What is Psychology?

Psychology is derived from the Greek words "Psyche" and "Logos," which refer to the Soul and Study, respectively.

And NO! Knowing psychology, you cannot read minds!

Psychology is the study of the human mind and behavior, which provides insights into the individual's emotions, thought processes, and subconscious and unconscious traits.

Though psychology has bloomed in the past recent years, its origin can be traced back to several thousands of years ago.

In this article, we will look into the origin, history, famous psychologists, the importance of being aware of your mental state, and the scope of psychology.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY :

Although psychology did not emerge as a discipline, early traces were found in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, China, Persia, Greece, and India. The keen interest of philosophers in the 17th century led to the foundation of psychology. Rene Descartes of France sought to understand the mind/body connection, which was later associated with the concept.

It was not until the late 1800s, that psychology first emerged as an important field of study; Wilhelm Wundt, a German scientist, wanted to study the human mind and consciousness, which believed was a scientific study. (Though there in modern times exists debate whether psychology is a humanities or basic science subject) He started the first psychological experimental laboratory at Leipzig in Germany in 1879. This laid the foundation of psychology as a recognized discipline.

Since then, psychology has continued to grow into several other branches, with numerous psychologists experimenting and contributing to their respective specialized fields.

Pioneers of Psychology :

• Wilhelm Wundt - Wundt was a German Physiologist born on 16th of August in 1832. He was acknowledged as the father of experimental psychology, a branch of psychology. He stressed the experimental aspects of psychology and in 1862, Wundt offered the first scientific study of psychology.
• Sigmund Freud - Sigmund Freud was born on May 6, 1856, in Austria. Freud is the founder of psychoanalysis, a therapy for man's ills. His contributions to psychology include levels of consciousness, defense mechanisms, stages of psychosexual development, the Oedipus complex, and many more. Despite the controversial concepts, Freud's discoveries are considered very helpful in everyday psychology.
• Ivan Pavlov - Pavlov, born in 1849 in Russia, is famous for this classical conditioning experiment. He was a physiologist and neurologist but later developed a keen interest in psychology during this experiment on the digestive system in dogs, which led to the foundation of the concept of "Classical Conditioning", a highly accepted behavioral theory.
• Albert Bandura - A Canadian-American psychologist and inventor of social cognitive psychology, born in 1925, who contributed immensely to the field of psychology. He is best known for his modeling study on aggression, the "Bobo Doll" experiment.
• B.F. Skinner - Skinner, born in 1904, was an American psychologist, behaviorist, and social philosopher. Famous for his "Skinner box" experiment and for introducing the concepts of rewards and punishment, which play a major role in behavioral psychology.

Mental health awareness :

Psychological disorders are as major as physical ailments. Categorizing these disorders as "abnormal" and ignoring them without proper remedies and medications can cause severe physical, psychological, and social problems in the individual's as well as other's lives.

If untreated, psychological disorders can become severe, and even lead to suicide.

Psychology plays a vital role in our daily life. It helps the individual to analyze, understand, and organize their emotions for efficient functioning. An individual can be considered healthy only when he is physically and mentally fit; a person who is very muscular, strong, and healthy but mentally stressed, cannot be termed as healthy overall. Therefore, mental well-being plays a key role in a person's life.

Ignorance of mental health is solely based on the fact that psychology is perceived as "Mental" or "Mad". People who are facing mental issues tend to neglect it due to these remarks. This preconceived notion about psychology needs to be deconstructed so that people feel liberated to share their issues about their mental health. Another reason is that people consider these disorders as paranormal and apt for treatments such as exorcism and at times even black magic. Hence, people need to be educated about the severity of these disorders and their impact on personal as well as social life.

In the Indian context, psychology is often taken as "non-essential", "useless" and even "unimportant" and hence basic problems such as anxiety, and phobia are neglected, which further leads to disastrous situations.

Men, especially, are taught to control and suppress their feelings to meet the standards of "masculinity", which leads to major problems such as depression, anger issues, emotional instability, and a disturbed lifestyle.

Emotions of other people are, at times, termed as immature, childish, and foolish which makes the other feel embarrassed of their own emotions and consecutively suppress the emotions, which in turn creates issues.

Hence, awareness and acceptance of one's own and others' emotions is a necessary life skill.

On account of this mental health awareness day is celebrated in May which was first started in the year 1949.

Some measures to improve mental wellbeing :

1) Exercise.

2) Eat well, and have a healthy and balanced diet.

3) Have a good sleep schedule

4) Set goals and priority

5) Practice gratitude

6) Focus on positivity

7) Accept and feel your own emotions

Scope and professions in Psychology :

Psychology has a vast scope which allows individuals to venture into the various fields of psychology and exercise their potential. Some of the widely practiced branches of psychology are as follows :

• Clinical psychologist - The main difference between a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist is that a clinical psychologist cannot prescribe medicines even though he or she has a license to practice.
  Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat clients struggling with psychological disorders. These professionals work in clinics, hospitals, and private practices.
• Counselor - These professionals help people with a wide range of mental problems like marriage, family, trauma, substance use, and many more. Typical work settings include schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, and mental health clinics.
• Industrial/Organizational psychologist - This psychologist focuses on workplace issues and tries to maintain harmony and peace in the working environment. They also work in academic and research positions as they study how to increase worker productivity and satisfaction.
• School psychologist - School psychologists work within elementary, middle, and high schools to diagnose and treat various learning and behavior problems in children. School psychologists also serve as a resource to help other educational professionals understand child development, behavior issues, and how to deal with problem behavior
• Forensic psychologist - Forensic psychologists handle psychological matters that relate to crime and the law. They use their knowledge and skills of psychological principles and utilize them to understand various aspects of the legal system.
  Though this field is relatively small, it is growing rapidly with many people taking an interest in Forensic psychology.
• Psychiatrists - They are trained physicians who specialize in mental health. They evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders. The treatments they offer include medication, therapy, and behavioral interventions. Psychiatrists assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological conditions. They can diagnose and treat these conditions.
• Psychiatric social worker - A psychiatric social worker is a mental health professional who helps people with mental health issues. They provide counseling, therapy, and case management services.
  Psychiatric social workers help patients find support systems within the community.

They can help patients find employment, access healthcare, and get social support services.

Hence, an overview of psychology and its various aspects is essential to maintain healthy mental well-being.

If you or the people around you are facing any mental issues, please consult the concerned psychologist without any hesitation.

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