Consultants take stock of the most frequently consulted worries of 2019; we see that as the external environment changes, people are beginning to have new psychological symptoms.

Did you have a good time last year? How do you feel about the new year?

HuffPost, which captures the clinical experience of a number of consultants and psychologists to address the most common patient problems of the past year, also found that more of them are connected to the external environment than their own internal problems. So you may also be able to see some shadows of yourself.

Time has been moving forward, in an era of increasingly drastic changes, we are more and more prone to feel alone, through understanding of the psychological troubles we may all have, I hope you know, you are not alone, and we can find effective responses.

I. Social media "compare" the "counterfeiter syndrome" caused by culture

Karla Ivankovich, a clinical consultant at The American Psychological Clinic, says the most common condition in 2019 is the fear of not being able to be the "person you should be" and impostor Syndrome. Heidi Cox, a clinical psychologist in New York City, also noted that he was exposed to many patients with impostor syndrome and perfectionism last year.

People with impostor syndrome believe that their success is not due to their own efforts or ability, but by luck. So they also worry that one day they will be recognized by others that they are actually a "liar".

Experts say the "comparative" environment created by social media makes it easy for people to deny their lives by examining "the success of others". In addition, people in the community usually show only the perfect or bright side, we do not see any difficulties or failures; These comparative behaviors make it easy for us to self-identify as inadequate.


Photo The "Do You Have to Get Married" is a photo

Second, "choice anxiety" to cope with "online dating"

Brooke Sprowl, a Los Angeles psychotherapist, notes that with the popularity of online dating, the ubiquitous "pairing" culture has created a consumer mindset that makes people more likely to be unhappy with their choices. 'It's a psychological cognitive process with too many choices - the more choices we have, the more difficult it becomes and the less satisfied we are with our decisions,' he says.

In addition, he mentions that "Ghosting" is common in online dating, referring to the sudden disappearance of the date. This can make people feel excluded and then disappointed in themselves;

Third, can not set up "borders" in the relationship, for emotional blackmail

One of the most common symptoms of his patient last year was the difficulty of maintaining a relationship with others. He observes that it is the norm to take care of others and have weak borders, so we always need time to operate to maintain a healthy balance and ensure that respect and love are felt for each other.

Jacob Kountz, a marriage and family therapist in California, also shared that he sees that it's always hard for patients to say "no" to others: "They tell me they don't want family or friends to let them down, even at the expense of their energy. He believes that in order to please those close to them, they do not know how to stick to themselves: "They spend most of their lives walking on eggshells." In this regard, he advises patients to start with self-confidence training to get your self-opinion back.

Symptoms caused by "work burnout"

Rebekah Montgomery, a clinical psychologist in Washington, D.C., notes that anxiety, stress and insomnia at work are already one of his most frequently heard problems. 'People are struggling with a balance between work achievement, self-worth, relationships, and self-care, ' he says. 'When work becomes everything for us, it means that we spend too much time and ourselves in it, and we can barely accommodate anything else in life.' At the same time, this state of mind and self-esteem will be followed by the ups and downs of the work to have a profound impact.

V. Also troubled by intimacy, but there are differences between men and women

Sarah Hunter Murray, a Canadian intimacy and marriage therapist, says he's seen how many men are troubled by their declining libido, as well as the stress, challenges and vulnerabilities in their relationships, and how these things relate to their interest in sex. On the other hand, he observed that women were less likely to be concerned about "why my libido is low" and rather about the "orgasm" gap with their partners, hoping for improvement and more sexual pleasure.

6. "Adaptation barriers" due to changes in the external environment

Clinical psychologist and sex therapist Christopher Ryan Jones shared that one of the most diagnosed symptoms he has ever experienced is Adjustment Disorders. The main causes of this situation in the past may have been divorce, death or unemployment of family members; however, he observed a change in the causes of recent years: "Our socio-cultural changes, political problems at home and abroad, make it difficult for many people to adapt to them, and it also makes people feel more uncertain about the future." 」

As can be seen, from the anxiety caused by changes in personal life and relationships, we are now increasingly vulnerable to external environmental influences, which in turn create a sense of insecurity in the collective society.


Photo A photo of a husband with depression

Trauma and fear caused by reports of sexual violence

American psychotherapist Patrice N. Douglas notes that many people come to treatment because of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by social shootings, violence or political events.

Psychologist Heather Z. Lyons also says that the recent topic of sexual assault has become part of the public debate, making it difficult for us to ignore it. Yet these news events, including the perpetrators of denials, the filming and release of related documentaries, will evoke exciting, unpleasant memories of people who have had the same or similar experiences.

8. Unable to adapt to the change of gender power in the relationship

Alexandra Solomon, a clinical psychologist, says a common problem last year was that in heterosexual couples, when a wife earns more than her husband, it can lead to feelings of shame and resentment towards the wife. He doesn't think it's wrong in itself, but it challenges the script of established heterosexual hegemony and causes anxiety and distress among partners.

Modern people with both anxiety and depression

"Unfortunately, the rates of anxiety and depression continue to rise rapidly," says Liz Shuler, a psychological consultant, referring to her annual exposure case. He saw that most of his patients had one of these two problems, and that many of them had both.

"Research suggests that depression may be caused by inflammation of the brain, and that studies have linked anxiety, depression, pain, and brain structure, suggesting that depression and anxiety may not be two separate symptoms, but are connected to each other like the positive and negative sides of a coin. He also shared that the three keys to anxiety and depression were "self, others and others", and suggested that patients could relink these three levels to reduce stress and increase happiness.

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As times change, we begin to experience more and more complex mental states, and you may have looked left and right, anxious about your unfamiliar emotions, and fear of losing the link with the world. And the above nine clinical data, in fact, may also be just the tip of the iceberg of people's psychological state; Are you doing well at the moment? This year is starting and we'll be together.