Astory about South Korea that appeared in the New York Times last week should give us pause for thought. South Koreans live in a high-pressured society with a rising divorce rate and extreme academic pressure on university students. For all this, South Koreans largely reject the idea of engaging in psychotherapy as a means of relieving the pressure because visiting a therapist – a psychiatrist or a psychologist – can stigmatize the patient. Certainly, Saudi Arabia is a far cry from South Korea, but that does not mean that personal and social pressures do not build up to the point that therapeutic intervention in managing our emotional lives is necessary. And recourse to psychotherapy - be it traditional talk therapy, the more in vogue cognitive-behavioral model and/or a medicinal-based approach – should be made available without stigmatizing the person in need of assistance. At one point or another in our lives, we all need “someone to talk to.” That need, however, can be made more extreme by any number of factors ranging from childhood occurrences to current situational circumstances. One's best friend, however well-intentioned, is not usually versed in the ways to assist an individual to navigate what could be a serious life occurrence or a long-buried and long-ignored malady that has repeatedly caused problems. Psychology, as it is practiced today, is rooted in serious scientific studies, both behavioral and physiological. The ground-breaking but somewhat fantastic theories of the early practitioners in the field, are no longer the guidelines for treating those suffering psychological trauma. The practice of a psychologist or psychiatrist is just as rooted in scientific precepts as that of an oncologist. Just as our bodies do not always perform as perfectly as we would like and we are obliged to seek medical treatment, our minds do the same. Shisha, tea and serious conversation can be of help for the normal travails of everyday life, but more serious problems demand more serious treatment. Seeking professional help should not have any stigma attached. __
