I went for another counselling session last night and my counsellor wants to see me again next month. Oh well, if I am going to fall into depression again, it will be good if someone holds me at the other end.
I feel there is a big injustice to counsellors or social workers in general. They are psychologically-trained, so able to study the behavioural and thought patterns of an individual, and help them as much as possible.
Then why are they being so much lesser-paid than psychiatrists? Is it because psychiatrists are medically-trained, and they treat mental illnesses? But there is only a thin line between someone on the verge of mental breakdown and someone actually breaking down.
Psychology was actually one of the subjects I was interested in. Perhaps it was just as well I did not enter Arts after all, because I would be at a loss which subjects to choose. If given a choice, I would have taken English Literature, History, Psychology, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology and Social Work, but alas, students could only choose up to two majors and one minor.
The only form of psychology I studied was two modules of Educational Psychology, plus one elective of Basic Counselling Skills, where there are theories after theories of children's behaviour and mindset. Needless to say, theories and practical often do not interface. Whatever one studied is normally never utilised since the actual scenario is so much different.
If I am to do psychology, I will want to study the criminal mind. A former law coursemate actually went to Australia to further her studies in Criminology and Justice Studies. She initially wanted to try for a post in the Police Force, but somehow her application was not approved.
Humans are interesting creatures. Which is why psychologists and psychiatrists are having so much business. And being a counsellor is pretty meaningful when he / she can help people with their problems and assess the different ways people think.
But the most interesting would be the criminal mind. What makes one want to commit a crime? What makes one want to do something illegal? Is it a case of split personality or schizophrenia? How would the person feel while committing the crime?
Because if one can get the psychology behind the crime, it makes the modus operandi and motives so much easier to fall into place.
I feel there is a big injustice to counsellors or social workers in general. They are psychologically-trained, so able to study the behavioural and thought patterns of an individual, and help them as much as possible.
Then why are they being so much lesser-paid than psychiatrists? Is it because psychiatrists are medically-trained, and they treat mental illnesses? But there is only a thin line between someone on the verge of mental breakdown and someone actually breaking down.
Psychology was actually one of the subjects I was interested in. Perhaps it was just as well I did not enter Arts after all, because I would be at a loss which subjects to choose. If given a choice, I would have taken English Literature, History, Psychology, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology and Social Work, but alas, students could only choose up to two majors and one minor.
The only form of psychology I studied was two modules of Educational Psychology, plus one elective of Basic Counselling Skills, where there are theories after theories of children's behaviour and mindset. Needless to say, theories and practical often do not interface. Whatever one studied is normally never utilised since the actual scenario is so much different.
If I am to do psychology, I will want to study the criminal mind. A former law coursemate actually went to Australia to further her studies in Criminology and Justice Studies. She initially wanted to try for a post in the Police Force, but somehow her application was not approved.
Humans are interesting creatures. Which is why psychologists and psychiatrists are having so much business. And being a counsellor is pretty meaningful when he / she can help people with their problems and assess the different ways people think.
But the most interesting would be the criminal mind. What makes one want to commit a crime? What makes one want to do something illegal? Is it a case of split personality or schizophrenia? How would the person feel while committing the crime?
Because if one can get the psychology behind the crime, it makes the modus operandi and motives so much easier to fall into place.
3 comments:
One difference, in my mind, between psychologists and psychiatrists is that psychiatrists regard you as a medical condition requiring treatment, whereas psychologists regard you are having problems that need to be healed.
That said, I do not have much regard for either. My main sticking point (and it applies to pretty much everything - not just the social sciences) is that people subscribe to an ideology and insist on imposing this on other people.
Psychiatrists regard the patient as someone who needs to be treated - dehumanized and clinical (here are some drugs, feel better). Psychologists, on the other hand, seem to fulfill a role that should not need filling in a properly functioning society - that of someone who listens and advises.
This is not to deny the need for qualified and competent persons to provide service and benefit. However, I am always leery of someone trying to tell me they are acting in my best interest.
As to asking why does a criminal want to commit a crime? Hmmm … I think you are looking at it the wrong way. The criminal is not motivated to commit a crime, the criminal simply behaves in a manner that is consistent with his/her behaviour. Society, labels the behaviour as criminal. Why not ask, "Why does society label this as criminal behaviour?"
Hrm... if you get into depressions easily, I don't think that studying crime psychology is a good choice though...
I believe there's a huge difference between "depression" and "being depressed".
Depressed is a temporal whilst Depression is more of a lasting serious condition. Please do re-confirm with your doctor/psychiatrists.
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