Today, Monday, I woke up wondering if the weekend was real or if I dreamed it.. For those of you who don't know, This weekend the JAFA was and I gave a presentation, For me the most difficult to date. If I'm honest, a part of me is now afraid., afraid of not living up to the love I have received, but in honor of that, I am going to talk about the fear that I felt and that many of us feel., of self-stigma.
Self-stigma in mental health refers to that fear, shame, rejection you feel when you label yourself (tag) like “crazy”. All these emotions that are associated with the word “crazy” often lead us to hide, not to seek help and to think that there is something wrong with us, precisely the opposite of what we try to convey as therapists.
I don't think it's a coincidence that we feel this way., the reality is that, as usual, There is an entire system set up to promote this feeling. There is a popular idea that therapists are imperturbable beings., that we always know what to do and how to regulate ourselves, nothing affects us. It seems that, if you work in health or clinical psychology, you lose your status as a person, you become a robot capable of managing everything and you never make mistakes.
Separate mention of macrosocial variables, There are job offers that ask for “healthy therapists” and it will be ironic, But in many mental health centers, precisely what is least cared for is the mental health of their workers.. This makes, if you are not well, increase your fear of showing yourself, You can literally lose your job or not even get one.. There is also the feeling of responsibility, if I'm not well and I can't continue, What will happen to my consultants??, you don't want to let anyone down, even if not doing so is at the cost of your well-being. Besides, let's get to the economics, Many of us are self-employed and being on sick leave without someone to support you financially is, sincerely, a utopia.
At the individual level, It is very reinforcing to identify yourself as a person with your work.: “I am a person who helps others and on top of that, I am a behavior analyst, Come on, I'm the milk.". However, we put all our worth in one thing, a very specific thing, and when it is not? What are we if we are not therapists?? Facing this is difficult and often makes us prefer to run forward..
Being screwed doesn't make you a worse or better therapist., It makes you human and that's enough.
Consequently, sometimes if you are bad you shut up, you swallow it and throw it away, until you can't take it anymore, until the body tells you this far we have come. For this reason, It's important that we start talking about it.. Being screwed doesn't make you a worse or better therapist., It makes you human and that's enough. Sometimes it's important to stop, redefine ourselves and be able to continue walking. Fear is normal, how can you not have it, but hey, what do you always say, that you have to expose yourself, Well, here it is, friend.. Each of us will have our needs and our contingencies., I can't give general tips, but starting to recognize that you are not well is already a first step, a very brave one. From here, from a therapist who was very screwed, I send you a very strong hug and I wish you much encouragement.
