Head First

PSYCHOLOGY ISN’T ONLY MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTIES

This comes up so often when I talk to people who are trying to make changes.

🤔“Have you considered going to a psychologist?”

🤬“I don’t need a psychologist. There’s nothing wrong with me…”

An understandable response given that psychology has always been thought of as just mental health. However, psychology also covers much more than mental health.

🤯Psychology explains how and why we eat (and not just in eating disorders).

Psychology helps explain why we sometimes make really helpful decisions and sometimes make really terrible decisions.

Psychology can support people making changes, even if they don’t have a diagnosis or mental health issue. Why?

🏃‍♂️Because sometimes when we want to change a behaviour, we actually need to change something else like our psychology, our environment, or even how we interact with our friends and family.

I meet people SO OFTEN who tell me they know what they should do to change, but they don’t know how to do it and they don’t know why they can’t change.

⁉️Psychology helps us with exactly this! Explaining WHY we do certain things and identifying what needs to change.

There’s such negative connotations to saying “you should see a psychologist” but not to see a doctor or nutritionist or physio.

I’m just saying, maybe most of us could do with a psychologist and not because we have a mental health difficulty!

Just something to think about ☺️

WHAT IS EXCESSIVE EXERCISE?

“Excessive” exercise isn’t always defined by a specific number. We can help identify what excessive is by reflecting on how exercise impacts our lives.

Swipe through the slides for more details.

Some of these things include:

1. When we neglect other areas of life because of exercise

2. If it becomes distressing or stops being enjoyable

3. If it causes distress when it’s not completed

4. If it causes physical harm or physical health issues

5. If it is used as punishment or used to manipulate your body.

As always, if you’re worried about your exercise, please get in touch with a professional for support and guidance.

@ Dublin, Ireland